


Voice of the Black Rose

by alice_dualswordlesbian



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game), Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Yu-Gi-Oh!, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Dueling, F/F, Friendship, Gen, Heavy Angst, Non-Canonical Character Details, Trans Female Character, trans headcanons are present but not story-relevant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-01-04 03:24:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 501,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21190766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alice_dualswordlesbian/pseuds/alice_dualswordlesbian
Summary: The incident shakes her to her very core. Though it was pushed silently under the rug, it opens her eyes permanently. She will never forget the consequences.Five years pass, and her opportunity comes. The wheels begin to turn, heading towards the dark unknown.Most Recent Update:you have a lot of enemies, dragon.(Content Warnings - https://pastebin.com/6aAd4BMf)





	1. Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Notes are at the top this time!
> 
> First off, content warnings! In regards to the depiction of violence tag; there is little physical violence actually inflicted on the characters themselves. However, I chose to add the tag due to the use of blood/depictions of violence and character injury during metaphor and symbolism sequences, as well as due to the possibility of monster fights in duels using the same kind of imagery. They’ll be pretty sporadic in appearance, so I’ll inform in the notes above a chapter if they’re present in it. That aside, nothing as extreme as the archive warnings applies to this fic, but the pastebin at the top lists a number of other potentially sensitive topics; if you feel the need to, please take a look at it!
> 
> Secondly, this is the fic I'll be working on for NaNoWriMo! Though it's inspired by Arc-V, this fic isn't based on any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! stories or universes in particular; this is an original world! My goal is to write 50k words of the fic during the course of November, not including what I write before the month starts (update: i did it c:).
> 
> Finally, this fic won't depict duels that accurately resemble the metagame of competitive Yu-Gi-Oh!, for multiple reasons; mainly, I am a dumbass with about three working synapses in her head, and can not pull off anything like that in the course of one month. In addition, I have almost no knowledge of the Link era; my understanding essentially ended with the Pendulum era. For that reason, this AU won't use link mechanics or link monsters; the ruleset will be Master Rules 3 instead!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!!!
> 
> (twit: fushyfush)

...The excited murmuring of an entire crowd. Thousands and thousands of people, packing every last seat in the arena. The building towers above the sky, a gigantic circular dome enticing inside anyone who happens to have a very particular interest.

That's how the memory starts.

The lights darken, leaving only the faint glow of neon green from the circular floor below.

...

"...GRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETINGS," an obnoxious voice suddenly booms, "and WELCOME to the next exciting match, here today at the HANEOKA! HAVEN! STADIUM!" A solitary spotlight snaps down onto a gaudy-looking figure, ledged on a podium at least 30 meters above the stage below. 

Streaks of yellow fire chaotically into the sky, briefly illuminating their surroundings with flickering light. A gigantic screen stationed on one end blinds everyone watching with the name of the stadium, the standard corporate sponsor logos flying beneath. The crowd starts to yell as the lights on the stage's walls, slowly but surely, light up one-by-one from one end of the stadium to the other. The announcer runs his gaze left and right across the crowd. "Lord, it is PACKED in here today. Maybe it's just me, but I think you all ALREADY know who the participants are for TODAY'S special..."

There's a deafening roar in response; nobody really cares about the announcer, who's likely graced multiple arenas with his tired presence at this point. But he's the one who controls when the superstars grace the field, so people respond to him nonetheless. It's for that same reason that they mute their cheers, somewhat, when the announcer raises his hand.

"Now, I'm not a SOCIAL kind of person, and I know plenty of you aren't either," he says, "so let's just cut to the chase, shall we?"

He throws one of his hands out to the right. "Because when there's two legendary fighters, standing across the room from each other, we don't fill the stadium here to see people TALK..." he drawls, "...we fill the stadium so that we can see them DUEL!"

Another roar. Carrying the hype, the announcer practically fires his head in the direction of his outstretched hand, towards an entrance on one half on the field. "In THIS corner, we have a rising star... behold the duelist who CRUSHES without hesitation, the SHOWSTOPPING warrior who never spares even a THOUGHT for his opponent... decked in red and metal, it's MOLTEEEEEN STEEEEEEEEEL!"

The duelist in question quickly strides out onto the middle of the field as the crowd cheers, catching up with the sequentially activating lights. His name is utterly forgettable, but his brute appearance keeps enough people invested. The podium detaches from its hook and floats towards him, the announcer holding out a microphone:

"Anything to say, big guy?"

He only smirks in response, causing the crowd to chant his name.

"That's Molten Steel for ya, folks! COLD!" A rambunctious bout of laughter hits some of the crowd members, though they quickly start cheering again.

Then, the lights finally encompass the entire venue. A figure's shadow can be found near the other entrance onto the field, and some audience members start to yell at the top of their lungs. 

The announcer throws out his left hand now instead, smile even more exaggerated. "...And in THIS corner..." The crowd's noise threatens to drown out the venue immediately. The announcer has to raise the volume on his mic; "IT'S THE ONE... THE ONLY... THE ONE EVERY DUELIST IN BOTH DISTRICTS KNOWS OF... THE MINATO WOLF!"

The name feels nostalgic.

As his pseudonym is spoken, the stadium floor glows ablaze with light; between the intricately crafted slabs of metal, the beams of neon green now bask in their own colour. With the pattern lying at the center, the entire floor looks like the door to a technological vault. 

A man with short, sleek black hair leant to one side walks to the center of the arena. As he nears the center, a longcoat of the same colour, tied around his waist, billows behind him. The shadow it leaves on the stadium floor resembles the figure of a superhero.

As he meets his opponent in the center ring, the cheering fails to get any louder; nobody's vocal chords can keep up with the excitement of the crowd. The announcer points out his microphone at this person, too:

"Anything to say to your opponent before your duel begins, your grace?" he drawls, as if the hype isn't already drowning him out. "This match has been talked about all DAY!"

"Ahaha," The man lets out a jovial laugh, and sends a soft smile out towards the crowd, capturing their hearts. "I'm flattered to hear that. I guess after all these years, people still have a place inside them for the Minato Wolf." 

The crowd roars positively in response. The man continues; "Dueling is one of the finest and most well-constructed sports in these districts... but it's also so much more. I feel like there's no better way to get to know a person."

His opponent continues to smirk, despite the stark difference in their fame.

"So, as I get to know Molten Steel," he finishes, his smile broadening, "I hope you all get to know us too. I hope you're going to pay VERY close attention to the duel you're about to see!"

The audience's cheers form the sound of an oath, one which will tie their eyes to the duelists below. The professional play they watch here today will embed itself deep, deep into their memories.

Very deep.

"You heard the man! Let's get TO it!" The announcer's podium rises, retreating and settling back on its ledge. Special effects colour every part of the arena, even to those watching the event on TV elsewhere. The participants walk three steps back, turning to face each other, and two beautifully constructed devices eject beams of light from their wrists, enveloping each duelist with a fire-kissed blade. 

A deck of 40 cards shuffles itself inside each of their devices. They each draw 5, and the gigantic screen displays '**LP8000**' for the both of them.

And then everything falls apart.

What happens next has long lost any sort of merit to being clearly remembered. Only the results need to be stated.

It's crushing to look at. It hurts.

People are surprised, shocked and even horrified when the duel quickly turns against the Minato Wolf. But ultimately, they suspect nothing, as he at least appears to be playing to the minimum professional standard. He continues to formulate good strategies, but the opponent acts as if he saw every single one coming from the beginning, and tears them apart mercilessly. 

The losing side appears distraught, but tries to keep smiling. He tries to speak, but the crowd drowns him out, leaving him with only his hopeless fight to focus on. Every maneuver the Minato Wolf makes, no matter how ingenious it seems, is destroyed, until everyone starts to see the results as inevitable. 

Mercilessness had never been so elaborate. Nobody would have ever suspected that this was just a trick on the eyes. Anyone with a trained eye could have noticed that it wasn't the same playstyle he usually adopted. But nobody, nobody would have managed to deduce that he took the deck, smiling earnestly, from a friend who had intended to rig him from the very start, just a few days back. It was a deck designed just for this very moment.

His opponent basks, yells, roars out in delight, his every expression feeling like it was designed to be hot-blooded, yet cold. Though many express shock at the way the duel is going, slowly, the crowd begins to pick up a repeated chant for Molten Steel. A whirlwind of sensation imprisons them, becoming an addictive drug that they throw themselves into. The cheers only get louder, and louder, and louder. It spirals. 

Eventually, the Minato Wolf no longer has a move to make, the smile drained from his face, his eyes painted in shock. 

And then, the end comes, and the crowd roars. The scene has attracted the eyes of hundreds of thousands of people. 

The announcer speculates if this means the start of one career and the end of another.

He was right.

\---

The dreamer wakes. Silver hair silently falls from her shoulders.

That's where the memory ends. At this point, it only serves as a reminder, since she long remembers every detail, before, during, and after, by heart. It's a stake buried in her chest, the end of the wood carved with a disturbing, fanged grin.

But that horrific expression, constantly looking into her eyes, is useful. It reminds her of what she has to do.

"..." The room is eerily quiet. Not even the birds outside chirp as the sun blares through the shuttered windows. Letting out nothing but a dreary sigh, the girl gets up from her bed.

Today is an important day.

She changes into a simple dark blue shirt and a long skirt of a dustier, faded hue, dressed with two arrays of black frills near the bottom. Then she seeks out her belongings; most importantly, a small metal podium with an orb occupying two-thirds of its diameter, fitted with a small touch-responsive array, and a slot at each side for holding a deck of cards in. Using the velcro strapped beneath the item, she wraps it around her wrist. She locates a couple of bags, variably containing magazines, tins, albums and containers dedicated to her interest. She affixes the purse to her waist, and puts on a coat lying in the corner of her room, reaching a little below her waist in length. The ends of the collar and the bottom take a jagged shape, endpoints facing in front of her, and the sleeves reach down just below her elbows; the coat originally had them at wrist-length, but the ends had since been neatly cut back and sewn up.

She checks to confirm if she already prepared everything the night prior; fortunately, the room reassures her that she'd done it all well in advance. She has everything she needs. There's nothing else of interest to her here, in this room or in any of her drawers. So the girl equips the backpack, leaves her room, and travels the unlit corridor to head downstairs. She's long awaited this; no sparing a single second more.

"You're going?"

She's at the front door when two figures stand beside her. They probably knew she'd be leaving immediately.

"...Yes."

Her father smiles. The bags under his eyes aren't all that hard to see now, and his hair strays in a few places, but he wears the same lax, comforting face. "Take care."

"And call us whenever you need to." Her mother's holding a cup of coffee in her hands. Her smile is wider, but a little more forced. Her eyes look like they might water.

"...I will," she responds. "Thank you."

She takes a few steps out of the doorway, out onto the pavement. She takes one last look at her parents, for a span of time she doesn't remember.

Then she turns her head and starts walking. 

This early in the Winter, it's still dark in the morning, so it ends up taking about an hour to get to the location she needs. She ignores the sweat growing as she treks over, crossing the bridge between the Haneoka and Hanasakigawa districts in the process. Fortunately, the place she's going to isn't too far from that border; being situated near both districts is an optimal circumstance for her. The Haneoka Haven Stadium, in all its bulky, glass-windowed glory, towers at her distant side during her route, shaped like a halo over the angel called the Haneoka Tower. It's situated near an array of dedicated shops perfectly suited for her goal, and it's an easy train journey away from here.

Finally, she comes upon an array of stairs, lined up on both sides with thick foliage. It would resemble the climb to a shrine, but the only thing decorating the entrance is the small metal gate in front of her. She takes one of several ID cards, hovers it over a scanner, and a lock clicks, allowing her inside. She takes the first few steps upon the empty entrance.

...Then, a familiar voice makes itself known.

"Yukinaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

It's one of the only voices she can recognise with just one word.

The girl turns her head back; the source of the voice stands panting at the other side. The metal gate closes, separating them.

"...Lisa."

"Eheheh... I..." she takes a moment to catch her breath, "I figured... it'd be here. I remember exploring this place with you a few years back."

"...What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?" The girl called Lisa responds without hesitation. She then chucks a bag over the gate. "I figured you'd forget to bring extra clothes. There's a few moisturisers in there too, and-"

"I..." She walks back down the stairs and takes the bag, trying not to dwell too much on it. "...I didn't need it. But thank you." Looking back up, she meets the other girl's eyes. They're looking at the device on her arm.

The two stand in silence for a bit. Unlike her, there's no reason for her friend to be here. There's nothing Lisa Imai has to gain by following her on this path. Nothing at all.

"...So, you're really doing it, huh?" Lisa cracks a smile. The kind she always uses, when she's feeling down, when her creasing brows tell more of the story instead.

"Of course. Didn't I tell you before?" She responds, not a crack in her voice. "I won't let anything get in my way, now that this path's opened for me."

"Yeah, I always knew... just..." Lisa's gaze is subtly drawn to the ground, the way they always do when they're trying to help someone. "You don't have to do this, you know? You're going to be away from your parents here, and-"

"I have to," she responds. "If I don't, nobody else will. That's the kind of opponent they are."

...Silence. Lisa's eyes are searching her. Searching for clues, searching for another way.

...If nothing's said now, Lisa will be trying to find a different solution forever. A solution that doesn't involve them separating, a solution that doesn't involve the lone wolf's complete isolation. That's the kind of angel Lisa is. That's why Lisa has been her friend all this time, stayed in contact with her all this time and constantly checked up on her. It's been 5 years since that fateful day, but Lisa has never stopped watching over her, never stopped helping her.

It's time for that to end. It has to end, if she wants to accomplish her goal. So she takes the first step forward.

"...Lisa. No matter what, nothing will stop me from doing this. Even you." Her friend's voice gets caught in the throat, just like every other time. Hopefully, this is the last time she'll have to reject her. "I WILL show the world what their sport has become. I'll show them what dueling has become, and what it should be instead. And to do that, I'm going to have to take them down. I'm not going back home, no matter what you say." 

With that last line, she's done. She turns her back to Lisa and heads up the stairs, not bothering to see the reaction on Lisa's face; because that reaction is always the worst, most heartrending one possible.

It's better this way. Now that she's thrown her friend's heart away for good, she'd never forgive herself if she went back down and asked for that kindness again. On this day, she's thrown away the one person who stayed by her side, after all this time.

...

...But on this day, there's two tracks, playing the sound of someone walking up the stairs.

She turns around. The person she called her friend is walking right beside her, merry smile on her face.

"Lisa-"

"I jumped over the fence! It was pretty small, after all."

How? Why? She has to stop walking. "...This isn't a joke, Lisa. I'm-"

"I know." Lisa grasps her hands. "I know how much this means to you. But that's why I'm coming with you."

...Of course. Why did she expect any other reaction? "...You can't take this lightly, Lisa. I'm going to be dueling some of the best out there."

"Then that's what I'll do, too!" A glass pane dangles from the edge of a cliff. Lisa keeps smiling. "If they work twice as hard with their dueling, I'll work three times as hard."

...She can't, truly, convince Lisa down any other path, can she? There's nothing she can do to give her friend a brighter road to walk on. "Lisa... I..."

"I'm never leaving you. Never." Though it's shaking, Lisa's grip tightens nevertheless.

A mistake. 

On this day, she curses herself for being unable to reject her friend's kindness.

\---

She can hear them before she arrives. 

It's 8:40am in the morning. To get here, she's travelled from slightly further in-land to the Haneoka coastline, resplendent in its shimmering glory. The river by her side leads right out into it, lines of greenery adorned with natural walkways on each side. But she's not headed into the sea; her destination is to her right, right up those stairs hidden within the grass.

"Do you think she's gonna show up? She's gotta, right?"

"Awwwww~, is Himari scared? Do you need some of Moca's comfort bread? I bought sourdough today."

"I'm fine- Hey, don't poke me with it!"

"Hey Moca, cut it out." A more responsible voice chimes in. "Let her be worried in peace, for once."

"Wow, you've become her dashing knight, huh~..." A brief pause. "...En garde, then!"

"Ack! Okay, now you're on!"

Now the group's in her sight; walking up from the field, river to her back, it's exactly as she expects. As she takes the steps up, she starts to see the havoc unfolding. Tomoe's holding a gremlin in her arms, rubbing Moca's hair with one fist in retaliation for a baguette to the face.

"Y-you guys! We shouldn't make this much of a ruckus at school hours..." Another girl steps in timidly, desperate to cease the commotion. She's looking at the windows of the building to see if any teachers are watching, looking in-between the canvasses of the walls. Considering the mural of a monster bursting from a card painted on them, one could easily mistake the place for a hipster art school.

"It's fine, my dearest Tsugu~... maybe if I advertise the bread enough, Yamabuki Bakery will sponsor this place, y'know? It might need the funding."

"If that does happen, we're gonna shove you into a bread costume to advertise the place! No complaints, right?"

It's the same as always. The sight never gets old. Not that she'd ever say it to them, obviously.

"No complaints here, Tomo. I'll finally get to become what I eat- Oh. Hey, guys, look, she's here."

"Are you gonna poke me with the bread again if I- Oh!" Himari's eyes light up with joy. "You guys, she IS here!"

She looks straight ahead; she's just a few breaths away from her friends, now. They're right there. And the building behind them is...

Ran Mitake quickens her pace a bit, and stops in front of them. Everyone's got a bright smile on their face, illuminated by the sunlight of the dawn. 

It was only yesterday that she last spoke to them, but she's happy to see them here today. It really confirms that they all wanted to stick together... though the fact that they all signed up for this school confirms that, too.

"Heheheh." 

Moca suddenly blocks her way and squats in front of the automatic double doors, which are at least 5 times her width. They open behind her. "Hey, kid." She says, looking straight at Ran. "You in the wrong neighbourhood?"

"...What?"

"You one a' those weedy 'SDA' dweebs? This ain't your school. This is the CIRCLE School of Duels. You think you're tough enough to survive here-"

Ran flicks her on the nose. "Ow. No fair, Ran... it's been years since I last saw you~." Moca responds, latching onto her. Great, now she's got an oversized poodle on her arm.

"It's been half a day. Quit joking around, will you? You look like a clown." She's worried, but she also can't help but smile; it's just what Moca does. Only a few other students are walking in at this time, anyway.

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!" Himari yells, hugging her other arm. "You're late! We were worried you wouldn't show up!"

"...We're still twenty minutes early to class, Himari."

"I texted you this morning! We're gonna do a morning cheer!"

"You heard her, Ran," Tomoe says. "When Himari decides it, we've gotta show up."

Tsugumi chuckles. "She is the leader of Afterglow, after all."

"That's right! So gather around, everyone!" She says, extremely loudly. It's kind of pointless to say, isn't it? They've already gathered.

Ran figures now's a better time than any. "...Himari. You can let go of me."

"Jeez, haven't you guys ever heard of huddling?! Tsugu, help me out here!"

"O-Okay! We're huddling!"

"...Do we have to?" Moca complains, but she joins the circle of linked shoulders alongside everyone else. It's impossible to refuse a request from Tsugumi.

"Alright, team!" Himari lowers to a whisper, one still a little louder than Ran would like. She can feel the other students' gazes on her back. "Now that we've all managed to enroll into Circle, it's time for Afterglow to shine! We're gonna study dueling here alongside everything else, and place as high as we can in the Haneoka Qualifier Cup! All together, now-"

"We were gonna enter the Qualifier Cup?!" Moca cuts in. " Oh no! I suddenly seem to have maaaaagically forgotten that-"

She earns a bump on the back from Tomoe for her trouble. Himari rolls an "Ahem!" to continue.

"All together now, then..." she says, proceeding to be the only one cheering. "Hey, hey, hoh!... Yeah, I expected that. Meanies!"

Everyone laughs; Tsugumi shifts behind Tomoe slightly, probably feeling way more guilty than she should for not chanting that phrase too. Yup, this is the Afterglow Ran knows.

"Don't worry too much about it," Tomoe says, patting Himari on the back. "Let's just get in there then, yeah? We gotta see what we've been waiting for all Christmas!"

"Yeah!" Tomoe and Himari fistpump together, Tsugumi offering a meek one alongside them as they go inside. Moca turns back to Ran.

"You gonna come in, Ran?"

'What, are you rushing me?' She wants to say, but that might be a bit too harsh... so she settles for "I'll be there in a sec."

"Don't get cold feet~... you're why we wanted to go here, after all." Moca waves, heading into the school's main hall. She's always like this, isn't she?

It's true, though; going into an actual Duel School is a miracle for Ran. 

The Circle School of Duels. One of many facilities across the Haneoka district dedicated to teaching the art of Duel Monsters, alongside a standard academic curriculum. Juggling both at the same time can be daunting for some, but to anyone who loves dueling? Having these is a godsend. And there are a LOT of duelists around here; be it the entire coast of Haneoka, all of the mainland comprising the neighbouring Hanasakigawa district, or even a few other nearby cities... this is probably the biggest area for dueling in the world. For someone like her, being here is a dream come true. And it's all thanks to her friends.

"...I'm going. Stay with me, guys." She murmurs, quietly enough that nobody else will hear.

The entrance hallway is actually decently spacious; a few plants, and it opens up to a big lobby. The corridors leading to each wing are a lot more modern, but this part looks pretty old; though it's furnished and polished clean, the red marble can't hide its age. The wall at the right cuts off to a large pillar spanning the building, which sits beside a wide staircase leading to the upper two floors. The corner between the wall and the staircase hosts a bunch of pinboards, littered with a few posters for nearby dueling events and card sales. A table sits in front of it, a couple of hired students at the helm advertising leaflets detailing the school's facilities.

She takes a leaflet silently. "Thank you," the student says, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Classroom seatings are listed on the floor above, so please head there if you haven't!"

Right, she forgot about that part. Walking up the staircase makes her realise, it's spacious enough that it could probably host a duel or two on it. She lucked out; this school isn't anything all that rich or fancy, but it looks like it's financially stable, at the very least. There's bound to be plenty of good facilities, and she can't wait to duel with her friends, honestly.

Reaching the second floor, Ran finds the rest of Afterglow looking surprised, gazing upon the display board for all the students' classrooms and seats.

"...What's wrong, you guys- oh." She sees it, pretty fast. The sight of all of Afterglow's names, grouped together in class 1-A, is hard to miss... all of their names, except for her own, which is stuck in 1-B.

The silence is a bit awkward.

"D-don't worry about it, Ran!" Tsugumi manages to speak up. "This is just until 2pm! It's the seating for all the other academic classes."

"Yeah!" Tomoe's right behind her. "I hear after that, we're gonna be in group workshops for Duel Monsters, so we'll meet up with you then!"

"...Right." They're right. Considering that they came here for dueling, it's not that big of a deal. But seeing everyone but herself in the same class... kind of hurts.

"Will you be fine without your precious Moca~?" The cursed one says, poking Ran's cheek. It's dumb and annoying of her, but this is always what Moca does when she's looking out for someone, isn't it? She shouldn't express too much sorrow, then...

"...I'll be fine. See you later." Any more conversation would just be awkward for everyone else, so she'll just start with a clean slate a bit later. Drama would just break their everyday life apart, after all.

"See you!!! Don't be late this time around, Raaaaaan!!!" Himari yells out. 

"I'll bother you with texts as much as you need me to, my precious child~..." Thanks, Moca. 

Ran just gives a small handwave in response, without turning around. Hopefully, her friends are used to that response by now.

Stopping by class 1-B, she finds her seat. She's alone now. Everyone around her is bustling, but the world couldn't feel more quiet to her right now.

A teacher walks in and taps the desk with his ruler to get the class's attention. Everyone finally sits down and lowers their chatter a bit. On the bright side, it means she won't have to be randomly approached by her classmates.

"Ahem. Now, as you all know, this building has a long and illustrious history with Duel Monsters. However, it is important not to neglect your academic studies! Failure to do so will be..."

...Right. She's got the first half of the day to get through, and then everything she loves will get to shine. She just needs to distract herself until then.

\---

Fortunately, it was all dull enough to tune out from. She gets introduced to some typical academic material, stuffs it in her backpack, awkwardly veers away from her classmates' conversations, the usual.

Finally, the 2pm bell rings. It's what she's been waiting for all day. She tries not to think about how long it took. Talking with people is hard, but dueling with them is much more her style.

The next few moments blur by, but Ran finally finds herself in a renovated gym with the rest of her year group. Himari and Tsugumi are already waving at her.

"Raaaaan! Over here!" Himari says, as if Ran hadn't already seen them waving. She takes a seat on the laid-out mattress beside them.

"Selfie time!" Moca obnoxiously nabs Ran and snaps a picture with her phone. "Hey, sweetie. Did you get the pics I sent you earlier?"

"...I did."

"Did you take pictures of Himari when she was sleeping, Moca?" Tomoe asks. She's striking a menacing pose, but she clearly isn't too worried.

"No, Mom~! Your precious daughter Moca would NEVER..."

"Oh yeah?!" Himari cuts in, grabbing Moca's phone. "Lemme see, then- oh. Yeah, she's just being Moca." She sits down again, grumbling.

"...W-what was it?" Tsugumi asks. Then she looks too. "O-Oh! That's a cute monster card!"

"See? SOMEONE around here appreciates Beaver Warrior, at least..." Moca drawls. "Ran didn't even respond earlier when I sent her Penguin Soldier."

"...Is sending me animals in armour released over a decade ago your idea of fun?"

"It's the strongest card in the game! Nobody can tell me otherwise!" She says, exiting the photos app.

But she's been too sloppy. "...Moca," Tsugumi asks. "On the camera roll there... that was a picture of Himari sleeping in the cafe a week ago, wasn't it?"

"Was it?! Moca!"

Everyone's laughing again. Ran's glad to be back with them, but now she just feels the same dread she did this morning. And she knows why.

"Raaaaan." Moca breaks her out of her haze. "The cool kids' class is starting."

Finally, something interesting.

"Alright, everyone settle down! Your dueling headmaster's entered the room!" A new teacher walks into the room, dressed in a striped t-shirt and simple black coat. A few others follow her; their dress code is all way more casual than the academic teachers. She continues in a friendly, upbeat tone. "Welcome to the other side of the Circle School of Duels, everyone! Are you ready to take your game to the next level?" 

Everyone cheers; seeing the head honcho for Duel Monsters in this place dressed that way makes the students feel a lot more relaxed. But they're fools for it. "We all know you're excited to be here, but you're STUDYING dueling, remember? You're still going to be taking notes in some of our sessions!"

A collective groan. Afterwards, the teacher, who calls herself Ms Tsukushima, establishes that today isn't going to have any actual duels; they'll simulate some in tablestop style for a taster, but they're not using holographic card models until tomorrow.

If it was her plan to get the students' attention on studying, it certainly worked. But Ran just feels disappointed, now; she's seated randomly with another group of classmates (although Tsugumi is here this time too, thankfully), and has to try and pass the time with them in order to keep their group work going. At least now she can take in the dueling information she's being given, though. It's mostly stuff she already knows, but a refresher on the basics never hurts, especially with a game that has such complex rulings.

Suspiciously, the class ends rather early, and a few of the students leave the room excited. Ran leans on the table now that the day is over, sighing.

"Hey, Tsuguuuuuu!!! How's Ran doing?"

"Ah! We just finished over here, too. She did okay!"

"You say that, but she's sulking on the table!"

"...I can hear you, Himari." Ran moves her head up.

"I know you can, but I'm worried, okay? Are you doing alright? Is it your dad?"

Ah. Great, the topic she'd been trying to avoid all day long.

"Himari." Tomoe speaks softly.

"...Ah... right. S-sorry, Ran."

"N-no, it's okay..." Ran responds, but she's not okay. Not with Himari's face as sad as it is, now.

"Himari, you gotta pick your words more carefully, huh~" Moca pokes her on the cheek.

But Himari just frowns and looks at Ran. "I-if it helps, I don't think he hates you right now! He let you go to this school with us, after all! So-"

"..." Ran can feel the scowl on her own face grow. Because of her, Himari's just digging a deeper hole now. She wishes she had the courage to say sorry, for once.

"Himari." Tomoe speaks again, patting her on the back. Himari's face tears a bit.

...

"...U-um! Actually, I learned something about the school today." Tsugumi speaks up. "T-there's a bunch of fields set up for dueling in the back of the school yard. Do you guys want to go there?"

"...Eh?" Ran can't help but look up again, when she hears that. "Where'd you hear about this?"

"It's on the leaflet!" Tsugumi brings out the item in question, and points to a particular page. "It's one of the school's main attractions, but they deliberately don't tell you that upfront. Why don't we check it out?"

"Oooooooo~, nice going, Tsugutsugu," Moca says. Tsugumi shrinks, surprised by the praise. "We ARE a self-proclaimed dueling group, after all. How about it, Ran?"

The other members of the group all begin to smile. There's a feeling of tension, of excitement, rising in the air. Ran knows this feeling very, very well. It gets her blood pumping.

"Yeah, that settles it!" Tomoe suddenly ups her volume, rolls her sleeves and extends a hand to Ran. "It's been two weeks since I last fought you, Ran. That's been too long for my taste."

She can feel her own eyes widen. "Do you mean..."

"Yeah," her friend nods. "Let's duel!"


	2. Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word of advice; anime duels use 4000LP instead of 8000 for a very good reason!

The backyard of Circle isn't exactly what Ran expects, but that might be a good thing.

The first word that comes to mind is 'spacious'. This section looks like it spans nearly half the school's total length, well past the size of a football stadium. Its presence clearly wasn't meant to be all that big a secret. The second word that comes to mind is... well, 'simplistic'. There's no screens displaying duel information or benches for spectators to sit down on (although the green chain-linked fences are probably fine to lean against), and the only distinguishable features of the gritty, rough ground beneath them are the numerous strips of white paint. Combined, they messily indicate spaces for duelists to test their skills inside. Within each rectangle, there's additional lines to signify the ends duelists should stand on... and other than that, there's just an enormous, wide-ass empty space in the middle of each, nothing inside.

It might be perfect, even. You could probably fit like, 5 Blue-Eyes White Dragons on each side here. Why bother making the place look flashy when the monsters are doing that job already?

"C'mon Ran, what're you waiting for?" Tomoe's already dashed towards the other end, clearly not bothered to hide her energy anymore. She throws her bulky moss-green jacket to the side, leaving only her white tank top and ripped blue jeans. 

"I'm coming," Ran responds. She notes that she'll probably be able to bring shorts to this school without getting suspended.

"Get over here faster!" She's already yelling from the far end of one dueling space. Before Ran even reaches the closer side, Tomoe's already strapped her duel disc to her toned arm, stuffed a deck inside and posed menacingly with one hand on her side.

...She can't help but smile at that. "...This isn't a race, you know."

"Oh, really? Then last person to get here has to buy me ramen!"

"...You already got here first though, Tomo~." Moca cuts in.

Tsugumi and Himari laugh at the debacle. Tomoe just says "Next time, then," as the other members of Afterglow stand (or lie down on the dirt) at the side to watch the duel.

There's a few other people gathering here, but Ran doesn't need to focus on anything else right now. This is exactly what she came here for.

"...I hope you haven't rusted in the last two weeks, Tomoe." She straps her silver duel disc on and puts a deck inside each slot, one smaller than the other. She presses a button on the side; the main deck shuffles itself, and the crimson orb in the middle lights up. A flat, hard-light beam, a bit over the size of her forearm in length, materialises from seemingly nowhere. It travels straight across her front, before jutting diagonally to wrap around her side. The sleek, black surface of the blade is surrounded by a soft red glow, translucent petals flying out behind Ran.

Tomoe's eyes light up at the sight, and she presses a button on her own device. A similar blade bursts out from her own duel disc, the ends blazing with a silently burning flame.

...

"Ready, Ran?!"

"...Yeah." Then...

"Let's **DUEL!**" They shout in unison.

The orb on each disc shows all the information known to both sides. Each duelist starts with **4000 life points**, their starting hand formed by drawing 5 cards from their deck. Ran and Tomoe gaze each other down from across the field, smiles slowly growing on their faces.

"_I'll start!_" Her friend declares, taking the first turn with 5 cards in hand. The first to go gives up the privilege of their first draw phase, but Tomoe doesn't seem bothered; she's more focused on the advantages of taking the initiative. "I summon _Metalfoes Goldriver in attack position!_"

Tomoe slams a card down onto the beam of hard-light, and a bevy of electronically composed sounds play from the disc in response to the contact. A portal opens to her side; there's the sound of a whirring engine, and then a blur shoots out, nearly deafening Ran's ears in the process. It flies high into the sky before parking down at Tomoe's front, revealing itself to host a masked warrior on a roofless monster truck. The flames on the back of the vehicle look like they're about to make the entire thing combust. Summoning a beatstick with **1900 ATK** is a pretty brazen way to start a turn.

"Then I set one card face-down and end my turn!" Tomoe slips a card into the invisible near-side of the hard-light beam; the sight looks as if the card is half-stuck in another dimension. As it slots itself in, a gigantic hologram of the card's ambiguous back cover appears between Tomoe and her monster. "Consider this turn a warmup, Ran. Show me what you've got!"

"Yeah, I will. _My turn!_" Ran draws a card swiftly from her deck, for a total of 6. Only the backs of the cards in a duelist's hand are visible to an opponent, so Tomoe can only guess at what Ran holds. That's an advantage she should use. "I summon _Aromage Jasmine in attack position!_"

A childlike mage with jet-white hair forms from a whirl of her signature flower's petals. She's an unassuming figure with just **100 ATK**, but that's not why Ran has summoned her. "Then, I play the field spell _Aroma Garden!_"

A variety of holographic flora and potted plants decorate their surroundings, leaves and droplets of dew turned yellow by the rays of the gradually setting sun. "_Aroma Garden's_ first effect! Once per turn, when I control an Aromage monster, I gain 500 life points, and all my monsters gain 500 ATK and DEF until the end of Tomoe's next turn!"

"Oh, right!" Tsugumi cuts in, as Ran's total increases to **4500LP.** "And then Jasmine's effect lets you draw a card for it, right? If I remember correctly..."

"Tsugu, you forgot something else~. Now that Ran has more LP than Tomoe, Jasmine'll-"

"Moca, can I explain my own cards' effects?" Ran jabs. Moca can only raise her hands annoyingly in response. Ran continues as she draws a card; "...Having lifepoint advantage with Jasmine on the field lets me normal summon 1 extra plant monster this turn! Come out, _Aromage Rosemary, in attack position!_"

Wisps of blue dance across Ran's side as petals form an apprentice mage, a lantern in one hand and a staff in the other. Despite her soft, nearly jovial gaze, she has a presence that can't be ignored.

"She's so PRETTY!!!" Himari yells. "Can we date?! A-as pals, of course!"

"Are you sure you did your math right, Ran?" Tomoe smirks. "If you read the information on your duel disk, you would've known _Metalfoes Goldriver_ has 1900 ATK! Rosemary's 100 short!"

"I don't forget monster information half the time like you do, Tomoe." Her opponent flinches at the retort, then turns to grumbling. "_Aroma Garden's_ boost to ATK and DEF includes monsters I summon after I activate it! That means Rosemary has **2300 ATK!**"

"...Right, I forgot about that part," Tomoe responds, awkwardly scratching her head.

But no mercy, lovable fool. "_Aromage Rosemary,_ attack _Metalfoes Goldriver!_" Ran's monster taps the ground with her staff, scattering beautiful blue petals around Tomoe's vicinity. Then, with a smile, she fires out beams of gelatinous, husky light from her lantern, piercing Goldriver's vehicle and causing it to explode. As Tomoe recoils from the light breeze created, a wonder of dueling technology, her LP lowers to **3600.**

...But she's smiling. "I activate my trap card, _Metalfoes Counter!_" The large holograph of her face-down card rises up, its picture and text clearly visible to Ran now. Swirls of light dance around the monster zone, homing into a converging location in front of Tomoe. "When a card I control is destroyed, I can special summon another burning rider from my deck! Come on out, _Metalfoes Volflame!_"

A card flies out from Tomoe's deck into her hand, and she slams it down onto her blade. From the swirling light, an explosion reveals another racer with a monster of a vehicle, designed as if it was prepared to withstand any crash landing imaginable. The hum of its engine makes the ground vibrate.

This one, unfortunately, has an even higher **2400 ATK**; so much for Jasmine getting in some extra chip damage.

"Not bad," is all she needs to respond with. Tomoe's grin doesn't fade in the slightest. It's so much easier to communicate this way. "Then, I set one card face-down and end my turn!"

"That's my cue to strike! _My turn!_" Tomoe whips out another card from the top of her deck. "Let's see if you can withstand this beatdown, Ran! _I set the Pendulum Scale with Metalfoes Steelen and Metalfoes Volflame!_" 

She places a monster card at each end of her blade, two spots designated as the Pendulum Zones. The images of each monster hover silently above Tomoe's sides. Right, Ran remembers; all of the Metalfoes are _Pendulum Monsters_. Half-monster card, half-spell card.

"Eh? What's she doing?" Himari whips her head between each Metalfoes monster. "Ohhhhh, is she doing the thing?"

"Well, sorta~..." Moca adds. "But, she can't do anything when both of the monsters' pendulum scales are **1.**"

"You already know what I'm doing, doofus!" Tomoe yells to the gremlin in response. "I activate _Metalfoes Steelen's_ spell effect! By destroying Volflame, I can set a Metalfoes spell or trap card face-down from my deck!"

Volflame's image disappears from Tomoe's side. The card she chooses is _Metalfoes Combination_; but Ran doesn't know how that'd help Tomoe right now. Unless that's not her main goal...

Oh, right.

"Then, in Volflame's place, I set _Metalfoes Silverd_ in my other Pendulum Zone!" A new rider takes the position.

"Oh!" Tsugumi exclaims. "The Pendulum Scale's range is **1-to-8** now! That means, uh..." She turns to her dueling tutor. "Moca?"

Moca sips a slushie. "She can special summon monsters between levels **2** and **7** from her hand, or those face-up on her Extra Deck."

"Eh? Does the Extra Deck matter right now?"

"It does!" Tomoe finishes, "Because, Himari... Pendulum Monsters go to the Extra Deck when they're destroyed!" She raises her hand dramatically to the air: "_Pendulum, swing!_ Appear once more, _Metalfoes Goldriver_ and _Metalfoes Volflame!_"

A portal opens above her, and the riders burst out. Tomoe's guarded by 3 imposing figures, now, and TWO Volflames at that; though honestly, Ran can't tell who's burning more between the monsters and Tomoe. She smiles.

"Oh my god!!! Tomoe's got so many monsters now!"

"It's not over yet," Tomoe yells, slotting a card faceup behind Goldriver. "I activate the equip spell card _Justice For All_! For every other monster on the field, Goldriver gains 800 ATK and DEF!"

The two Volflames vibrate and glow with crackling energy, which fires itself towards Goldriver's vehicle and illuminates it in incandescent blue. He has... **3500 ATK** now. This is going to hurt. "_Metalfoes Goldriver_, attack _Aromage Jasmine!_"

Keeping the two Volflames in mind, Ran'll just have to bear the brunt of this attack. Goldriver's flaming weapon, burning brighter than ever, lies at his side as his vehicle roars past Jasmine; as it cuts through the mage, her form turns back into a swirl of petals which sway back to the wind.

As the roar of Goldriver's engine passes Ran, she struggles to keep standing while her LP plummets down to **1600.**

"Big hit~!" Moca cheers.

But fortunately, there's a plus. Ran slams one foot forward and throws her hand out sideways. "_Aroma Garden's_ second effect! When an Aroma monster I control is destroyed, I gain 1000 life points!" Flickering lights of green surround Ran and enter the orb on her duel disk, levelling some of the severe damage she just took. "And with that, _Aromage Rosemary's_ effect activates! Once per turn, when I gain life points, I can change the battle position of one monster!"

Rosemary starts to twirl her staff- wait. Oh, shit. She could've done something else.

"...I chain an effect! I activate the continuous trap card _Dried Winds!_" As she moves her hand, her face-down card rises... and does nothing.

"...Ran, couldn't you have activated that back before I destroyed Jasmine?" Tomoe smiles. One member of Afterglow imitates the sound of a failure buzzer on a quiz show.

"Shut it, Moca. Yeah, I could've... I messed up." Ran responds. Tomoe just nods in understanding; thankfully, at least one person around here won't torment her for a misplay. Hell, considering how crazy this game gets sometimes, it might've been a good decision. Maybe.

Now that _Dried Winds_ has resolved, it remains standing on the field, as per custom for continuous spell/trap cards. Rosemary nods, and her staff twirls once again; hordes of blue lights surround the currently crusading Volflame, forcing it into defense position.

"Well, that's just fine. Volflame number two, attack!" Tomoe yells, pointing a finger at Rosemary; she'd be 100 ATK too short to survive, but the backup plan's still in place to protect her.

Ran takes a card from her hand and holds it to the air, causing it to shine. "I activate the effect of _Aromaseraphy Angelica!_ By discarding her to the graveyard, I can gain life points equal to the ATK of another Aroma monster in my graveyard!" Jasmine's image shines from within her duel disk, in a compartment nearly invisible to the naked eye. Her 100 ATK, combined with the effect of Aroma Garden earlier, means that her LP is at **2700** now.

"...Was there any point in just gaining another 100 LP- wait, crap." Tomoe realises too late.

"The effect of _Dried Winds_ activates!" Better late than never. "Once per turn, when I gain life points, I can target and destroy one monster on the field!" From the card in question, a storm hurls the attacking Volflame right into the air; then it plummets to the ground and explodes. "...Do your cards always have to blow up like that, Tomoe?"

Tomoe just laughs in response, like a sugar-rushed kid. "Of course they do! ...I don't have anything else up my sleeve right now, though. So that's my turn done."

About time. "Then _I'm up next!_" Ran draws another card. 

Good. She can turn this around. "First, I activate the first effect of _Aroma Garden!_" Her LP further increases to **3200,** and Rosemary's ATK returns back up to **2300.** With the life point increase as their cue, Rosemary's effect forces the other Volflame into defense position, and _Dried Winds_ chucks it into the sky too.

"..." Tomoe's looking kind of nonchalantly confused, as another explosion hits the field. "...Why did you use both effects on the same monster?"

"Because I didn't need either of them anyway! My next move's meant for your _Metalfoes Goldriver!_" 

"Oh? If you've got an answer to my best, you'd better tell me now!"

"Easy." Ran smirks. "I activate the spell card _Lightning Vortex!_"

The holographic image of her new card shines, as Ran discards another card to pay the cost. In return, Tomoe's remaining monster is pulled into a sinkhole trapping him from beneath, leaving him wide open for the smiting from above. His figure evaporates before Tomoe's eyes.

"Hey hey, no fair! I did a lot to set this up!"

"Tough." Ran smiles and takes no quarter, continuing her turn. It was wasteful to use a mass monster-destruction effect on just one card, but whatever. It was a monster with 3500 ATK; anything goes. "I attack directly with _Aromage Rosemary!_"

This time, the wisps from Rosemary's lantern throw themselves directly at Tomoe; it's only a holographic effect, but pretty much anyone instinctually crosses their arms in front of them when that kind of light's coming at them. Tomoe eats a hefty amount of damage, plummeting to **1300LP.**

"Wow! Good job turning it around, Ran!" Tsugumi cheers. Now Ran feels the most alive she's been all day.

"I'm not done yet! Here's a stinger!" With the battle phase over, and the second main phase beginning, Ran throws another card into her blade. "I activate _Mystical Space Typhoon!_ This card lets me destroy one of your spell or trap cards; I choose _Metalfoes Silverd_ in your Pendulum Zone!"

The storm blows past Tomoe's left before she knows it. "Damn." For once, her response is as succinct as Ran's is. 

"Wow, Ran's back in the lead!" Himari exclaims. "And destroying one of those pendulum scale thingies means that Tomoe can't swarm the field with blockheads anymore, right?" 

"_They're not blockheads! They're cool!_" Tomoe starts her turn and draws a card. "All right, Ran. Now I'm getting pumped!"

She really has the energy of a cannon. Where does she get it from? Her muscles? Does heaving boxes for other peoples' errands give you that kind of stamina? She doesn't have much time to contemplate it. "I flip my trap card _Metalfoes Combination_ face-up!" Tomoe yells.

...And it does just that. Should she be worried? "...Why? You can't get any use out of that thing right now, unless you destroy it."

"Exactly." Oh no, Tomoe's grinning. "I activate _Metalfoes Steelen's_ spell effect! I'm going to destroy this card in order to set another _Metalfoes Counter!_"

She forgot about the other pendulum scale. One card shatters, and another takes its place. But that's not important yet, because this is where things get hard now:

"_Metalfoes Combination's_ effect activates! When this card is destroyed, I can add one Metalfoes monster from my deck to my hand! I choose another _Metalfoes Silverd!_" The card zips right into Tomoe's hand, and the fire burns in her eyes. "Time for my comeback! I'm reconstructing the Pendulum Scale with Silverd!"

Great. Now Tomoe's got a scale of **1-8** again. Time for the swarm...

"_Pendulum, swing!_ Summon Goldriver and the Volflames _in attack position_, and Silverd _in defense position!_"

The portal opens once again, and this time Tomoe brings FOUR guests for the ride. This is looking awful. Tsugumi's murmuring in worry.

"I'm not done yet!" Tomoe burns ever brighter. "Now it's time for a _Mystical Space Typhoon_ of my own! Say goodbye to _Dried Winds!_"

Her continuous trap meets a demise by storm. But she can't dwell on the irony of that; her defense has been severely hindered now.

"Ready for three attacks, Ran?" Tomoe says, certain that victory's in her grasp. If Ran takes all of these attacks without fighting back, she'll be done for. "Volflame number 1, attack _Aromage Rosemary!_"

Ran begrudgingly brings a familiar light up from her hand. "I activate the effect of another _Aromaseraphy Angelica!_ I gain life points equal to Jasmine's ATK!" A piddly 100; but again, that's not the point. "_Aromage Rosemary's_ effect activates! I change the attacking Volflame's position to defense!"

Volflame number 1 takes a seat; Ran's sole respite. Tomoe continues: "Then, I'll just attack with the other one! Go, Volflame number 2!" Before she knows it, Rosemary endures a barrage of cannonfire from the speeding behemoth of a vehicle, and Ran's lost the LP she just gained. 

But she can't let up, not with the way her dueling style works. "_Aroma Garden's_ effect activates! Once per turn, an Aroma monster's destruction gives me 1000 LP!"

"Then I'll just push you right back down! _Metalfoes Goldriver,_ attack Ran directly!"

This girl just doesn't let up, does she!

Every rider in Tomoe's deck's got speed off the walls; before she realises it, the image of a deadly blow flies towards her, and she crouches on instinct. Her LP falls down to **2300.**

"Not bad, right?" Tomoe's looking awfully chuffed. She's trying to restrain herself, but she's too giddy. "Maaaaaaybe it isn't an exaggeration to say I've got this in the bag, right?"

It doesn't look good. But that's exactly why this is so thrilling. "Maybe," is Ran's only response.

"Maybe, maybe! Well then, let's seal it! I set my last card face-down and end my turn!"

The dust settles a bit, after that roaring rampage.

"Wooooooow..." Himari exclaims. "...Wait, Ran still has higher life points than Tomoe, though! It's **2300 to 1300!**"

"Th-that's right, but..." Tsugumi responds in adorable anticipation, "Tomoe has 4 monsters on the field, and Ran has none. If Ran can't do something this turn, Tomoe'll run her over!"

"...Wow, yeah. Maybe the life point thing isn't a big deal, then."

Moca smiles. "Yeah, it's tooooootally not a big deal~."

"Well, Ran? You got anything to say?" Tomoe asks.

Oh, you bet. "...Yeah," she responds. "It's _MY TURN!_" She's louder than she'd normally dare ever be, but it doesn't matter. So few words have never held so much weight; they're perfect for her. She draws what's likely her last card.

She looks at Tomoe's field. Two face-downs and four monsters; it's an overwhelming field advantage. All of Tomoe's ATK-position monsters are beefy, and Silverd hunkering with **2100 DEF** is hard to break through too. In comparison, Ran has no monsters and no backrow set down; all she has is _Aroma Garden_ and two cards in her hand.

...Wait. Who says Ran needs to break through EVERYTHING? Why get caught up in Tomoe's pace?

...She realises. She's got more than just a hand and a field spell.

She smiles. Tomoe's grin falters, and that's when the flowers dance through her veins.

"I hope you're prepared, Tomoe."

"...Yeah." Her grin returns. "Bring it!"

Ran throws an arm out. "I activate the effect of _Glow-Up Bulb_ in my graveyard! By sending the top card of my deck to my graveyard, I can special summon this monster back to the field!" The holographic image of a small, one-eyed plant begins to emerge in front of her.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?" Himari practically kills half the school's ears. "When'd THAT thing get there?"

"She discarded it as the cost for _Lightning Vortex_~. You gotta keep up, Himari."

"Ahaha..." Tsugumi laughs, clearly intimidated. "I didn't notice it either, actually..."

Tomoe's brow is furrowing. This is the moment of truth. "A level 1 _Tuner_ monster..." Her eyes shrink in shock. "Wait, does that mean you're gonna..."

Ran's eyes light up, amidst the flames. This should seal it.

"Not so fast!" Tomoe yells. "Have an Ako special, Ran! I activate the counter trap card _Black Horn of Heaven!_" Tomoe's unknown face-down reveals itself as an ominous looking device. "When my opponent would special summon one monster, I can negate the summon and destroy it!"

The horn sounds, and the plant's holograph fails to finish forming. Ran's pretty sure she HEARD Himari's jaw drop. 

"How about it, Ran? _Glow-up Bulb_ can only activate its effect once per duel. I've made sure you're not using it for anything now!"

But she should check THIS out, instead.

"..." 

Ran takes a deep breath. 

"...I never intended to use it. That was a bait."

Tomoe's next word is cut short.

Ran continues. "...I know that _Metalfoes Counter_ is your other face-down, and that none of your Metalfoes monsters have card effects. And you don't have any more cards in your hand, either. That means there's nothing stopping me from what I'm about to do next!" She inserts two cards into the near-side of her blade. The rose petals start to glow brighter. "I activate two copies of the continuous spell card _Miracle Fertilizer!_"

The holographs of each card shine with a glittering pale light, and the compartment indicating her duel disk's graveyard shines. "Each card allows me to special summon a plant monster from my graveyard once per turn! Return, _Aromage Jasmine_ and _Aromage Rosemary!_"

Petals of white and blue start to dance. The mages return, but they aren't here to fight. They just gaze at Tomoe head on with happy smiles on their faces.

Tomoe tries to call a bluff. "Not bad, Ran. But now that _Glow-Up Bulb's_ gone, you don't have a Tuner for them!" A bead of sweat falls from her face.

"You should pay more attention. _Glow-Up Bulb_ isn't the only Tuner who entered my graveyard during this duel!"

"What?!"

Ran raises her hand to the air; as if it's turning back time, fading light reverses to be caught in its grasp. "I activate the second effect of _Aromaseraphy Angelica!_ When I control an Aroma monster and my life points are higher than yours, I can special summon this monster from the graveyard!"

Tomoe's in shock. "Oh, crap!"

A light draws the petals together, as Angelica enters the field. It's time.

"Go for it, Ran~." She hears someone cheer.

Standing straight, Ran slacks both arms down to her sides, stretches her hands out and closes her eyes. "I tune my level 1 _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ with my level 4 _Aromage Rosemary_ and my level 2 _Aromage Jasmine!_" Seemingly from nowhere, a wind starts to howl at her body, billowing her jacket and her hair.

A droplet falls. In a pot of water, petals and flowers of every kind glow. The entire body is slowly enveloped by an overwhelmingly intense light, each and every colour melding together. Then, the peaceful background melds into a blinding stream. Rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 6 stars dancing.

"_Synchro Summon!_ Come unfailingly forth!" She yells.

Suddenly, a flash of light. It threatens to blind the vision, but a black nothingness quickly envelops all. Then, on the wall, the stem grows. Like a timelapse in a camera, the plant grows at an unstoppable pace; roots and leaves cover the whole wall, the stem grows. Then, a beautiful flower, one unlike any other, blooms forth.

"_Level 7! **Black Rose Dragon!**_"

In the sunset light, five duelists gaze upon an unfathomable beast. The monster's form is scaled, a spine jetted in darkness; lean and thin, adorned with thorns, her figure is subtly imposing. Then, as if to defy that impression, a glorious mane of enormous petals blooms at the base of her neck, and spreads across each side to form two majestic wings. The ground is dyed with the dragon's colour.

Then, she opens her mouth. 

The Voice of the Black Rose makes itself known.

...

"...Oh, boy..." Tomoe starts. "...Wait, but it's ATK is just **2400!** Unless that's not why-"

Her line's cut off by Ran's determined grin. Ran hasn't spoken yet, but she's said everything.

She points at the weak link. "I activate the effect of _Black Rose Dragon!_ Once per turn, by banishing a plant monster from my graveyard, I can target one defense-position monster you control, change it to attack position, and reduce its ATK to 0!"

Tomoe realises now. Ran doesn't have to clear up her entire field. She only needs to strike at the weakest point.

"I choose... _Metalfoes Silverd!_"

Vines dig themselves into the ground, taking Silverd's vehicle into their clutches. The rider slowly rises to the sky as her vehicle is elevated from the ground. It's redundant, almost; Silverd's ATK stat was already 0, after all. But the sight is chilling.

Tomoe smiles.

"_Black Rose Dragon,_ attack _Metalfoes Silverd!_"

Rose Ruination. The gigantic flower glows brilliantly, a light that travels to the head of the beast. Swiftly and ruthlessly, a beam of ferocious energy fires out nigh-instantaneously from her mouth, piercing the rider stuck in its grasp.

With that final move, a shockwave rumbles through the whole entire backyard of Circle.

Tomoe falls to **0LP.** The duel concludes with Ran as the winner.

...

...There's a momentary silence.

Ran realises, now, that there's several other duelists here, looking at her. Then, they start to cheer. Afterglow joins in.

"...Ahahahahahaha! That was awesome!" Tomoes strides right over and locks Ran into a back-breaking hug with her arm. 

"Ack! Tomoe!"

"That was hot, you guys~." Moca finally moves from her 'draw me like one of your french girls' pose, getting up from the dusty ground and littering her slushie. "...You made a lot of misplays, though."

"What, and you wouldn't have?" Tomoe snarks back at her.

"...Nah, I probably would've." Moca giggles.

"You sure? Why don't you duel me so we can test that?"

"Noooooo, please have mercy on poor Moca~..." she wails, "Himahima, help me! I'm still too beautiful to die!"

"Argh, Moca!" Himari responds in frustration, "I would've dueled you instead if you didn't use my back as a trampoline!"

"Ahahaha! It's fine, you guys. We'll have plenty of time for everyone to duel each other, right?" Tsugumi says.

"Yeah~. Just make sure you don't duel in the middle of your work shift, Tsugutsugu."

"...You guys..." Between the feeling that her bones might break, Ran can't help but laugh at seeing her friends like this.

This is it. This is what she came to this school for.

\---

A couple of days pass since. Every time Tomoe Udagawa duels one of her friends, she can't hold the fire within her, whether it's for practice in a workshop, or just to enjoy themselves during their free time. She keeps the breaks on when she needs it, but why do anything other than go completely off the rails when you have the chance? That's why she can't help it.

It's a different story when they're doing anything else, though. During the rest of Afterglow's time, Tomoe's got important work to do. That's why she can coolly pass the time with Tsugumi while they get out the fertilizer.

"I didn't expect this place to have a garden on the roof," she says, starting up another conversation. "Whoever's tending to these flowers has gotta be pretty swell."

"I hear she usually does it all on her own! They're all so pretty..." Tsugumi responds, rolling up the sleeves on her messy beige coat. She's as cheery as ever. "She's apparently one of a two-person school club. I wonder if I can help her out with the gardening, sometime."

"They'd appreciate that, that's for sure." Tomoe can't help but complement her friend's warmth. "Make sure you're not straining your time too much though, yeah? Studying and dueling here, hanging with us in your free time, AND doing part-time shifts at Hazawa Coffee..." She says, nabbing one of the fertilizer packs from Tsugumi's arms, "it's gotta be pretty tiring already."

"I-It's nothing, really!" Tsugumi awkwardly twirls a thread of her hair. She tries not to get too distracted by their conversation, dutifully reading the memo given to her by the teacher as she sorts out the botanical chores. "Thanks for helping me out with this. I'm sorry that I don't duel with the rest of you all that often. I kinda worry I'm not doing too well in that department..."

"You duel as much as you need to! Don't discredit yourself." Tomoe can't help but ruffle Tsugumi's hair, a little. She giggles at the gesture in response. Honestly, how could anyone stay away from Tsugu? Nobody should ever be leaving this angel behind.

"Thanks... I guess if you're the one saying that, you mean it. After all, you're always watching over us, Tomoe."

"Aw, shucks. It's all part of the job, I guess," she responds. She takes a potted Lilac plant and scoops it into the flowerbed. "But honestly? Sometimes I feel like that description fits you more, Tsugumi."

"O-oh no, not really! Compared to you, when's the last time I convinced Moca to actually do her homework?"

"Yesterday, remember?"

"...Oh, right. Hehe, I guess so." This goofball. "We ARE the only people she calls Mom, too. Aside from her actual mom."

"Oh, god. If I had Moca as my child, I'd hire a parenting counsellor." 

Tsugumi laughs at that, while somehow still managing to water the flowers evenly. What is she, magic? A magician of multitasking? "Well, I think you'd parent her better than I would. You already do enough mom-work for Ako, after all."

Tomoe can't help but smile, hearing that name. "Haha, it's no easy feat! But honestly, Ako's great!" Tsugumi joins her in her happiness; oh god, does she boast too much about her sister nowadays? Nah, not enough. "She keeps you fed while you're sick, she's got her own style going for her, she duels crazy good, she constantly checks how we're all doing, she's the best sister ever."

"You really love her, don't you?" Tsugumi responds. She's damn right! "Oh yeah, I meant to ask you! You said one of your cards in that big duel with Ran was an 'Ako special'. Did she give it to you?"

"Yup! That's my sister for you!" Tomoe can feel the open joy on her face, but who cares. "The 'Black Horn of Heaven'. A pretty Ako card, am I right?" Tsugumi giggles as she continues; "It's a really good card, too. She's a CRAZY good duelist, actually."

"Is she really?"

"Yeah! I think it's partly from Rinko's help and dueling online so much. She's way better than me, honestly." Tomoe can't help but ramble. "Oh, don't tell her I said that, though. I don't want her 'best big sis' image of me to break."

"Hehe, I won't! That's so sweet though. Her taste in clothes is so unique, too. Remember that bat-wing collar we saw on her shirt during the video call?"

"Yeah! I think Rinko helps her out with that too, but the choices are mainly her own taste." Yup, she remembers. All of Afterglow had gathered around the screen, to tour her sister through Circle's facilities; Ako's still a year younger than Afterglow's group of 17-year olds, after all. Still too young to enter a dueling school. So when she gave Tomoe the call asking if she could check the place out, humouring her was the natural response.

"The grin on her face was so big, the whole time," Tsugumi continues. "Do you think she's gonna try and enter a dueling school next year too?"

"JUST so long as she keeps up on her homework." Tomoe responds firmly. "She's been slacking on it too much lately, after all..." 

"Yeah, that's important... she'd really like it here though, I think." Tsugumi says. 

The conversation comes to a silent close, leaving Tomoe in contemplation. Tsugumi nearly trips at one point, but otherwise she doesn't falter or take a break as she finishes the list of tasks; if Tomoe wasn't here with her, she might've worn herself out real quick. Good call.

That being said, the flowerbeds here look awesome, so she sure hopes she and Tsugumi have played their part in topping them up. Maybe they should call Ran up here sometime too. Well, that is, when she's less... bothered by the whole Mitake situation.

Aw, shucks. Now she can't stave off the thoughts. Maybe the adrenaline from all the dueling's wearing off.

"I think that's the last of them!" Tsugumi says. "Let's lock up the roof and head down."

"...Yeah." Tomoe responds, trying to keep the upbeat expression on her face.

Tsugumi only beams at her as they head back. She's such a good pal.

...To Ako, she's gotta look the part. But maybe, to some of her friends...

"...Hey, Tsugumi." Her friend turns around as she speaks. "...Mind hearing me out? Conversation from one 'mum' to the other?"

Tsugumi giggles, and returns a soft smile. "Sure! Let's look out at the sea while we're at it."

"Good idea! It's gotta look great at this time." She steps up next to the railing, alongside her treasured friend. As the school's activities come to an end for the day, the sunset they all know and love is coating the Haneoka coast in a warm, melting embrace. It's... gorgeous. Maybe she should take a picture and post it online like Himari does.

She shouldn't distract herself anymore, though. "Hey, Tsugu... I'm a little worried."

"...Is it about Ako?"

"Eh? You could tell?"

"You seemed a little sad. You don't get like that about your sister often."

Nothing slips by her friends, does it? "...Yeah. I'm worried about Ran, too. Do you think she'll get through this okay?"

"Y-yeah!" Tsugumi shakes a little, but she reaffirms. "She'll talk it out with her dad eventually. I can only imagine what it's like for her, but... we can always give her a little push if she needs it, can't we?"

"...Yeah, you're right. We'll always be with her, after all." Tomoe responds, gazing longingly at the sunset. The sound of the waves hitting the shore sings the world to sleep. "...I hope I can help Ako the same way, too."

"Do you know what's going on with her?"

"Yeah. I told you about how good a duelist she is, right?" She turns to face Tsugumi, who listens to her every word without fail. "Like, really good. In fact, I'm... worried she's spending a little too much time on dueling lately." She belts out a sigh, but Tsugumi waits patiently. "She goes out more often than she used too, she's behind on her schoolwork... she even skipped class one day, according to one of her school teachers. She was really bitter that evening..."

Urgh. Maybe this emotional style isn't suited for Tomoe. Why burden Tsugumi of all people with this, anyway? She tries to finish up: "I-I mean, she's still smiling, and really energetic, and tells us how much she loves us, and does the homework when I tell her to, but she's... just a little more bitey lately. Rebellious phase, I guess?"

"Ahaha. I get the feeling. Dueling kind of suits that whole period, doesn't it?" Tsugumi says.

"Haha, yeah... I just hope she balances it with the rest of her life. Just so her future doesn't tumble out of control, and all..."

"I don't think she'll let that happen," her friend responds. "I'm sure she'll pick up her stride again, knowing her! She'll do it for you, at least. And Rinko's really smart too, or so Ako tells me, so she could tutor her if she wants to."

"Yeah!" Tomoe responds, trying to keep up with her friend's pep. "I only met Rinko once, when she was seeing Ako off... but she seemed pretty nice. If a little quiet. Not the bad sort of person, hopefully."

"She'll get back into it! It's Ako we're talking about, after all. So long as you two understand each other, it'll go fine. She'll talk to you if it's really getting to her."

"...Yeah." Tsugumi's right, isn't she? She always knows what to say. "That's what big sisters are for, after all. I'll keep my head up."

"Yeah! Let's go and meet up with the others now, if you're feeling ok!" Tsugumi responds, heading towards the door. The temptation to ruffle her hair again is strong, honestly.

"...Right. Can't keep them waiting!" She restores her trademark grin, hoping it'll bring the cheer back. No more doom and gloom for now; that's not what they're at Circle for.

She follows Tsugumi back into the building, and locks the door to the rooftop garden behind her.

...Yeah. Everything'll turn out fine, so long as everyone understands each other. And they're all lifelong friends to Tomoe, so there's plenty of understanding to go around, right?


	3. Enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags and content warnings have been updated; I forgot a few things previously.

"And that concludes the duel!"

The sound of her disk's blade retracting is as monotonous as ever. The other student tuts in frustration as the holograms disappear, shoving his deck back into one of his pockets; there's no case protecting it, so his cards will probably be damaged soon. The upset at his loss is clear on his face, but that's just the result of his sloppiness.

Besides, none of his friends are watching this duel anyway, so it's not like he has to worry about his reputation. They're all invested in the multitude of flashier fights occuring around this facility, the ones involving plenty of duelists who aren't as by-the-book as she is.

Sayo Hikawa sighs, finding an empty pocket on the inside of her uniform and putting her own deck case inside. The victory feels hollow; she's fought the lower tier of duelists in this academy for long enough that their duels no longer provide any insight, and the referee is clearly more interested in talking with her opponent. It's fairly obvious why.

"Ah, Hikawa. Over here, for a sec." The spiky, short-haired referee casually waves out a hand at Sayo, having dismissed the other student with an unwanted fistbump. He's supposed to be a teacher here, but his messy waistcoat and unbuttoned collar make him far from an exemplar of diligence to his students, all of whom are obligated to wear the same, properly ironed uniform. 

...Not that this academy truly values such a trait, anyway. Only the newcomers are expected to look dutiful.

"You wanted to speak to me, sir?" Sayo says.

"Hey, I'm like what, 5 years older than you?" He responds haggardly. "You can drop the 'sir'."

"..."

"Alright, sheesh... eh, it's not too much. I'm just giving you your usual evaluation," he says. "Your dueling's fine as always. Not as good as your sister's, but hey, it's enough for number five in the school."

She winces at the mention of that.

"But yabba dabba dabba, forget all that... where's your pizazz, Hikawa?"

"..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Cold, boring old Sayo, always gotta play by the rules. I mean, no offense meant," he lies. "Seriously, though. Think about spicing it up a little. Your dueling's good n' all, but nobody cares if you're not showing an interesting side."

The hollow, false compliments, and the truth hidden beneath. That's right; top-notch dueling skill is just the expected norm for this academy. And unless your win rate is near-flawless, that won't cut it on its own here. You need something else, too. 

"...Is that all you had to say?" She responds curtly.

"Yup. Just dwell on it, or whatever." He casually shoos his student away, evidently not all that invested in her performance.

Sayo sighs once more, and starts to head out, leaving the vast technological atrium behind. She enters a set of metal corridors, spanning what would be an expansive labyrinth to anyone unfamiliar with this enormous building. As she passes her fellow students, she can hear hushed conversations. Bouts of laughter litter the air. A few demeaning cusses are stealthily thrown her way.

No matter where she goes in this campus, it's impossible to not be reminded of her emptiness, her failure.

Walking upon plate after plate of flashy, unconventionally patterned metal, she heads to a wholly indistinguishable office; inside lies a mess of file after file, the owners clearly not all that invested in keeping them sorted. That's what they’ve slacked onto Sayo, as a lackey of the student council; a bunch of sorting and signing for paperwork.

"Oh, Sayo!" There's one member of the council present as she enters; Sayo probably used to remember her name. A disturbing, fanged grin is lining her face. "Good timing, actually; can you lend me some of your cards? I've got an assignment for deckbuilding, and-"

"Find someone else to pilfer from," Sayo responds. She can't recall how many times she used to fall for that.

"Tch!" There’s a gross crease in the other student’s brow. "You're no fun. I guess that’s why nobody likes your stiff ass."

A broken record. "Is that so? What about you?"

"I don't need friends. I'm good."

"I doubt that's a healthy mentality," she tries to advise. "You would be better off establishing connections with others if you want to further your dueling career."

"What, and castrate myself to all the idiots around here? No thanks. Not giving them the chance."

Sayo sighs.

Evidently, her peer takes that as a cue. "You really are no fun. At least Hina has some spunk to her."

A broken record. Sayo's neutral expression remains.

"Oops! Sorry, guess I wasn't being sensitive enough." The student slowly drags that sentence out. "Welp, all of this 'sorting' stuff isn't really my style, so I'm gonna leave it to you. Seeeyaaaaa!"

And with that, she's gone; her desire to leave the place wasn't all that subtle. The room becomes silent with her departure, so at least now Sayo can do her job without any distractions. Everything is a mess, but... it's her duty to sort this out. She starts by gathering the forms and contracts littered about the place, organising them into piles on the table.

...

Her eyes wince as she heaves up another stack of folders.

...

...She recalls a time where she'd call this kind of work honest, important. Necessary. But she was the only person who seemed to care about it back then. Eventually, that faded out. Now it’s soulless to her.

...

...She recalls a time where she'd admonish herself for slacking on such work. But right now, she struggles to care even the slightest bit about it. If even the student council president can't be bothered to sort out her own office, what does that say for the rest of the academy?

Doubtless, she'd be laughed at if she filed a complaint about the disorganisation. Just like always. That's why it only took her first year until she stopped trying to bring issues up. That was ages ago, now.

...Then, there's no point. She'll be whined at for not doing the work, but this. This just feels pointless. Hopeless.

Sayo heads out of the office for an unofficial break, and starts walking alongside the edge of the building she's in. An unbroken window of a wall covers her left; she can see the entirety of the academy beneath her here, the empty blue sky monitoring it all from above. There's a lush, green meadow below her, spanning an enormous distance. A number of intricately, magnificently crafted buildings forged with beams of white, slabs of steel or even entire surfaces of glass take their haughty thrones upon the grass. A river splits in two at one end of the campus, circling the entire place, before re-converging at the other side; the enclosed area it creates marks one of the most iconic locations around the districts of Haneoka and Hanasakigawa, situated on the border between the two. 

The corporation running these facilities is, unsurprisingly, funded to the brim. That's how they seem so spotless.

Eventually, her trek through row after row of obnoxious potted plants finds her an elevator, and she enters. She presses the button for the ground floor, from an enormous list, and gets taken down the largest tower in the campus.

Unfortunately, the lobby isn't any less chattier than the corridors above. She walks upon a raised platform of polished green marble, ledged over a sleek, angular mazeway of purified, shining water. With enough winding through, she finds herself at the main section. Two waterfalls pour down to form the mazeway below; they're flashy constructions, ones that likely costed an egregious amount of money. In front of them, more exotic plants surround a long, wide desk, hosting several receptionists and workers responsible for checking in on visitors and sorting out other events. They're busy enough that they likely won't notice Sayo's unusually truant behaviour.

She takes a seat on one of the arrays of cushioned chairs, and starts reviewing her deckbuilding. The academy is filled to the brim with ferocious duelists, ready to take all the glory for themselves; if she wants to outclass them, she'll need to constantly monitor and update her own playstyle, and experiment with whatever she finds to be helpful. 

"Can you believe it? I fucking BEAT his ass, dude. Everyone was yelling!"

"Damn, I should've been there. How'd he react when you summoned that thing?" 

A few students have a rambunctious conversation in the distance; they wear the same, crested pale-blue jacket with white collars, thin ankle-length jeans and navy insignias as everyone else, but they somehow manage to make the uniform look particularly smug.

"...you played sick then, huh. Maybe I should find him when he's down so I can get an easy win, too."

"Oh, I get it. You're gonna ride my coattails again like the coward you are, aren't you?"

"Wha-" She can practically hear the gripped fist. "..."

This academy looks polite and polished, like a role model to the world around it. But the buildings mask a shared sentiment amongst all the students; the desperate desire everyone has to crush their opponents.

Sayo takes a deep breath and refocuses on her own work. She's almost grateful that those louts aren't the only noisy bunch in the lobby; maybe she can drown them out amidst the chatter.

"He's soooooooooooo hot, girl." Another conversation ups the volume. "Like, that soft smile and slicked-back hair when he's dueling? Nice. He wins so often, too."

"Wow, really? I've heard a lot of nasty rumours about that guy. He's not so friendly when he's off the stage, apparently."

"You listen to rumours too much! There's plenty of people here who'd LIE just so they can get the edge on him."

"Okay okay, sheesh. No need to get so defensive, asshole."

The pair try to brush off the conversation with stifled laughter. Evidently, her fellow students have nothing better to do; but unlike Sayo, they get by, so long as they exhibit something that wins their peers and teachers over. 

She figures a dueling simulator would probably be a better use of her time right now. Staying here is an annoyance, and it'll only be a matter of time before another student starts to bother her. There's a few rulings and effect interactions she needs to test out, anyway; an AI opponent can handle that much for her.

She neatly puts away her notes, equips her bag and swiftly stands up. She makes her way past the receptionist desk to the left side of the lobby; a horde of students occupy sofas surrounding a polished, layered fountain consisting of multiple water jets. She tries to mute their conversations as she heads towards one of the doors on the other side.

"...And then she like, summoned something big n’ whooshy, and I just bopped it immediately! The look on her face was so funny when it happened!"

Sayo stops.

"That duel was so FUN!"

Against her better judgement, she turns her head towards the source of the noise.

In one corner, another girl with turquoise hair, shorter than her own, rambles to her friends. The group looks positively lively compared to the other students. In contrast to Sayo's plain, organised attire and long unkempt hair, the other girl has her hair tied in a braid to one side, and her uniform is a mess; it's not properly buttoned, there's a tornado of accolades and medals affixed haphazardly across it, and her jeans are adorned by a blue belt patterned with yellow stars, an obvious dress code violation.

...The group looks like they're enjoying themselves. She shines so bright, one of the only sources of light in this dark place. Nothing can get her down, nobody can stand in her way. She's brimming with energy. She's not hollow like Sayo is.

Suddenly, she loses the urge to do anything at this accursed place. She can't imagine what she'll say to her professors tomorrow, let alone to herself, but she couldn't care less now.

As she turns to head back, she notices one of her sister’s friends, a girl with large square-shaped spectacles and short beige hair, giving her a stealthy wave. The thought is appreciated, considering she's one of the only people here Sayo would openly describe as her associate. But a thought in her head questions how long it will take before the school starts to eat away at that poor girl too.

"..." Sayo tries not to grit her teeth. She can feel a scream in her throat, begging to be unleashed; that's the cue that she's had enough for today. She decides to take an early leave, heading towards the exit. 

As she passes the receptionist's desk, she can't help but look up. Between the two waterfalls, a large array of bulky, electronic screens heave from the ceiling. Each screen is dedicated to ranking all the students for their dueling prowess. And on the leftmost screen, the top 10 in the academy are listed. The top 3 have their faces placed besides their names.

At the top spot, her sister stands proudly.

A curse.

Sayo takes the callously long walk down the lobby’s blue carpet, leading her to the exit.

\---

The sunset is cold.

Even out here, there's not much Sayo can do; it just happens to be a quieter place for strategizing dueling. Thanks to her uniform, strangers don't have the habit of approaching her, a consequence of the seemingly refined aura her academy exerts. She can't imagine holding a conversation with any of them.

The sports field she's in is unoccupied, thankfully. With the white paint lining the rough ground beneath, and the chain-linked fence at her back, the place bears a lot of resemblance to a budget dueling array. She sits at a bench on the side, reviewing her notes and the few decks she has on hand, alongside the Duel Monsters Monthly magazine she bought on the way here. A dueling convenience store is one of the only places she can go to around here without getting disturbing looks from the people around her.

Another sigh. She's gotten a fair amount done, barring any actual duelling. It doesn't feel like enough though; for months, now, she's been hitting a wall in her capabilities, unable to improve any further. Her playing feels frozen.

She may as well head back home, then. Being there will empty what's left of her soul, but she can at least fill her stomach.

Packing her things and standing again, Sayo heads towards the exit. But the thought of her family gushing over her sister intrudes. 

She stops in the middle of the field, and turns her gaze to the gradually setting sun.

...There's no point in getting distracted like this. Nothing will get done that way. What she should be doing is getting home, continuing her study as soon as possible, and then heading to the academy the next day to-

...To do what? What can she do there, anymore? The teachers clearly see her as a pain, since they aren't enthusiastic about letting her duel with anyone strong. She's unlikely to find more than one or two peers she can test her strength against during her break, and she already does enough studying and deckbuilding when she isn't there.

What kind of career path will they continue to set up for her? Will they even bother thinking of one?

She could simply up her win rate even more. But that statistic has barely increased at all over the past year, sometimes even falling a bit. It feels like a rigged climb up a treacherous mountain, a malicious deity breaking pieces of the peak to cause a landslide that'll drown her.

...She could leave. It's hardly realistic, since it’s an incredibly dangerous and reckless move with the way this academy is. But even if it casted away her future, she wouldn't feel sad about leaving the place. She probably wouldn't feel any emotion about it at all; that's just her default state.

But would she dare?

Behind her back, night slowly begins to crawl up the sky, the stars looming over her figure. The dirt of the field gradually takes on a stronger, more lethargic shade of orange.

...No. All she can do is make the best of her situation, and keep working harder. That diligence is all she has, the only thing about herself she considers worth noting.

She turns back towards the night sky, and heads towards the exit. But what happens next, she could never have anticipated.

"You are Sayo Hikawa, are you not?"

The sound of her full name from an unknown voice makes her jolt. She immediately whips her head around, turning to face the source. A figure bathed in darkness by the setting sun stands before her, her shadow stopping just short of Sayo. When did she get here? Just a few seconds ago, Sayo could've sworn she was alone.

"...Who are you?" She tentatively responds.

The figure doesn't answer. Her long, silver hair flies with specks of gold from the light of the sky, complementing the intensity of her amber stare. Her clothing is composed of an unassuming white blouse, a purple skirt with a floral pattern, and a dark-grey denim jacket with sleeves reaching her elbows; she's unlikely to be a peer from Sayo’s academy.

Despite her simple appearance, there's an indescribable aura emanating from this figure. With each passing second, the pressure she exerts becomes more and more overwhelming, and Sayo struggles to even speak.

Those eyes. Her body feels like it's going to tear itself apart, just from being faced by them. There's a bead of cold sweat falling from Sayo's forehead.

Then, the figure simply raises her left arm to chest-level, and utters two words: "Duel me."

"...What?" It's at this point, as Sayo responds, that she notices the duel disk on this person's arm. It's not a standard academy model, either; the overall design has some similarities, such as the touch-responsive array, but the podium is a deep, rich shade of metallic purple, and the orb is coloured white instead.

"If you want to see what true dueling looks like, duel me."

"..." Sayo would normally lambast a stranger for failing to introduce themselves, but the atmosphere is choking her. The mysterious duelist’s hair flows subtly from the light breeze passing through the field.

...No. She shrugs it off. For all she knows, this person could just be talking one big game. All show, no substance, just like everyone else. "And why should I consider you worth my time? What reason do I have to duel you?"

"Because I’m going to defeat you."

Sayo recoils. Her blood boils. But she takes a deep breath; there’s no reason to let this stranger dig into her.

"Laughable. What makes you so certain?"

"There's an easy way for you to find out." The response cuts the air. "A duel can be a path to understanding."

It’s true. That's the easiest way to display what kind of person her opponent is. There's no better way to know than to confirm. She's been cooped up in the academy all week, anyway. And...

...There's something in the gaze of this mysterious duelist. It's impossible to look away from, as if it's fixed Sayo's soul to the spot. Like a vagabond grim reaper, deciding whether or not it should cut apart and discard the being it stands before.

"...Very well. I'm rather tired of studying." Sayo gives her answer, taking two decks out from her pockets. She decides to toss aside the top half of her uniform; it's far too annoying to set up a duel disk on, compared to her bare wrist. Wearing just the black sleeveless shirt underneath, Sayo equips her duel disk to her left arm. A sword of cold, flaming blue calmly emerges, simplistic in its beauty. She gazes down upon the silent duelist standing across the field, her sword waiting to judge.

The wolf's eyes pierce the night, unfailingly fixing their open stare upon Sayo. She brushes the array on her disk with her right hand, and a symphony plays. The gem glows, and the duelist's weapon is unsheathed. A beautiful rose blade, equal parts darkness in crimson and violet, slowly expands its form from the disk until both sides are fully created, a flash signifying the end of its elegant emergence.

Silence. Right now, words have no purpose in letting these two communicate.

Beasts maned silver and mythril prowl under the night sky.

Their pupils constrict.

"**DUEL!**"

Each duelist enters the field with **4000LP** from their disk, drawing 5 cards from their deck.

"If you're weak, then I'm going to end this before it starts," Sayo proclaims. "_I'm going first._ I activate the effect of the _Nekroz of Brionac._" She takes a navy-coloured monster card from her hand; the card shines, and a blurred image of a young warrior hovers above her. "By discarding this card to the graveyard, I can add one Nekroz monster from my deck to my hand. I choose to add _Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz._"

The warrior's image coalesces until it forms a new card, which falls into Sayo's free hand. 

Her key has arrived. A line races around Sayo, forming a circle of cyan; suddenly, its diameter bursts outwards, and both duelists are illuminated from below by a field of light. Sayo can now fully see the calm, composed face of her opponent.

The light settles, and the ground below has become a clean reflective surface, displaying the shimmering night sky. Sayo begins: "I activate the ritual spell card _Nekroz Mirror!_" 

A card in her hand shatters; the fragments illuminate, and fly into the ground, forming a large, crested mirror podium. 

"...I see," her opponent says. "An archetype composed of _Ritual Monsters._"

She's correct. And normally, a ritual spell will allow you summon a Ritual Monster from your hand, by using materials on the hand or field whose levels combine to make the level of the monster. 

But that's elementary to Sayo; she has a shortcut. Her newly added Shurit shatters from her hand too, and his holograph falls from above onto the podium. The child's expression is vacant. "Shurit's effect," she says, "when summoning a Nekroz Ritual Monster, this monster can be used to fulfill the entire level requirement."

The mirror shines. Shurit's form glows.

"Cursed child, weave the power of the fabled beast into your arms and legs! Take their legendary form and make it your own!"

A pillar of yellow light fires out from the podium. The child's form is encased in glowing armour of white and gold. A body grows a horn and tail no human is capable of possessing.

"_Ritual Summon! Level 4, Nekroz of Unicore!_"

The podium disappears; particles of light fly out in all directions from the monster's form, until she descends unto the surface, **2300 ATK** carried in her spear. Now, Sayo's plan is in place. 

But first, the backup. No professional duelist sticks to just one move. "Shurit's second effect activates. When I use this monster as a tribute, I can add a Warrior-Type Nekroz monster from my deck to my hand." A card titled _Nekroz of Trishula_ flies out from her deck, making itself visible to both duelists before entering Sayo's hand. It's a card she can't afford to waste.

"The _Nekroz of Unicore's_ effect," she continues. "For as long as Unicore is face-up, all monsters special summoned onto the field from the Extra Deck have their effects negated!" And now, the finishing touch; she slots a secret into her blade of blue. "I set one card face-down, and end my turn."

If Sayo's move has intimidated the opponent, it isn't openly evident; her expression is unchanged, unblinking.

"Good. You're clearly able to use the first turn to your advantage," the mysterious duelist says.

Sayo calmly stands her ground. She'll make this stranger regret approaching her.

"...But now is where your trial begins. _My turn._" The opponent draws a card with no hesitation. "I activate the quick-play spell card _Book of Moon!_" 

A holographic tome bursts onto the field; the pages open, blaring an unbearable light at Unicore. "This card allows me to target one face-up monster on the field, and change it to _face-down defense position!_ I choose the _Nekroz of Unicore!_"

Unicore's body disappears, and a holographic copy of the navy card it emerged from lies with its front faced towards the ground, rotated sideways. 

Sayo's eyes sharpen. Most kinds of monster effects won't occur if the monster in question is _face-down_ on the field instead of face-up. A blatant and confident choice, that play; this duelist isn't a fool. 

But it's also information. That's the play of someone who's going to use their Extra Deck. 

"Next, I summon _Masked Chameleon in attack position,_" the duelist continues.

One. A simple unassuming animal, with no particular identity and merely **1600 ATK.** Its effect can't be used like this, though, so what is her opponent's plan?

"Then, I activate _Brilliant Fusion._" In the blink of an eye, the duelist has placed a spell card into her blade. "When this card is activated, I can Fusion Summon one Gem-Knight monster from my Extra Deck, by sending its materials from my deck to my graveyard. The summoned monster will have **0 ATK** and **DEF.**" Two cards fall into the duelist's graveyard; a garnet-encrusted knight and an anthropomorphic beast. There's no coherency in their designs. "Arise, radiant flag bearer; _Fusion Summon! Level 5, Gem Knight Seraphinite!_"

Two. Swirling lights of red and yellow emerge swiftly from Brilliant Fusion's holograph; they quickly converge, forming an angelic paladin of blue and white, adorned with wings.

An Extra Deck monster. Her first thought is 'this must be why she flipped Unicore face-down'. But Sayo isn't concerned about that right now. There's something behind these maneuvers. Suspicious, she looks at her duel disk to see if there's any effects she's missed.

She notices too late. Her face turns to shock.

"I activate the effect of _Wulf, Lightsworn Beast!_" The duelist continues. "When this monster is sent from my deck to my graveyard, I can special summon it to my field!"

Three. Another monster, armed with **2100 ATK.** But that statistic doesn't matter; she frees a low sigh and grits her teeth, realising that all these cards are just pieces of a larger play.

"_Gem Knight Seraphinite_ allows me a second normal summon when it's on the field! Appear, _Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit, in attack position!_"

And four. A quiet, ethereal duo fades into the field. It's also a Tuner monster.

The Gem-Knight misled her. This duelist is a user of _Synchro Monsters!_

Her opponent's eyes blaze in scarlet gold. The sky turns red. "I tune my level 3 _Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit_ with my level 5 _Gem-Knight Seraphinite!_" Silver hair looks as if it threatens to glow white at the tips. Blood becomes consumed by fire. The monsters rise into a blinding stream; rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 5 stars dancing.

"Demonic dragon, monarch of hell - let your conscious being flow, let your magnificent soul emerge. Empower your time-trodden body with radiant, forever-burning flame, recover your form, spread your newly unworn wings and carve the world with claws wreathed in wrath! _Synchro Summon! Level 8, Red Dragon Archfiend!_"

The voice of a star is all that cues, before a bolt from above smites the ground. A white-hot flame immediately lights, regally spiralling into a gigantic, powerful vortex. From the fire, a malefic beast unleashes its commanding presence; the archfiend descends, nary a roar necessary to convey its power.

**3000 ATK.** This is likely the duelist's ace monster-

"I tune my level 4 _Masked Chameleon_ with my level 4 _Lightsworn Beast Wulf!_"

"Wha-" Sayo's jaw drops.

But she's given no time to comprehend. Her opponent's eyes shine with emerald white. The red sky loses its hue, and brightens. Silver hair encloses the light of the irises. Blood becomes surged with light. The other two monsters rise into a blinding stream; rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 4 stars dancing.

"Dimensional dragon, wielder of space - let your conscious being flow, let your marvellous soul emerge. Empower your time-trodden body with radiant, forever-shining rays, recover your form, spread your newly unworn wings and embed the world with starlight engraved in glory! _Synchro Summon! Level 8, Stardust Dragon!_"

Sayo can barely believe it. 

A hole rips in the world, and a truly beautiful beast starts to flicker with an unhindered, subtle intensity. The flickering slowly unleashes the guiding presence; a visitor to this world, it descends, vocalising a polite but powerful greeting.

"Are you paying attention, Sayo?" The voice hasn't raised its volume, but it somehow booms into Sayo, making her jump at the sound of her name again. Between two titanic armaments, the mysterious duelist keeps a gaze fixed forward.

"..." It's incredible. "...Is that all you had to show?" Sayo responds, but it's a complete bluff; she can't believe what she's seeing, she's wide awake. It's turn 2, and in one go her opponent has demonstrated an unbelievable power, far beyond any she would've ever expected from outside the academy doors. A power definitely at least matching the duelists inside them.

Her opponent doesn't respond; clearly, she sees it as unnecessary. 

Sayo shakes her head, knowing how much she's faced before. Stay focused. She's staring down two monsters worth respecting; the new dragon has **2500 ATK,** so both of them have strength outweighing her _Nekroz of Unicore's_ **2300 ATK.** They may have been summoned from the Extra Deck, but this duelist clearly intends to use their brute power to ignore Unicore's negation of their impressive effects. Fortunately, Sayo's already accounted for that strategy with her face-down-

She blinks.

"...Wha-" To her chagrin, her shaking voice flies out, without her permission. No, she remembers now. Of course. Summon after summon after summon had distracted her. Thanks to _Book of Moon_, Unicore's effect negation is...!

No. No, Sayo can't falter at this.

"_Red Dragon Archfiend_, attack the face-down _Nekroz of Unicore!_" The malefic beast breathes flames from its mouth, and its claws light ablaze. In a split second, it shoots up from the ground and then descends at a horrific speed, attempting to rip Sayo's monster to shreds.

Sayo grits her teeth. "I activate the trap card _Mirror Force!_" Her face-down backrow reveals itself; a barrier emerges, the archfiend's marvellous attack slamming against it. The ground around the impact splits. "When my opponent's monster declares an attack, I can destroy all attack-position monsters they control!"

"Naive," The duelist states in response. Then she yells; "I activate the effect of _Stardust Dragon!_ By tributing it until the end phase of my turn, I can negate the activation of an effect or attack that would destroy a card, and destroy the card responsible for it!"

The archfiend's companion lets out a beautiful roar; their form flickers, and as it seemingly blips out of existence, Sayo's barrier does too; her trap card is destroyed, and the archfiend tears its way through her monster.

There's the sound of broken glass, shattering in gigantic amounts. The face-down monster card breaks, and the shape of a claw has ripped its way through the mirror surface below.

Sayo pants; despite the ridiculous ferocity of the attack she endured, she's standing on her feet. She's grateful Unicore ended its presence in _defense position_; if it was destroyed in _attack position_, she would've taken a solid chunk of damage for it. Miraculously, she still shares her opponent's **4000LP** count.

The opponent doesn't smile, smirk, frown or laugh. She merely looks calmly upon the scene before her, as if she's carefully and near-effortlessly scanning it. "I'm impressed. Despite having your strategy overturned, you managed to minimise your losses. You didn't even waste the resources in your hand." She embeds a hidden tool into her rose blade. "I set one card face-down, and end my turn," she finishes, the same way Sayo did last turn; except that with the end phase, the duelist's _Stardust Dragon_ blinks back into existence thanks to its effect, as if it had never left.

Sayo lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. But enough wavering; it's time for a counterattack. "..._My turn!_" She near-subconsciously yells, drawing a card. If the opponent thinks an empty field spells Sayo's doom, she's a fool. "I activate the second effect of my _Nekroz Mirror!_"

A compartment in her duel disk emits an eerie, faint light, as if containing a sealed curse. "If I control no monsters while this card is in my graveyard, I can banish it alongside my _Nekroz of Unicore_ to gain a new Nekroz spell card." An afterimage of the podium that summoned Unicore blurs into being, and flushes a flow of darkness out into the sky. A card floats out from Sayo's deck and joins the rest in her hand: "I choose to add a second _Nekroz Mirror_ to my hand."

The opponent looks at the information display on the duel disk. "...I see," she responds.

She may be calm right now. But Sayo's about to change that; there's an opening in the duelist she can strike at. It's time to bring out her ace. 

The green in Sayo's eyes dies out, leaving only a faint frost. "...I activate the ritual spell card _Nekroz Mirror!_"

The blazing circle rips its way around Sayo again. But this time, it's not expanding; instead, its colour is so strong, so difficult to look at as it wraps around her and rises in height, that it nearly feels like it's threatening to freeze her. Eventually, it envelops her; the underside of her body takes a sickly bright shade of blue as she breathes in, and out. Sayo can no longer be seen by her opponent.

The podium reappears in full, and Shurit returns alongside it. The child's expression has turned grave. She speaks: "When I ritual summon a monster using _Nekroz Mirror_, I'm not limited to using materials from the hand or field; I can also use monsters in my graveyard by banishing them! I banish _Strategist Shurit of the Nekroz_, and with its effect I once again use it for my ritual!"

The mirror glows.

This time, a pillar of frozen blue completely surrounds and encases her monster; it beams into existence so fast, it's almost as if it snapped into place upon the podium.

"O ancient dragon of cocytal cold, deity of the frozen world, arm me with your devastation. Wrap my limbs in ice, shut my eyes closed with your mask, stop my heart through wings of ice and crystallise your unparalleled might into hardened steel! Through your armour, let me relive the legend of your ruination, and grant me the strength to crush all that oppose me!"

Despite the holographics, the feeling that the air has turned colder suggests itself into being. Silver comes face-to-face with the arctic.

"_Ritual Summon!_ Silence the heart! _Level 9, **Nekroz of Trishula!**_"

The pillar widens, until it envelops the entire field, and then all the light fades away. Left where the podium was is no longer a young child; instead, a being that only hints at being human, armoured with the visage of an ancient force and a callous blade, takes its place. It descends, **2700 ATK** to its name.

The circle surrounding her disappears. Finally, Sayo feels calmer. "I activate the _Nekroz of Trishula's_ effect," she proclaims. "When this card is summoned, I can _banish_ three of the opponent's cards; one on your field, one in your graveyard, and one at random from your hand."

Without a shred of mercy, the armour-embedded avatar takes a stance, readying its blade.

"I choose to banish _Stardust Dragon_ on the field, and _Gem-Knight Seraphinite_ in the graveyard." Three swipes, and gigantic structures of ice have rained upon her opponent's side at a callous velocity. Then, Sayo's monster makes one last ruthless strike through the open air; all three structures shatter into pieces, their deathcry piercing the field. Where _Stardust Dragon_ was, nothing remains; it's as if it was erased from existence the second it became encased.

In addition, a card emerges from the graveyard slot of the other duelist's disk, and a card in her hand flies out; both seemingly disappear, but in reality they've been sent to the _Banished Zone_ alongside _Stardust Dragon._

"I see," the duelist calmly responds. "By sending cards to one of the least-utilised areas in dueling, you cleanly intercept and disrupt most common strategies." Sayo can't tell whether she's impressed or not; her tone is too neutral, lacking in positive or negative judgement. She continues: "Now, what will you do next?"

Sayo doesn't take a break, not even for a second. Regulating her breathing, she places a card inside her blade. "I activate the equip spell card _Moon Mirror Shield._" In Trishula's free hand, a golden buckler emerges. "When a monster equipped with this card battles one of my opponent's monsters, its ATK becomes equal to that monster's, plus 100." She swipes her arm out. "_Nekroz of Trishula_, attack _Red Dragon Archfiend!_"

Quickly and cleanly, Sayo's monster lets go of its blade; it levitates up in the air, and pure physical cold coalesces around it, forming a gigantic arrow made of ice. The _Moon Mirror Shield_ glows, raising Trishula's ATK to **3100.** Trishula imitates the swift and deadly motion of throwing an object with its right hand, and the arrow instantly flies straight and true at the archfiend, like a bullet through the heart.

It pierces right through, the archfiend torn asunder without a second thought. Their body heats up from the inside, and explodes in one final, marvellous flame.

Did Sayo land a hit? She waits for the dust to settle.

...No.

On the other side, _Red Dragon Archfiend_ has at least been destroyed, leaving the opponent's field devoid of monsters. But there's a trap card, flipped face up behind where the archfiend once stood.

"..._Defense Draw,_" the duelist says. "This trap card allows me to take 0 battle damage during an attack, and lets me draw 1 card." The card flies right into her hand, straight and true. Sayo thought she'd emptied her opponent's hand with Trishula's effect, but this duelist was evidently prepared.

How far does she have to go, to land a hit?

"...I end my turn," she begrudgingly declares. Trishula stands tall. 

"Then, _it's my turn._" The mysterious duelist draws another card.

Sayo can't help but ask. "What's your plan? As far as I can tell, all you have to your name is 2 cards in your hand. You no longer have anything in your graveyard that can activate effects, and I've banished your strongest stopgap. What on earth are you doing?"

"That depends," the duelist responds. "After all, there are multiple paths open to me. Which ones I can take depend on what I draw."

A frown. How shaky. Was this duelist just throwing out everything she had, at first? The way it sounds, she's now relying solely on luck by drawing something at random from her deck. Has Sayo overestimated her opponent?

Time will tell. She's not letting her guard down.

"I summon _Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice in attack position._" A monster is calmly set upon her blade, a conscious object that appears in front of her; merely a Tuner alongside the rest, likely separated from whatever archetype it belonged to. "Then..." the duelist raises the last card in her hand. "I activate the spell card _Allure of Darkness._"

Sayo's jaw drops, once again. But this time, it's at the apparent insanity of her opponent: "What are you thinking?!"

"Simple. You know the effect of this card, then; I draw two cards. Then, if there is a DARK-Attribute monster in my hand, I can banish it as the cost for drawing those cards. Otherwise, I'll have to discard my entire hand."

"Exactly! Why would you activate that card when you have nothing else in your hand?" She asks, nearly exasperated. "If those 2 draws fail to give you a DARK monster, you'll lose whatever playing power you have left!"

"Wrong." What? "No matter what result I get, this card will benefit me."

That's insane. But Sayo can only watch as a holographic cube, emanating a sinister mist, emerges over the opponent's head, watching her hand. 

The duelist draws 2 cards. Then, the cube shines; it's going to cast away her whole hand.

"See?" Sayo says. "Nobody would make such a rookie mistake, playing that card in such a manner-"

"Naive!" The duelist responds, in that same calm but commanding tone. "I activate the effect of _Quillbolt Hedgehog_ in my graveyard! When I control a Tuner monster, I can special summon this card!"

Sayo looks at the information on her duel disk; she can't believe what she's seeing. She was too short-sighted.

And that's not the only thing _Allure of Darkness_ sent to the graveyard, either. Sayo's heartbeat accelerates.

The hedgehog in question enters the field. "I tune my level 3 _Tri-Eyed Dice_ with my level 2 _Quillbolt Hedgehog!_" The gaze of her opponent is unflinching. The two monsters rise into a blinding stream; rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 2 stars dancing. "Odious weapon that protects its creators from disaster, arise! _Synchro Summon! Level 5, Ally of Justice Castator!_"

A faint stream of light, pitch-black at its core, shoots up from the ground; "I attack _Nekroz of Trishula_ with my _Ally of Justice Catastor!_" Like a praying mantis, a four-legged machine jumps out and directs its eye at Trishula, immediately lunging before Sayo can even think. It only has **2200 ATK,** but...

Trishula swings its sword at Catastor, and the machine ejects a barrier from its singular eye in response; the barrier shifts between colours as it takes the impact, as if processing it. "Catastor's effect activates," the duelist says. "When Catastor battles a non-DARK-Attribute monster, it's immediately destroyed at the beginning of the battle step!"

Before Trishula's blade can ever reach the monster, the glint in its eye brightens; the barrier shakes, and Trishula's form shakes, before shattering to pieces. 

That's her opus, gone in an instant. The ice cracks.

"I end my turn." The duelist has nothing more to say, once Trishula is destroyed. Her turn was as efficient and as damaging as it could be; the kind of style Sayo aspires to.

...But now she has a chance. Her opponent truly has no more cards in her hand, and only has Catastor on the field. It won't be easy, since no monster she has can normally take it in a head-on fight; but if Sayo can destroy that thing, she could potentially win the game. 

It's thrilling, she'd dare to say. When was the last time she had a duel like this? She can feel her blood pumping, her heart racing; she has to do everything she can, muster all of her willpower, just to try and compose herself.

...It's time.

"_My turn!_" She declares, drawing a card and starting her final onslaught. That's right; stay calm. Don't let yourself get sucked in. Let the blade of your disk direct you. No matter how many times her deck is broken to pieces in front of her, she'll always try to form something new from it. That diligence is the sole trait in her empty soul that she can value.

Her opponent stands, unfazed by the advantage in card count. Sayo begins to strike, throwing an arm out to her side: "I activate the second effect of the _Nekroz Mirror_ in my graveyard! By banishing it and the _Nekroz of Trishula_ in my graveyard, I can add one Nekroz spell card from my deck to my hand!" The familiar eerie light glows. Sayo raises her free hand to the air. "I choose the last _Nekroz Mirror_ in my deck!"

Her last armamental card takes form in her hand. With the mirror, she swears she'll seal this pounding heart away.

Lightning crackles in Sayo's cold eyes; it only barely remains azure, threatening to break everything inside.

"I activate the ritual spell card _Nekroz Mirror!_" The raised card shines and forms a podium on the reflective surface beneath her; a surface that's been ripped and cracked from multiple battles this duel has had, exposing the ground beneath. "I tribute the _Great Sorceror of the Nekroz_ from my hand and banish the _Nekroz of Brionac_ in my graveyard, meeting the total level requirement of 10 to summon my chosen ritual monster!" One card in her hand disappears, and the other shines. The images of a wizened sage and a reckless, ice-encased warrior hover briefly on the podium.

Then, another pillar alights the two of them, one coloured like a bolt on a rainy day. Its form is comprised of shaking electricity, as if threatening to fall apart at any moment. But gradually, the forms of her monsters disappear.

The excitement inside her is rising. She hates it. She can't stop it.

Sparks phase in and out of existence around her, circling her body. The earth shakes. Her voice shakes as she begrudgingly chants. "...O great planetary defender, veined in plasma and forged with blood, lend me your strength. Arm my soul with weaponry unimaginable, fill my being with life's conviction, bare your soul to what you could never see, and shatter your walls into what dust could pity! Free yourself from the shackles of your creators, who swore you into annihilation millenia ago, and grant me the strength to crush all that oppose me!"

A pool of no property sinks the podium, and widens, covering nearly the entire field in its grasp. Then, at its center, light strikes with no dishonesty or disagreement. Sayo's monster field flickers alight with the indiscernible, fractured colour of her eyes.

"_Ritual Summon!_ Unleash your power! _Level 10, **Nekroz of Decisive Armour!**_"

The other duelist watches the sight, unblinking, hair billowing behind her. The light envelops the arena; then, as it fades, the surface beneath the two has a gigantic hole caved into it, revealing most of the ground beneath. In the center, a truly gargantuan monster has appeared; a figure of pure, mechanised, fully autonomous armour, painted in grandiose cobalt and gold. On its back, a truly ridiculous weapon towers over both duelists; an array of three massive, unholy cannons, weighing at a massive **3300 ATK.**

Through repeated breaths, Sayo throws out her arm. "The _Great Sorceror of the Nekroz's_ effect! When I use this card as a tribute, I can add one Spellcaster-Type Ritual Monster to my hand! I choose the _Nekroz of Gungnir!_"

Another spear of ice takes the form of a card in her hand, seemingly suppressing a violent, burning, bright-red energy. This is the key. "The _Nekroz of Gungnir's_ effect! By discarding this card, I can target one Nekroz monster I control and protect it from destruction for the rest of this turn!" The energy suddenly bursts from the card, and the visible, glowing plasma inside each of the Decisive Armor's cannons is coloured with scarlet enraged. As it does, Sayo can feel her vision turning red, too.

The opponent's expression remains unchanged, but she briefly closes her eyes, as if contemplating, before opening them again.

...This is it. Sayo tries, tries as hard as she can, to breathe. She closes her eyes and tries, tries to suppress any thought of her expression breaking from the sensation of pure, unbridled adrenaline. She takes in air: "_Nekroz of Decisive Armor_, attack _Ally of Justice Catastor!_"

Paladinic Force. The tiny, mechanical insect on the other side of the field looks upon hundreds of tonnes of carved metal, that stares it down with a power it couldn't dream of. But all it can do is crouch in anticipation, as three barrels crackle and spark until the cumulative reactions form the shape of a truly massive ball of energy. 

Sayo opens her eyes, against her own will, and the energy suddenly bursts out into a gigantic onslaught of pure, red, laser-formed light. It barrels towards Catastor at a speed and size that it could never try and avoid. Her opponent faces Sayo's unbridled might.

"...I activate the effect of _Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice_ in my graveyard."

Sayo's pupils constrict.

"By banishing this card from my graveyard, I can negate the next attack from my opponent this turn." The laser beam abruptly blinks out of existence; a few sparks of light hover momentarily in the air, before they fade too.

Her Decisive Armor can only gaze at what just happened. Her indefatigable opponent faced this attack just like all the rest, as if prepared for it from the very beginning. The duelist's amber is somehow, amidst all the light, the most intense thing Sayo has seen.

"..." Sayo is silent. She persists in trying to keep her heartbeat under control. "...I end my turn."

"..._Then I'll show you._" The duelist's hand rests upon her main deck, ready to draw the final card. Briefly, her gaze looks to the stars above.

Sayo can't understand.

She has to ask, again. Even though she may already know the answer at this point. "...What can you do, by drawing just one random card? Are you praying for luck to be on your side?"

"..." The opponent looks back in Sayo's direction. "...Your dueling is superb. You have every fundamental down, you emphasise the strengths of your deck, and you have a nearly unshakable will. You're a model fighter, worthy of 5th place in the biggest academy in the dual-district." The compliment is genuine. The mouth of this duelist doesn't curve upwards, but her expression is powerful. Determined. Honest.

It's lifelike.

"...But, you're incredibly reckless. You normally weigh your options, but when pushed into a corner you suppress them, and focus on powering through the obstacle in front of you as hard as you can. Your attacks are like fists honed by technique and experience, but frail in the body."

Sayo feels a voice trying to escape her throat.

"You asked me what I could do with just one random card. But I do not rely on luck." The duelist draws her last card, moving it next to the side of her head in one sleek, captivating motion. "I rely on power, consistency and versatility. I draw each card knowing that whatever I obtain will open a path forward."

Her declaration strikes. She finishes: "So allow me to show you, Sayo. I'll show you what a true duelist's heart looks like." She presses a card onto her rose blade. "I summon _Speedroid Terrortop in attack position!_" A lively animated toy, its own statistics irrelevant. It's not a useless engine with no identity, though; it's a ray that paves the way.

Sayo can already see it.

"_Speedroid Terrortop's_ effect activates! When I summon this card, I can add a different Speedroid from my deck to my hand!" Another card. "I activate my newly added _Speedroid Taketomborg's_ effect! When I control a WIND-Attribute monster, I can special summon this card from my hand!" A second vivacious toy joins the fray.

Beautiful and efficient, in ways she could never understand second-hand. Next, she knows, will be the other card _Allure of Darkness_ sent to the graveyard.

The duelist declares: "I activate the effect of _Glow-Up Bulb!_ Once per duel, when this card is in my graveyard, I can send the top card of my deck to the graveyard, to special summon it to the field!"

Roots envelop each machine summoned by her opponent. Leaves and vines begin to grow from their frames. A light between the two draws them together.

Standing straight, the duelist slacks both arms down to her sides, stretches her hands out and closes her eyes. "I tune my level 1 _Glow-Up Bulb_ with my level 3 _Speedroid Terrortop_ and my level 3 _Speedroid Taketomborg!_" Seemingly from nowhere, a wind starts to howl at her body, billowing her jacket and her hair.

A droplet falls. In a massive empty arena, the rain heaves mercilessly down upon a technological vault of a floor. But a weak black stem, alone in the center of the stage, pelted by a never-ending torrent of water, refuses to wilt. Then, the tormenting background melds into a blinding stream. Rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 6 stars dancing.

"_Synchro Summon!_ Come unfailingly forth!" She yells.

Suddenly, a flash of light. It threatens to blind the vision, but a black nothingness quickly envelops all. Then, on the ground, the stem grows. Against all odds, a beautiful plant grows at an unstoppable pace; roots and leaves break through every slab of metal, the stem grows and grows. Then, a beautiful flower, one unlike any other, blooms at the very middle of the gigantic stadium.

"_Level 7! **Black Rose Moonlight Dragon!**_"

At the edge of the sunset in the moonlit night, two duelists gaze upon a glorious beast. She begins as merely a spine of jet black. Then, a bed of thorns and tendrils emerge, from head to toe. A crown of spinning petals descends upon the creature, hovering in place clockwise at the base of its neck. She detects the sensation, letting out an imperceptible cry, and a forest of petals forms two majestic wings. The ground is dyed with the dragon's colour. 

Then, she opens her mouth without hesitation.

The Voice of the Black Rose makes itself known.

...

Dilated gaze. Sayo lets out a gradual, enamoured sigh. She looks down at her duel disk; the creature has **2400 ATK.** But the important part she sees now is...

The duelist's open palm shoots out to her front. "I activate the effect of _Black Rose Moonlight Dragon._ When this card is summoned, I can target one special summoned monster my opponent controls, and return it to the hand."

A soft, layered, powerful voice cries out. Carnation red glows, flowing around the _Nekroz of Decisive Armor._ The glow brightens, brightens, brightens furthermore. The flower swirls. Then, as if it simply became another petal, the Decisive Armor disappears, and flows away to the sky. Sayo's mouth is left agape at the sight as her trump card returns to her Extra Deck.

"_Ally of Justice Catastor_, attack my opponent directly!"

Sayo whips her head towards the monster in question; in just a split second, she processes the bullet-train speed of the small, holographic laser flying towards her, and braces. The full LP she maintained for the entire duel has now fallen for the first time, to **1800.**

"...Ah!" She gasps, and turns her head towards the sky. A ray of red has settled upon a sea of blue.

"This will end it." The duelist's voice runs deep. "_Black Rose Moonlight Dragon_, attack my opponent directly!"

Rose Ruination. The crown of petals glows brilliantly, a light that travels to the head of the dragon. As if commanding her own victory, a beam of unstoppable, seething energy fires out at a breakneck pace from her mouth, enveloping her opponent.

All she can do in response is stand, and watch the current run past her. 

With that final move, vibrations run through the entirety of the desolate, starlit field.

Sayo falls to **0LP,** the duel concluding with the mysterious duelist as the winner.

...She lets herself breathe again. Though she tries to stand, the excitement fails to quell itself, even after the duel has ended, and she ends up falling on one knee. How long ago was it that she last experienced something like this?

It's conflicting. On one hand, there's the shame from having been unable to land a single hit on her opponent throughout the entire duel. In fact, judging from the duelist's behaviour, it's likely Sayo had just lost to someone who was holding back. Someone who was, at the very least, out of her league. The thought makes her stomach crawl.

...But at the same time, the thrill from engaging in such a clash has sent chills down her spine. It's as if she saw a light at the top of the mountain, knew it was impossible to reach, and yet still lunged for it. As if just the feeling, the sensation of getting closer to it, just the feeling of the possibility that she could actually reach it, was enticing enough to make her scale the barren rock as much as she humanly could. It was an experience she'd never have gone through if she hadn't left those desolate walls today, within which she's forced to duel sandbag after sandbag.

The mysterious duelist approaches her. "Do you hate it?" She's asked. That means this person understands. There's no reason to hide her words.

"...I do. They're vultures," Sayo responds. "The Shirasagi Duel Academy is a heartless place."

"I feel the same way." 

Sayo looks up upon hearing the response. There's a ragged conviction carried on the duelist's face: "I, too, have reason to resent the SDA. In fact, I believe the Shirasagi Corporation has marred the face of dueling." She's only about Sayo's age, but there's an air of lost time surrounding her. An expression experienced with desolation. "...That's why my goal is to destroy them. I will crush the reputation of the Shirasagi Corporation with my own two hands, and revive the sport I cherish."

An unbelievable goal. But Sayo genuinely believes this person could pull it off.

"Sayo," she continues. "You have astounding potential hidden within you. Your diligence and determination are shining rays of light, rays that your academy attempts to snuff out. But if you can hold onto them, you can pave the way before you." 

Diligence. Determination. Over time, her soul was emptied, and her body was left hollow, until those traits inside her became the only thing she could value. Everything else disappeared, and that academy laughed at what was left.

"My name is Yukina Minato," the wolf declares. "Behind my name will stand Roselia, the insignia of a rogue dueling group that will achieve the impossible. A team unbound from the chains of society, from the leashes of those who pull us from above." She shines. "Join me, and we can fight with our combined strength. Through blood and battle, dignity and diligence, we can take our enemy down."

...She's blinding. She's filled with strength. "...Yukina Minato..." she murmurs. "...Your power is inspiring... but I am not fit to stand beside you. I have no path; if I leave the SDA, my future is lost."

"Do you have a future, if you stay at that academy?"

...She realises. Of course not. This world is cruel. "No. No matter where I may go, there will be no path for me to follow."

A hand extends itself towards Sayo; that's an action almost nobody else has done for her in years. "That's not true. You have an incredible inner strength of your own. With that, you can forge one for yourself."

Her eyes narrow. "Forge... my own?" The possibility seems so slim.

"Yes. Think of a goal you can pursue; a desire you have that you can devote yourself to," Yukina advises. "Any goal at all, no matter how insignificant it may seem, will be worthy. So long as you can swear by it, I will let you stand by my side, and you will be able to take on our enemy."

...A goal. What does she want? What can she do?

One thing comes to mind; gaining her own luster. She may have been hollowed until her corpse was dry. But deep down, she dreams desperately of filling it back up. She dreams of rebirth. It was a dream she considered impossible until now, but she wants to recover the heart she lost over the course of her life. 

But then what? What can she do with that heart? What is the value of having her heart beat?

...She gazes up at the sky. The stars shine, their existence mocking the earth for having no light.

A deep breath. An answer comes to her. Yes. That's how. If she stands beside Yukina, she'll be doing more than just abandoning Shirasagi Duel Academy. She'll be declaring herself its enemy.

Sayo takes Yukina's hand. Yukina pulls her up to her feet.

"...I have one." Sayo gives her answer.

"What is your goal?" Yukina's rose blade gleams.

"If you are aware of my existence, you must also know of my sister's," she begins. Yukina nods. "...Hina is a wonderful person. She's an amazing sister. For years, she has gained the love and adoration of many. But because of that adoration, I faded; nobody would concern themselves with how I was doing. Nobody, especially not anybody at the academy, would bother to spend even a second to communicate with me."

Yukina only listens. She doesn't judge or scrutinise Sayo's words. She simply lets Sayo speak her mind. Sayo would dare to call it comforting.

"I was weak, back then. I wasn't outgoing, fearless or captivating like Hina was. I was scared, frightened to be alone. So the more I was shunned and ignored, the emptier I became. I could not stand up for myself, stand on my own two feet."

Sayo breathes in, determined to see her new path through. "But now, I know that I can. I will show them. I will show the Shirasagi Duel Academy, and the world, that Sayo Hikawa has her own light. And I'll do that by doing the impossible. I'll do that by defeating Hina, so that I can shine even brighter than she does."

Yukina raises Sayo's wrist and grips it. "Can you devote yourself fully to that ambition?"

"I will," she declares. This is her path.

The rose blade retracts from Yukina's duel disk. "Then, come with me," she responds; she lets go of Sayo's arm, and turns her back. "Together, we will bring about the rebirth of dueling." 

Yukina begins walking. 

"...Yes." Sayo looks back, one last time, at the sunset disappearing beyond the horizon. Then she follows Yukina's shadow, deep into the night sky.


	4. Pulse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NaNoWriMo officially begins for me with this update! From this chapter onwards, my base goal is to hit 50k words throughout November.

It's cold. She wishes she took a bigger jacket with her.

Her base hasn't really changed much in the past week. A sanctuary would be one way of describing it; a hidden haven, a refuge for the weary, the rebellious. It’s the perfect location for maintaining a low profile. In fact, she has to request that her new companion pays careful attention to their surroundings. After all, failing to memorise or note down the path required would leave you in trouble, if you ever needed to get to it again.

She slowly makes her way through what feels like a maze of roads and crossways. About a decade back, apparently, you'd find a lot more people here. But they eventually lost their reason to visit; now nary a soul passes by here on foot. Occasionally, you'll see a car pass by, if the route happens to be convenient for it. Once a week, there'll be a truck that comes for a pair of rubbish and recycling bins sitting on the pavement. That's about all.

The winter night looms over. Her new companion, Sayo, has changed her clothing to a simple ensemble; a thin, faded light-blue coat, a buttoned navy shirt and a pair of grey ankle-length pants. It's not perfectly suited to the weather, but it doesn't seem to bother Sayo. Likely, she was eager to escape the SDA uniform as soon as possible (a feeling which she finds relatable). Considering the baggage she's carrying with her, she's probably warm from the exercise regardless.

"Here," They arrive at the metal gate. Yukina holds a thin plastic card out to her side, which Sayo takes. "That's your key," she says. She demonstrates its purpose by taking another out of her pocket, and pressing it on the scanner. A lock clicks. "You'll need it to enter and exit this place from now on."

"Understood. I'll make sure not to lose it."

The gate shuts behind them. It's silent; neither of them care for small talk, and neither does nature at present. The two look up the lengthy stairway in front of them, and begin walking. Her companion takes in the surroundings, as they retreat far from human eyes. The sky cuts down through the middle, illuminating them and each step they take in moonlight. The thick foliage at either side prevents it from reaching anywhere else.

Eventually, a large open ground about the size of a few tennis courts emerges into view, and they begin walking through a mixture of neatly paved stone and grass-littered dirt. There's plenty of space here perfectly suited for dueling, even when holograms come into play. Additionally, this place is moderately distanced from its surroundings, thanks to the elevation and the dense forest of trees surrounding all sides, which means that such duels won't end up attracting much attention from the world beyond. There's a number of miniature structures here, originally intended for making a prayer, or seeking advice. There used to be a shrine at this place alongside them, at the center; but now, there remains just a large patch of empty ground where it once stood.

And then, in contrast, there's the presence of a furnished, almost cabin-styled house at the back of the open space, evidently a much more recent visitor than the other structures; near the end of the ground, a building walled in uncut logs and floored in smoothened wood rests silently, welcoming the recluse. Yukina steps up onto the empty patio at the front.

Originally, there was going to be a lot more built here, after the shrine was lost. But this house is the only remaining witness to what could have been.

"...We're here. This place has all the functionality you would need in an ordinary home."

"So this is it," her companion responds. "I hadn't expected this to be Roselia's base. But it's perfectly suitable. Do you own this place legally?"

"It belongs to my father. He gave me permission to use it."

"...I see."

They enter a spacious, umber main room. A red dusty carpet lined in faint gold covers the entrance, which Sayo sets her baggage beside. It wearily trails up to a lone portrait of a rose, close to the ceiling, which adorns an otherwise empty and rather dusty wall. To the portrait’s left lies a connecting room with a rather thin, elongated table at its center. A selection of labelled mats and Duel Monsters cards lies across the top, and a litany of chairs rest across each side. The back end of the room hosts a modest kitchen.

And on the portrait’s right, there's the back of a mane of neatly tousled caramel. Sitting in another open room with a wider table, Lisa hears the sound of the footsteps and turns her head. "Welcome back, Yukina!" She says, smiling. "Oh, you actually went ahead and found someone!"

"That's right. This is Sayo Hikawa."

"...Nice to meet you," Sayo states flatly in cue. "And you are?"

"Lisa Imai! Let's get along!" She responds with a lilt. "I figured you'd be back pretty late, Yukina, so I stuck around. There's some takeout in the fridge; I ordered a fair bit in case you brought someone with you, so there's enough for all of us!"

"I've already fed myself at home.” Sayo's response is curt.

"...Then I'll just get enough for Lisa and myself." It's piercing, almost; Yukina forgot to eat while she was out, and Lisa guessed that it'd happen too. But she ignores the feeling and heads towards the fridge, unwilling to deny a growling stomach. As she does, she hears the conversation continue behind her:

"Can you cook, Sayo?"

"If I need to."

"That's nice! We could make use of the kitchen here then, if you want."

"I'll pass. That'll take too much time."

"Huh? You sure?" Silence. "...Well, that's fine~. Hey Sayo, where do you live?"

"...Hanasakigawa, near SPACE River."

"That's pretty close to the SDA, isn't it? Are you a student there?"

A moment of silence. Yukina returns to the table, taking a seat at the head and passing Lisa some food. She winks back at Yukina in gratitude, her face turned away from Sayo's judging stare.

"...I was. But I unofficially resigned a few hours ago. They'll have the letter by now."

"Wow, really? I see, I see~."

That unfittingly lilting note ends it. There isn't a single word as they eat; the only noise aside from the chewing is the occasional sweet humming of a tune from Lisa. Sayo simply sits with her eyes closed, deep in what's most likely reflection. 

About ten minutes pass, no conversation broached. This is ideal for Yukina; after all, this group isn't here to socialise. In fact, doing so would likely be a horrible idea down the line. It's best for her to remain as distant as possible.

...Soon, the time for practice will come. Actually, she decides, it shouldn't start any later than now. She's on limited time, after all. So Yukina takes a moment to toss her leftovers into the garbage, and begins.

"...I'd like your attention," she starts. Two duelists turn their heads towards her. "I'll start tonight by elaborating on Roselia's goal. Lisa already knows, Sayo, but you will obviously require more details."

Lisa smiles. "Sounds like a good time for some tea, then! I'll brew some for you two while you start." She hops up and heads over to the other side of the house.

Sayo's attention is on her. So she continues, dragging her new companion into the depths: "As you know, my objective is nothing less than the ruination of the Shirasagi Corporation's reputation. This location, one of the most important in the world for Duel Monsters, is currently their base. And they control the image of Duel Monsters the populace sees here; they gain the funding for it, they pour the money into it. They make sure they are either sponsoring or directly running every tournament and competition here... and they train students, too."

There's a frown. Yukina continues; "The Shirasagi Corporation is very public about their connection to dueling, claiming to be pioneers of the art. Their lifeline is based upon that image and the profit it gives them. That is why they train students to become the best duelists in the region, and send them to tournaments to represent their academy. Students who make the academy seem like a prosperous, prestigious and paramount place. And with that reputation, they maintain a high status in society... a status that allows them to tear the guts out from dueling behind everyone's backs, turning it into a blood sport for further financial gain."

There's a moment of silence. Lisa skips in, an enduring spring in her step. She smiles when Yukina thanks her for the tea she sets down. Yukina takes a sip, trying not to burn herself with its warmth.

...Sayo's eyes are honest, forthright. Her experience is one Yukina can sympathise with. Then, she'll say her next piece, without any intent of bonding in mind. The goal, she argues to herself, is merely... solidarity, instead. "...Earlier this evening, I told you that I also resented the SDA. But I have not explained my own connection to it. Have you ever heard of the duelist known as the Minato Wolf, Sayo?"

"...Yes." Sayo's reaction is noticeable. "When I was younger, I knew of him. You're his daughter, then?"

"Correct."

"I see," Sayo says, her face showing the appropriate concentration and weight necessary. That's good. "...Does he still play?"

"...He doesn't." Yukina responds; her mind flickers to the days of old, briefly. "Back when I was a student in the SDA's middle school, he was a legendary duelist, one of the most famous here. People loved and admired him for how he exemplified dueling; he made people's hearts race, made them cheer, inspired them and filled them with hope... but his kindness made him a danger to the Shirasagi Corporation's hunger."

She recalls, still, sitting in the audience. Hearing the roars, the screams. The pounding laughter, the splitting cries. She takes another sip from her cup. "...That's why the company stabbed him in the back. Five years ago, they callously targeted his reputation. Once it was tarnished, they abruptly cut him off, banning him from participating in any of their tournaments. That is how I learnt of their true nature."

A silence. Lisa and Sayo's faces are chained by sorrow; one shares the memory, the other knows the enemy. "I understand," Sayo responds, drinking from her cup. "...That explains a lot. I'm listening. What can we do to fight them?"

"We have an advantage," Yukina proclaims. "As a rogue dueling group, one that doesn't operate under the company's banner, we have a distinct identity. It is an advantage we will be able to use soon. But first, to be prepared, our dueling skill will need to become second-to-none." She stares her companions down. Lisa is trying to regain her smile, while Sayo shares Yukina's graven expression. "The Shirasagi Duel Academy is renowned for their technical and professional skill in dueling. That power is a boon to the company, even more so than their role in innovating Duel Monsters itself. The first step to dismantling them will be to become a group that can outclass them in their biggest claim to fame."

"...May I ask a question?" Sayo cuts in. 

Yukina nods, letting her proceed.

"I have every intention of fighting the SDA alongside you. However, there is one decision you've made that perplexes me; what benefit does training us give you? Why do you intend to fight the Shirasagi Duel Academy with a group, rather than just honing yourself?"

For a moment, Yukina's hands hover on the cup.

In all honesty, she would rather do this alone. Nobody else should have to walk on such a desolate, isolating path. She knows that she can handle such a path, that she was made for it... a fact that most likely isn't true for the other people in this place.

But she has no choice. In fact, the very nature of her path prevents her from walking it alone. She can only accept it, and do what she must to see it through. That's what it means to love dueling.

"...Dueling," Yukina responds, taking another sip, "is not an art for just one person. It is a competitive sport, a communicative one. Sayo; when, during your time at the academy, did you feel like you were learning the most about Duel Monsters?"

"It was when I gained practical experience from fighting students... ah. I understand," she nods. "You can only learn so much from theory and simulations. When the sport involves facing other people, that in itself is the best kind of practice."

"Precisely," Yukina says, quelling the beat of her heart. "That's why this must be done as a group. So..." She rises from her seat. "Sayo. From now on, I will be tutoring you in the art of duelling, as I currently am with Lisa. We will train vigorously, night and day, day in and day out, until our strength is sufficient to defeat any duelist the academy can produce." 

Sayo's stare becomes strained. But she nods.

"You must be ready to push the other parts of your life away, and devote as much of your time as you can. You cannot waste that time elsewhere; absolutely nothing less than dedicated, daily practice will be tolerated if you want to become strong enough to win." Yukina finishes. "Can you face that challenge?"

"...Of course," Sayo responds, only taking a moment. Yukina can tell; it's not a moment of hesitation, but one that acknowledges the gravity of her challenge.

"Then, we'll begin as soon as possible. We'll start by getting a feel for each other's abilities and strategies in the grounds outside. Bring multiple decks, and prepare yourself."

"Understood. Thank you for the dinner," she says, placing her cup down. She gets up from her chair and heads towards at the entrance.

With that, another duelist walks her path.

"Hmmmmm~. Hey Yukina," Lisa asks, "how many people are you gonna try and recruit?" 

Yukina places the cup back down. Lisa may not know it, but her question is extremely important, because it will take more than just one person in order to make an impression against the SDA. Multiple powerful duelists will be mandatory to accomplish Yukina's goal. No matter how determined she is in her ability, she knows that she will not be able to damage such a gigantic company on her own. 

...She takes the remaining key cards out from her bag. Excluding her own, there's two more. That'll be sufficient. "...Five. That will allow enough peers and playstyles to duel against, without being too big to risk discord."

"Hmmm, five of them, huh~. I wonder if I should bring a few pans and oven trays to this place..."

Yukina turns to face her... companion. Then, she notices; besides Lisa, there's a few open cases. One is a tin holding a collection of cards. The others are a metal case full of different earrings, and a box at her feet containing layers upon layers of felt.

"...Lisa."

"Yeah? What's wrong?" She follows Yukina's gaze, noticing it scrutinise her collection. "Oh, these! I was thinking about what pair would match well on-"

"Remember." Lisa jumps at her voice. "You're nowhere near the level required to face the SDA yet."

Lisa's smile breaks, a bit. Fire wishes it could burn Yukina this bad. "Ahaha, yeah... don't worry, I'm spending plenty of time on dueling too." She begins packing her things. "I'm gonna head back home for the night though. Oh, and I'll walk Sayo back, too! Yukina, make sure you don't-"

"Yukina." Sayo's voice cuts in. Lisa turns, and sees the numerous bags carried on her back, as well as the duel disk attached to her arm. "Where should I place my belongings?"

"There's a selection of available rooms with beds, over there. I've taken the leftmost one; you can choose one from the rest." Yukina points behind her, at the doors on the wall of the dining room.

"...Wait, you're staying here too, Sayo?" Lisa's face is awash with concern.

"Yes. I've already made a call to my parents informing them of my departure, and I don't intend to return. Right now, my utmost priority is dueling." She heaves the bags towards her room. "...There’s nothing else."

"...But..." Yukina watches as Lisa's expression turns to pained shock. Sayo continues to unpack.

There's a moment of silence. 

Lisa closes the case of earrings. Her mouth doesn't curve up or down. "...Hey, Yukina, mind if I have a sleepover for tonight? I'll ask my parents." She poses it as a question, but she's already getting her phone out.

The faded, yellow light of the lamp above flickers. Yukina makes sure not to bite her lip.

\---

The birds chirp. 

...

Nature sings.

...

She's awake.

Her limbs feel groggy, uncertain, as they always do in the morning. Her eyes blink, blink and blink... the duvet moves... she shakes her head haphazardly, left, right, left, right. In the enchanting morning light, she stretches her limbs. Slowly but surely, she rises from her bed, and lets out a small yawn, casting her blurred sight across her surroundings.

...To her left, her cherished flower arrangements decorate the windowsill.

Ran scowls, and gets up.

She gets through it quick; black leather jacket, collar, flame-patterned shirt, stockings, ripped shorts. Grumbling, she packs for school, then heads down for breakfast.

The person she wants to see the least right now is waiting.

"...Ran. Good morning," he starts. There's a softness in his expression, but it's suppressed. Ran knows why.

"...Morning."

She starts eating breakfast. It gets finished, fast.

She tries to get up and leave. 

Then, he starts. Just like she knew he would. "Ran."

She grits her teeth. "...What?"

"When will you quit that childish game?"

She whips her head back around. "I'm not. You keep asking me that, every single week."

"...Why? I still don’t understand. It's nothing but a waste of your time." 

Ran's fist tightens. She shakes, unable to respond to her father. 

"What benefit do you see in that bloodsport? You have a school of flower arrangement to inherit, and yet you choose to focus entirely on fighting instead."

It's suffocating. She can't breathe, the words won't form.

"...I let you into that school because I know it keeps you and your friends together. But every day, I keep worrying that it will break you apart."

Her blood boils.

"How many more duels will it take, before you become enraged with each other? You'll think only about winning, about hurting, until you hate one another and-"

"SHUT UP!"

Her father finally stops talking.

"...I'm going," she growls. She heads out, and slams the door.

She starts running to Circle, trying not to cry.

She runs, she runs, she runs, she runs, and she runs. She finds the path next to the river, which heads towards the coast.

She runs.

...

She runs.

...

She runs.

...

She runs some more, just for the goddamn sake of it.

...

She's out of breath.

She's panting, her lungs hurt. She can't stand him. He doesn't understand a thing.

It's long, it feels so so long. The walk down the river is the longest part of her daily journey to school. She stops running, and tries to catch her breath, miserably stumbling one foot in front of the other. 

...She walks. Walking is so much slower than she wants, but it's all she's capable of now. All she can do, gasping for air like this, is just take the painfully, painfully slow route towards the Circle School of Duels, praying she can reach it. Praying she can just finally get inside, and see her friends.

She passes blades of grass, dandelions, sunflowers. Weary from the escape, she stops momentarily, and gazes out across the river. In the breathtaking allure of the morning sun, flora after flora surrounds her. They're amazing, beautiful, just like the first time she saw them. She loves them.

...Thoughts of her father run back into her mind.

Hate. It almost makes her hate these flowers. But more so than that, she just can't stand him. She can't bear with it, she can't understand it. She doesn't know how she can deal with it; not because she doesn't know what the problem is, but because she hasn't a clue as to what she could possibly say to solve it in any meaningful capacity. He doesn't understand, he never does. Not for years, now. He used to smile when Afterglow dueled. But now he just spews spite.

...It's pathetic of her. One half of her cowers and does nothing, and the other half berates the former, telling her the obvious, telling her that she should try and learn what to say. Saying that she's a coward, a spineless chicken. A nobody.

She sighs. She wishes the walk would go faster, but she's too spent to run any further. Weights drag her limbs.

...She remembers. She remembers the day her father showed her a simple arrangement, Hydrangea, Gardenia, adorned in the center with an Iris. She remembers the day she got her first Synchro Monster, given to her by Moca when she was alone in the park, and showing it to her father, seeing the smile on his face. She remembers the first days of her adolescence, where her lunch preceded dueling with her friends, and her dinner preceded flower language with her father. Days filled with smiles, with shared happiness, between everyone. Ran could barely speak at all, and yet she had everything to say her mind with.

...It hurts. It sucks, it's stupid, HE sucks. Now, she can't look at a single flower without remembering how much he hates what she loves. She used to look at the title 'The Mitake School of Flowers' and bear it with pride. Now it's a freaking curse.

...At least she still has her friends. Ran thinks of their smiles. She thinks of Moca pretending to be slick. She thinks of Tsugumi handing out another bag of cookies. She thinks of Tomoe taking three stacks of files from Himari, ignoring how her own pile is blinding her. She thinks of Himari trying to take some back, before spilling them all over the floor. 

Her brow tightens, and she picks up her pace.

Eventually, the Circle School of Duels lies at the edge of dawn. She heads up the steps. Closer, closer. It's right there. 5 meters has never felt longer. She sees the mural of a monster breaking from its card.

She arrives. The doors automatically open for her. She dashes inside.

"Hey, Ran!"

There's a yell from the stairs. There's a red-haired dork waving her hand, trying to suppress the grin on her face. There's a dumb silly idiot snacking on a baguette, leaning on the banister beside her. Ran smiles.

"...Whoa, it's her?"

"Hey, it's Ran Mitake!"

"Seriously? Hey Ran, over here! I gotta ask you something!"

"Hey, Ran!"

She jumps. She realises, now; there's a bunch of students she isn't all that familiar with yet, waving at her and calling her name. There's alarm bells ringing in her head.

"Hey, Ran! Can I get your advice on something? I wanna run this card, but..."

"Whoa, look! It's the cool girl who uses those flower monsters!"

...

She's nervous, scared. A part of her wants to hide. But it feels... welcoming. Like it's a new home. She blushes, scratches her hair and heads towards her friends first. Just... as a base, first of all.

\---

Okay, actually, screw all of this. What the hell.

"Hey Ran, Ran!" A random, obnoxiously noisy student asks. "Where do all the funky monsters like Fusion and Xyz go?"

It's the period right before the second half of the day. Academic classes have ended, and that means a whole crowd's gathered around her.

"I'm telling you," another one argues with him, brandishing her hair clip as a weapon; "it's the Extra Deck!"

"Yeah, but you've been putting those blue cards in your Main Deck instead!"

"Those're Ritual Monsters! That's different!"

Ran sighs. "Ritual Monsters, Normal Monsters and Effect Monsters go in the main deck. The rest go in the Extra Deck."

"...Oh." The former student blushes and writhes. "W-well, what about Pendulum Monsters, then?"

"They go in the main deck," Ran responds. "It's when they're destroyed on the field that they go to the Extra Deck."

"..." Now the student's really squirming. He turns to his friend, who's looking at him with an exasperated smile. "...Yeah, you were right. Sorry."

Good, that's solved. How many of these questions has she answered today?

"Test time!" Ran doesn't get a break, unfortunately, because another student slacks down onto her desk- wait a second. "Hey, Ran~. Is a Synchro-ing a normal summon or a special summon?"

"...Moca, stop adding to this."

But Moca just grins, knowing she's already planted the seeds of chaos. Another random student to her left goes; "Wait, aren't those seperate things?" Immediately, there's a storm of confused arguing swirling around.

Ran sighs. "...There's normal summoning and special summoning. Every kind of summoning involving Rituals, Pendulums, Extra Deck, whatever; that's all special summoning."

"Hey!" ANOTHER student with a wide idle grin slides in. "What does that make the thing when a monster flips face-up, then?"

"A Flip Summon, if you're the one doing it. That's a different thing."

"Wait, so it's only called a Flip Summon if you're the one flipping it?"

Ugggggggggggggggh. The questions continue. Ran just has to resist the urge to grab Moca's head and stuff it into her textbook.

"G-guys, please calm down a bit!" A new voice blares through. Ran lifts her head off the table. "You don't need Ran to answer all your questions! We've got a workshop soon, so you can ask the teachers instead!"

A couple of students start idly playing with their hair or making aside glances, realising that they've probably caused a bit too much commotion. There's a few muffled apologies, and the crowd slowly dissipates so that a teacher doesn't come in and chastise them for their noise.

"Ran!" A little beacon of chestnut makes her way forward. Oh, thank god. "Are... you doing okay?"

She smiles weakly in response. "Yeah. Thanks, Tsugumi. Those guys aren't bad, just..." ...what's a word that doesn't sound cruel? Annoying? Pests? She wishes her head had an encyclopedia.

"...Yeah, they can get a little overwhelming." Tsugumi picks the pace back up. "You seem so popular now! I think even the teachers have taken a liking to you."

"...It's not something I need."

"Ahaha..." her friend plays with a strand of hair. "Well, I'm just glad you're holding up through it!"

Yeah, right. If Tsugumi hadn't cut in just now, Ran probably would've clamped up sooner or later. Honestly, where would she be without Afterglow?

"Yo, Tsugu~," Moca cuts in. "Where's Tomo n' Himari at?"

"Ah, right! They had to leave early today. Tomoe went home because she wanted to tutor Ako, and... you know Himari. When she heard all that, she tagged along to help."

"Sounds like her, alright. Soft and squishy, uh... hey, Ran. What'd be a good fruit or flower to nickname her? Himanectarine?"

"Mmmmm..." For some reason, she's genuinely pondering it. Yellow Rose comes to mind, but that's not good for a portmanteau... "...Beats me."

"The genius Moca'll have to think about it later, then... Himari as a math tutor would be funny to watch, though."

"Ahaha... she does sleep through that class a lot, doesn't she? But I think she'll try to motivate Tomoe and Ako, at least."

"Yeah~. With those two around, lil' fangsprout won't become an academic slack like me."

"...If you're that worried about your grades, just study," Ran says. "You ace any test when you actually do."

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..." Moca pretends to ponder, probably just to aggravate her. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...... I'll think about it."

RING!

The bell goes off, causing Ran and Tsugumi to jump. Crap, is it already dueling workshop time? Conversations with Afterglow pass way too easily, goddamnit!

"Guys, we gotta hurry!" Tsugumi yells. 

Ran scrambles her bags together, while Moca kickflips the strap of her own onto her shoulder. Time to go! They hurry down the hallway, the sound of bread crumbs hitting the floor echoing behind them as they rush down the stairs.

...Well, they may make her late to class every now and then. But without Afterglow, how would she even talk to anyone? It's for that reason that Ran can't help but smile. Can't help but smile reluctantly as she catches Tsugumi from tripping over the carpet, can't help but smile as Moca tries to hoist them both up in a ridiculous fashion, after she's already made sure Tsugumi was stable...

She's glad. They've been friends since childhood. Ran won't ever need words to communicate with them. Just hanging out together, dueling, cheering each other up (as bad as that as she is)... Himari at her lead, Tsugumi at her back, Tomoe at her side, and Moca watching stealthily from above. All that'll be enough to keep the group together, no matter what happens, won't it?


	5. Thought

...She clenches her fists.

"...A-all right. I'm going to set this monster face-down in defense position!"

A fan hits the middle of the table. "Illegal move!" Ms Tsukushima declares.

"...Eh?!" 

Great, she messed it up again. Tsugumi Hazawa plays with a strand of her hair as the teacher with a darker, paler mane of brown than her own begins to explain: "You can only normal summon or set a monster on the field once per turn, got it?"

"R-right! Sorry about that..." Tsugumi lowers her head briefly to the other duelist and to her teacher. "I didn't know normal summoning and setting shared a limit. My bad."

"Ahaha, no worries!" Her teacher offers an easygoing smile, like that of a reassuring mom. "Pretty much everyone makes that mistake, at first."

Yeah, she figures... not Ran or Moca, though. Tomoe and Himari have probably moved past that, too.

Ms. Tsukushima looks at the time. "All right, I think that's enough tabletop testing," she announces to the gym floor. "Guys, we're gonna do some 1-on-1 holographic duels! Find a partner and head to the backyard, okay?"

There's a nearly unison 'WHOOP' from the class as they scramble to gather their decks and head outside. It's been about a week now since Afterglow joined the school, and the end of January's approaching. Today's a free-for-all session; students are using their own decks, and get to pick who they want to duel with. Tsugumi'd love to duel someone from Afterglow, but... usually, Moca nabs Himari or Ran, and Tomoe takes the other. So, guess it's better to find someone else again.

"Tsugumi."

"Wah!" She shudders, spilling a few cards in the process. An arm adorned with a leather jacket starts picking some up and placing them on her deck.

"...Wow, Tsugu~. Is Ran really that scary?" She turns to look up; there's two of her friends, standing next to her. Did they go out of their way just to see how she was doing?

"N-no, sorry," she responds. "You just startled me, is all..."

"Ah." Ran turns to the side, a bit. "...Sorry."

"It's fine! I should be apologizing..."

"No, it's..." Ran tries to protest.

...

They chuckle, a little bit. Then Moca jumps between the two of them and presses each of their heads down with her hands, like she's trying to squish them into the ground. "You two are just full of talk today, aren'tcha~?"

"...Moca..." 

The fiend gets a flick on the nose for her trouble, eliciting a light 'Ack!' and a soft, wispy laugh. "...Ehehe~. Don't get mad at little ol' Moca. I'm too cute for that."

"Yeah, Ran," Tsugumi laughs. "Don't bully sweet little Moca!"

"Hey, I'm...!" She starts, but then realises she's fallen hook, line and sinker. She blushes. Despite the grimace, she eventually joins the chorus of shared giggling between them all.

"Ehehe..." it cheers Tsugumi up a bit. "...H-Hey, Ran. Is it ok if I face you today? I feel like I'm a little rusty lately..."

"...I figured you'd feel like that." Ran smiles and offers her hand, and Tsugumi takes it to stand up. "That's why I came over. Let's duel."

"R-really?" Well, Tsugumi's ready now, after hearing that! "Alright then! Thank you, Ran," she replies, gathering her cards and getting out her duel disk from her backpack.

They start walking towards the backyard, together. Well, two of them walk there; Moca's slacked her arms around them, so it's more like she's using them as a taxi. People'd call it annoying, but this is just part of why Moca's so great. She's like a big cuddly gargoyle wrapped in a thick layer of fluff, whimsically perching from windowsill to windowsill and watching over everyone else. It's why she and the rest of Afterglow sticks out so much; they're all so bright, so vivid.

It makes Tsugumi hope. She hopes that their light doesn't stop them from seeing her anymore.

Once they hit the white paint outside in that loving sunset glow, they lay Moca down to rest. In response, she crosses her arms to her chest like she's pretending to be buried; "In the aaaaaarms... ooooof an aaaaangeeeel-"

"Yeah yeah, you can keep singing there," Ran says. "Just watch while we duel." Tsugumi would never tell her this, but it's cute how Ran snarks at her friends so easily; maybe it's the lack of weight behind all the joking that helps.

"Got it~. Hey Tsugu, you want me to watch over you for this one?"

"N-no, it's okay this time!" She can't rely on Moca's guidance forever. She's already done a lot to teach Tsugumi; it's time for her to impress her calm and collected teacher! 

...Speaking of, actually. "...Moca, are you not going to duel anyone?"

"Nah~. Not bothered today. Besides, someone's gotta be here to eat your delicious monsters."

How is she gonna do that? "...They're not food, Moca..." Tsugumi responds. "They're holograms."

"Doesn't look like it to me!"

"No, seriously, you're gonna bite on thin air and it's-"

"Tsugumi, don't worry about her." Ran gives another exasperated smile. "She's just being Moca."

"...Oh, right..." Not again. Tsugumi sends a brief pout to her mean and lazy teacher, before turning back to face Ran. She places her duel disk on her right arm and draws out the modest beige blade. She looks at her opponent, who's now curved in captivating scarlet; someone who normally has such a hard time speaking is now standing tall, a flowery fire in her eyes like nothing else. Just seeing her blaze is invigorating. It's kind of making her nervous, almost.

...Right, right. No use downplaying herself; she'll give it her best! She's never going to get anywhere if she just catastrophizes the duel results before they begin.

There's a light, soft happiness dancing delicately in the air.

"**DUEL!**"

"Oh, _I'll go first!_" Tsugumi yells, before their duel disks even display **4000LP.** She looks at the 5 cards in her hand... mmm...

...What's the best way to start, if you're going first with this hand? Oh, what about this?

"...Okay! I summon _Madolche Mewfeuille in attack position!_" A little portal sparkles in front of her, and a tiny little friend with just **500 ATK** whimsically hops out, carrying a tantalizing desert in its mouth; where did that food come from?

"See~? Tasty! Lemme eat it!" Moca bounces off from the fence and dances slowly over to Mewfeuille, eliciting a hostile 'MEOW' from the cat. "Aw. Fiiiiine~."

Tsugumi giggles. But she can't get distracted by her own teacher; "_Madolche Mewfeuille's_ effect! When I normal summon her, I can special summon one Madolche monster from my hand. I choose _Madolche Anjelly, in attack position!_"

The field glitters, and Tsugumi's heart goes alight. In front of her, an angel her height but with hair much longer skips into the field, carrying a delicious piece of jelly resembling a jigsaw piece; it's round, red and gelatinous, perfect for the taste buds. "I activate _Madolche Anjelly's_ effect! By tributing this card, I can special summon a Madolche monster from my deck; I choose _Madolche Messengelato_, in attack position!"

Anjelly winks and dissipates, her advertisement accomplished. Hopping out from a portal, the new monster dutifully rushes into the field, holding a stack of envelopes weighing **1600 ATK.** Inside each is a message that'll inform everyone of the best place around to rest at, a regal castle cafe. Tsugumi continues, smiling bright: "_Madolche Messengelato's_ effect! When this card is special summoned while I control a Beast-Type Madolche..." she winks at Mewfeuille, who yawns in response, "...I can add one Madolche spell card from my deck to my hand!"

Right, gotta keep the momentum going! She adds the new spell card and immediately makes use of it; "I activate the continuous spell card _Madolche Ticket!_" The envelopes fly out from Messengelato's hands, into the sky. "And..." Tsugumi continues, "I activate the field spell card _Madolche Chateau!_"

The promised haven of relaxation begins to arise, now that the message has been sent. Around the duelists, a charming array of houses and pavements made from every tasty treat possible emerge. They seemingly all point in one direction; towards the magnificent, layer-caked castle rising behind Tsugumi.

"Ah~..." Someone sings. "A town of tasty treats... it's Moca's heaven~..."

The field is enveloped a soft and joyous atmosphere. Above everyone's heads, holograms of monsters from all over are flying towards the castle, eager to visit. Tsugumi raises her hand to the air: "_Madolche Chateau_ gives all my Madolche monsters a **500 ATK** and **DEF** boost! And when it hits the field, all Madolche monsters in my graveyard are shuffled into my deck!" 

Her duel disk produces a holographic, bite-sized jelly treat, which proceeds to head back home. "Then, Anjelly's return to my deck activates _Madolche Ticket!_ I can add one Madolche monster from my deck to my hand!" But allured by the castle, it changes its mind and pops back out from the disk, forming a card in Tsugumi's hand again.

...Moca's grinning and imitating biting motions at the holographics around her; Ran can't help but chuckle at that. The expressions on their faces are precious...

"...O-oh, right!" She's gotta finish up! "I-I set two face-downs, and end my turn!" Messengelato bows, and Mewfeuille sees fit to take a nap on her treat, as two cardback holographs emerge behind them.

Ran's grin turns confident, and Tsugumi hopes she can keep up. 

"_My turn_," her friend declares, drawing a card... then her face scrunches. Does she have a bad hand? Tsugumi has that problem a lot of the time... 

Eventually, though, she seems to make a plan. "I summon _Aromage Cananga_ in attack position!" A patrol of petals proceeds through the field; in their wake, a rather studious-looking **1400 ATK** magician emerges, scanning her perimeter. Her surprised reaction to the castle is kinda cute! 

"Then," Ran continues, "I activate the spell card _Terraforming!_ This allows me to add one field spell card from my deck to my hand!" Breathtaking plant-life begins to take root in-between the pastry pavements. Ran places her newly added card on the bottom side of her duel disk's edge. "_Aroma Garden_, activate!"

The flow of visitors in the sky above suddenly becomes distracted by the sudden emergence of flower pots and trees, and some of the monsters find themselves wandering around aimlessly, taking in their new surroundings. Ran slams another card into her duel disk: "Sorry, Tsugumi, but I'm afraid I'm intruding! I activate _Twin Twisters!_"

Suddenly, her castle is enveloped by a storm, and Tsugumi yelps. "By discarding one card from my hand," Ran explains, "I can target up to two spell or trap cards on the field and destroy them! I choose _Madolche Chateau_ and your leftmost face-down!"

The castle is swept away, dissipating; the entire town fades to make way for Ran's garden, eliciting a cry of despair from Moca. Shucks; that's her field spell gone, and one of her trap cards is destroyed too. Should she have activated it?

...Well, at least her other facedown and _Madolche Ticket_ are still intact. But Ran isn't done yet; "I activate _Aroma Garden's_ effect, gaining 500 life points and giving my monsters a **500**-point stat boost!" Her total increases to **4500LP,** and Cananga materialises a staff from verdant wisps, twirling it. "_Aromage Cananga's_ effects! When I have more life points than my opponent, their monsters lose **500** points in their stats!"

Flickering lights weave a miasma around Tsugumi's monster zone; the energy feels heavy, like it's lulling you to sleep... oh no. Mewfeuille and Messengelato are at **0** and **1100 ATK** now, and Cananga's at **1900!** "Not only that," Ran continues, "but when I gain life points, Cananga can target one spell or trap card my opponent controls and return it to their hand!"

Cananga twirls her staff and swiftly taps the ground with its end; the wisps around her fly towards the holograph of _Madolche Ticket's_ card, forcing it off the field. That's not good... Ran's already removed most of her back row from the field!

"I'm taking out the important one first!" Oh no, does Ran know what she's trying to do? She's pointing a finger at Messengelato; "_Aromage Cananga_, attack!"

The studious mage adjusts her glasses, and stands straight. She concentrates the wisps into a ball at her hand, and elegantly fires it towards the panicking Messengelato. A direct hit causes the poor postman to be lightly smacked into the sky, fading away and pushing Tsugumi's LP down to **3200.**

This isn't good; Tsugumi needs level 4 monsters on the field. But fortunately, her friend isn't gone forever; instead, his fading form returns to Tsugumi's deck.

"Good ol' Madolches," Moca pipes up. "When they're destroyed, they shuffle themselves back into the deck rather than going to the graveyard. How's that song go again... I get knocked down~, but I get up agai-" 

Ran coughs. "...I set two cards face-down and end my turn," she declares, taking the lead. 

"...Right! _My turn!_" Tsugumi draws a card, for a total of 3 in her hand. 

But before she can even start, Ran cuts in; "With your standby phase, I activate my continuous trap card _Humid Winds!_" One face-down rises, and a breeze flows by Ran's side. The orb on her disk glows; "I activate this card's first effect! By paying 1000 LP, I can add one Aroma monster from my deck to my hand; I choose to add _Aromage Jasmine!_"

...Wow. Tsugumi can only watch as the card fills Ran's empty hand. She used all 6 of her cards last turn, but she's already building up her resources again! Tsugumi needs to catch up, and fast...

Her interruption finished, Ran smiles. "Tsugumi. Show me what you've got."

...

It's so curt, yet so strong. Ran says so much with so little, sometimes. Her encouragement's... nice. It makes Tsugumi feel like an equal. So she gives herself a little fistpump to boost herself, and presses on.

"...Right!" Tsugumi looks at her own hand. She can't give up just because the castle's been blown away; after all, who says Hazawa Coffee can't open up a branch shop? 

Time for a counterattack, time to make it big; time to send out the invitations again, and make them quick! "I activate _Madolche Ticket_ once again," she starts, the envelopes flying out, "...and activate my trap card _Madolchepalooza!_"

Tsugumi's remaining face-down springs up, and a lovely gigantic chocolate cake, layered in icing and desserts, springs out in the middle of the field, causing Moca to 'oooo!' in delight. Tsugumi's hand shines, and two white silhouettes begin to emerge from the top layer; "Come out from my hand onto the field, _Madolche Marmalmaide_ and _Madolche Anjelly!_"

Rainbows fly out, and the figures gain their shape; Anjelly returns with her dazzling smile, and this time, she's brought a rather courteous friend!

But wait; isn't there room for another customer? She smiles, and starts; "_Madolche Anjelly's_ effect! I tribute Anjelly to summon, uh..." This is always hard to decide... "..._Madolche Chouxvalier_ from my deck!"

Anjelly dances, and her form creates a portal; out comes the young knight mounted on horseback, charming blade of candy cane in hand. And importantly, he and Marmalmaide are both level 4!

"Oh crap," Ran says.

Her awe is expected; after all, it's time for the owner to come! With the cafe open for business, she can't keep her customers waiting. Tsugumi weaves her fingers together and pushes her palms out, and light swirls in her monster field, illuminating two of her monsters.

"...With my level 4 _Madolche Chouxvalier_ and level 4 _Madolche Marmalmaide_, I establish the Overlay Network!"

A portal of black stardust swamps up her front, and a growing cluster of light begins to shine, drawing the attendants in. This is Tsugumi's big moment!

"The lord of the castle, the talk of the land! Her friends call her kind, say she helps them through strife... and her customers say she helps them unwind! She watches over the Madolche Chateau, helping everyone through their life; it's the queen of all that's tasty and nice!"

At long last, she's arrived! Her form materialises and begins to ascend from the portal, walking energetically up the steps; Marmalmaide and Chouxvalier have become two orbs of light, circling by her side! "..._Xyz Summon!_ Rise, _Rank 4! Madolche Queen Tiaramisu!_"

The floor turns to a paving of gingerbread squares, jam at their center. Regally and gracefully, the queen of the castle's form completes with **2200 ATK,** entering the field with a magic wand in hand. This monster is radiant, lovely; there's not a person in her life who'd go without her, not a person who'd forget her face. She's larger than life, just like Afterglow.

Then Moca suddenly cuts in and starts blaring her voice. "It's so weird how _Xyz Monsters_ have a rank instead of a level," she says, bouncing up and down on the chain-link fence. "They're the only Extra Deck dudes like that. You take the required amount of monsters, slap them together and boom! If they have the same level and fit any other conditions, they make a whole new pal. And the monsters you use to make them become _Xyz Materials_ that they can use for effects."

...

Ran's frowning. "Moca, what are you doing?"

"Oh, y'know," Moca responds. "Just yellin' it out. I figure some of the students around here could use the sweet tips."

"...M-Moca, it's still my turn!" Tsugumi protests. She's got work to do now, so no distractions yet! "I activate the effect of _Madolche Queen Tiaramisu!_"

Tiaramisu's wand takes a swing, causing one of the orbs circling her to burst and disappear; duel disks on both sides begin to light up in bright pink. "When I detach one Xyz Material from Tiaramisu to the graveyard," Tsugumi explains, "I can shuffle two Madolche monsters from my graveyard back into my deck, then shuffle two of my opponent's cards on the field back into their deck!"

"Oh boy," is all Ran can respond with, preemptively bracing herself. That's right; watch out for Tsugumi!

"Go, Tiaramisu! Shuffle Anjelly and Chouxvalier back into my deck, and shuffle _Aromage Cananga_ and _Aroma Garden_ back into Ran's!"

"Whoa!" The light from Ran's duel disk ramps up in intensity, drawing her side of the field in. Cananga's composure is disrupted, and she desperately swims through the air to try and retrieve her glasses as she's absorbed back into the disk. Following her is a bevy of holographic plants, their forms swirling and swirling back in until Ran's side of the field has halved in card count.

Good! Now she has nothing to fear other than Ran's backrow... 

...Oh god, wait. "...I-I! Uh! _Madolche Ticket's_ effect activates when a Madolche monster returns to my main deck, letting me add a Madolche monster to my hand! I-I..." She didn't think about this in advance. Argh, compose yourself, Tsugumi! Right, Mewfeiulle's still on the field, and she's a fragile little cat, so... "I-I choose to add Chouxvalier to my hand!"

A little chocolate biscuit pops out from her disk and forms a card in her hand again; good! That should be a good choice, right? She has to try not to look at Moca's face to see if she did well; after all, she's fighting on her own today!

...Right, it's time! Tsugumi dramatically points a finger in the direction of her opponent, snapping her out of her haze. "_Madolche Queen Tiaramisu_, attack Ran directly!"

Tiaramisu chuckles, and a herd of bunnies and squirrels emerge from thin air, dancing around her. Each animal glows, forming a dancing spiral of easter eggs and chocolate mousse. A tap of her wand, and they disperse into several whirling currents, throwing themselves in arcs at Ran's direction.

"Ack!" Her opponent braces, falling all the way down to **1300LP.** That's over halfway!

"Go go, Tsugu~! Hey Ran, how'd that chocolate taste?"

"...Delicious. I'll leave a tip," she responds, standing back up. She throws an arm out to the right, causing her open trap card to glow; "I activate the second effect of _Dried Winds!_ Once per turn, if my life points are lower than my opponents, I can gain a little bit back!" 

A seeping gale of soft white and blue covers her side of the field, returning her LP to **1800.** She's so resilient, so strong... 

...Right... should Mewfeiulle attack, too? She only has **500 ATK,** so she could remove the life points Ran just gained... but that might leave her as an easy target next turn. Right, better to play it a bit safe!

"...I end the Battle Phase, and switch _Madolche Mewfeiulle to defense position!_" Tsugumi turns Mewfeiulle's card sideways on her duel disk, causing the lazy cat's unfinished snack to be raised as a shield in front of it; she only has **500 DEF** too, but this way Tsugumi won't take damage if she's destroyed. "That ends my turn! W-was it good, Ran?"

Ran smiles. "...Yeah. That was pretty scary. So I'll respond with full force, Tsugu!"

...Uh... uh-oh.

"_My turn!_" She yells, drawing a 2nd card to her hand. She's looking intensely at her options over there... it's making Tsugumi's nerves act up a bit. "...Right. I summon _Aromage Jasmine in attack position!_"

The childlike mage of almost-snow white dances her life into the field. "I activate the second effect of _Dried Winds_ to gain another **500LP!**" The current returns, and this time it infuses Jasmine, too; oh no, is Ran going to turn it around? She's already back up at **2300LP** again...

...And right, Jasmine's giving her more to work with too, oh god! "Jasmine's effect activates," Ran says; "Once per turn, I can draw a card when I gain life points!" That's yet another for her hand, and... oh no, she's smiling again. Mewfeiulle meows in worry, causing Tiaramisu to pet her.

"...Right," Ran continues. "Whew, I can do this... I activate the continuous spell card _Aroma Gardening!_"

As the new card enters the field, Jasmine makes a stroke across the ground, colouring in glowing white light; in the light, wet soil emerges. "And now, I activate the continuous trap card _Call of the Haunted!_" Ran swipes her free hand to the air, raising the face-down she'd hidden two turns ago. "I can target one monster in my graveyard and special summon it to the field in Attack Position, as long as this card is up! Come, _Aromage Bergamot!_"

"E-eh?!" Tsugumi can't hide her surprise; Ran always has so many things up her sleeve. "W-when'd that get there?" She looks to the log of information and actions on her duel disk; whoa, she'd discarded that way back!

Besides Jasmine, a whirlwind of red storms. The gusts don't exert any pressure, don't blow anyone back; but the soft, intense light radiating from each and every petal feels strong and powerful all on their own, emanating an aura that can't be described through just normal sensation. Then, the petals twist and spin into one tall, thin and concentrated spot, each starting to form parts of a whole body. From the flowers, a youthful yet paternal magician emerges and whirls a staff until it points out to his side, **2400 ATK** in hand.

That's a strong monster... but Ran isn't even done yet, apparently. "_Aroma Gardening's_ effect activates!" The soil spread by Jasmine becomes aglow with red, sprouting plants. "When I summon an Aroma monster, I gain 1000 life points!" 

"O-oh no..." Tsugumi can't help but shrink. Ran's total is all the way up to **3300** again, recovering nearly all of the damage she's inflicted!

"That's not all!" Ran's eyes blaze. "Now, _Aromage Bergamot's_ effect activates! Once per turn, when I gain life points, it gains a **1000**-point stat boost until the end of the turn!" Her blaze becomes reflected in the hawk-like vision of Bergamot, empowering it all the way to **3400 ATK**... "And I'm not done yet! Now I tribute Jasmine to summon a second _Aromage Bergamot_ from my hand!"

As another intense figure flowers into the field, Tsugumi panics; i-is there anything she can do? Her frontline's going to fall out, at this rate... she tries to look at her card's effects, but her mind's racing too fast...

Argh, she can't keep up! "I attack _Madolche Mewfeiulle_ with my first _Aromage Bergamot_," she hears Ran declare; there's a seething storm of subtly intense red making its way around Bergamot's free hand, circling him like the arms of a flowering galaxy. Tsugumi can only watch as it fires its way towards Mewfeiulle...

...Oh, right! At least she's in defense position, so-

"_Aromage Bergamot's_ effect! When my life points are higher than my opponent's, my plant monsters' attacks pierce, damaging my opponent even when their monsters are in defense position!"

...Oh.

Mewfeiulle's treat is crumbled into pieces by barrage after barrage of light, until a bolt goes right through the center and dissipates her form. The overwhelming attack falls like a tidal wave on Tsugumi, dealing an enormous amount of damage to her. 

"...Ack..." The force isn't real, but duels have a strange way of making it feel like it is. Bergamot's attack leaves the sensation of a storm in its wake, making Tsugumi stumble just to keep standing on her feet. She tries to look down at her duel disk- whoa, make sure not to trip over... she looks down and checks the information. Her LP's fallen all the way to... **300**...

"Then, I attack _Madolche Queen Tiaramisu_ with my second Bergamot!"

"...Ah!" Tsugumi can only watch, as another barrage of light heads her way. Tiaramisu faces it with grace, twirling her wand and fighting with rushes of cupcakes and candy canes. Each barrage hurls itself through Bergamot's hefty swings, crumbling and breaking... their weight splits the force of his spiralling beams, some of which become unable to hold their form and dissipate.

But eventually, Bergamot's rush outweighs Tiaramisu's in firepower, and the storm manages to overwhelm her attacks; upon realising her loss, she simply smiles and bows, happy to have participated in the duel. As the beams reach her, her form breaks into a lovely dancing mist of cotton candy... and the force of Bergamot's attack shoots right past Tsugumi.

"Urk!" She holds her arms over her face and closes her eyes. She waits a few seconds before hesitantly opening them again, seeing that the field has cleared. She's down to... **100LP.**

Well.

"...Phew," Ran wipes some sweat off from her brow. She looks at her empty hands; they don't have any cards in them anymore. "...I hope that's enough..." she murmurs. "...R-right. That ends my turn."

...Oh no. Tsugumi breaks into a cold sweat. She can tell Ran's having fun; she's smiling, there's a bead of sweat on her face, and she's excited... excited at how Tsugumi could respond to her next turn. But from Tsugumi's point of view, she's just been wholesale wiped out; she's on her last legs and her best monster is gone. All she has now is Chouxvalier in her hand...

...She prays, hoping her next turn will give her a card to satisfy Ran's expectations. "...R-right. M-my turn, Ran," she stumbles, drawing one more time...

...

...Ah. This... this won't help.

Ran's staring expectantly from across the field. 

...Well... a-at least she can give it her best shot, right? "I-I summon _Madolche Chouxvalier in attack position!_"

One last time, the dutiful fighter takes to the field; his opponents outweigh his **1700 ATK** handily, but he stares with a shaking conviction on his face, ready to battle regardless.

"...Then, I-I set one card face-down and end my turn." That's... all she can do.

"...Eh?" Ran's surprised. She's gazing... and she's probably disappointed. She put in her all, but Tsugumi just couldn't keep up...

...But then, Ran smiles. "...Right. Thanks, Tsugumi. _My turn!_" She draws a card, but it's basically just for show; she quickly stuffs it into one hand, and then throws her arm out once more. "_Aromage Bergamot_, attack _Madolche Chouxvalier!_"

Bergamot's expression remains composed, observant, as he readies another magical onslaught. He watches, his steady face giving off a peculiar contentedness as Chouxvalier charges towards him. With one last swing of his massive staff, the bolts fire, concentrating and powering themselves in on Chouxvalier's blade. Chouxvalier's arms shake, but his horse presses forward as he tries to break through, until his form eventually dissipates from the pressure.

The storm of light flies through; Tsugumi can only smile in self-pity as it heads right through her, LP depleting to **0.**

The duel concludes, with Ran as the winner.

...That... didn't end so well. She hears footsteps getting louder as she retracts her duel disk and grips her elbows, trying not to break into a frown over it. She just... can't help but feel like...

"Tsugumi. Thanks for the duel," Ran says, Moca leaning on her arm.

"...Ahaha... yeah, thanks for facing me. I'm... sorry... the face-down was just another _Madolchepalooza._ I couldn't really do anything with it."

"That's ok. Honestly... you had me scared for a little bit," Ran awkwardly writes out, in response. Tsugumi wants to tell herself Ran's lying, but that'd be unfair; Ran usually has a hard time talking once the duel's over, after all.

"Good job, Tsugu~." Moca says, chucking out a brief peace sign. "You didn't do too bad today, you n' Ran."

Urk. "...Thanks... but it's ok, Moca," she responds, trying to smile. "I know I probably made a lot of mistakes."

"Course you did. Biggest was with how you used _Madolche Ticket._" Oof, that stings. "But that's just life, y'know? Ran was a mess that duel, too. She tooootally forgot what Tiaramisu's effect was."

"Oi." Ran's glaring at her.

"It's ok, you guys..." Tsugumi murmurs. "I did awful. You don't need to hide-"

"Tsugumi," but Ran starts, holding the bridge. There's the fire in her eyes again. Moca gets off from her arm and lets her speak: "Making mistakes doesn't mean you did awful. It just means you did good rather than great."

...Tsugumi can feel a little bit of the flame. It's full of courage.

Ran's expression crumbles a bit, and she starts getting embarrassed. "O-oh, and your deck is nice too. It reminds me a lot of you. It's fun to fight against..." She starts to stammer. "A-and, um! If you're... if you're, um..." 

She can't form her sentence. So Moca pops in; "You're shy, Ran. Guess it's on Moca to finish this one. Tsugu, if you're ever feeling down, we'll throw you a party with a cake and chuck you up into the air together, yeah?"

"H-hey!" Ran's cheeks flare up. "...W-well... yeah..."

...

...Right. Tsugumi balls her hands into fists and holds them to her chest. She just fought okay, not terribly; and Afterglow likes dueling with her, regardless of whether or not she's an amazing duelist.

"...Right!" She finally makes her response. "...Yeah. Thanks, Ran. I had a lot of fun, too."

Ran smiles. They truly do care for Tsugumi... it's times like these when she remembers, she doesn't have to be anyone special for Afterglow, right? They'll always be friends. She and her deck can just be themselves. She'll keep running after them... and if she falls any further behind, they'll always come to pick her up. After all, they always talk to her, make sure she's doing okay... and they're not afraid to ask her for help either, are they?

So... "...Hey, Moca?" Tsugumi asks. 

"Yeah~? What's up?"

"Um... please keep tutoring me!" Tsugumi bows her head. "I still want to keep learning more. I've got a lot to do until I can reach you and Ran's level... is that ok?"

"Hehehe. Of course," Moca responds, making an exaggerated curtsy of a motion by using her hoodie to imitate the ends of a skirt. "For the price of two treats at Hazawa Coffee per duel, genius Moca'll tell you all you need to know."

"Hmmm... one treat instead," Tsugumi responds, feeling the grin growing on her face.

"Hoho~. You drive a hard bargain... very well. Sweet ol' Moca never leaves a cute girl waiting, after all."

Great! She knows she doesn't have to do this; everyone swore they'd always be together, after all. They'll always hang out, always duel. But she wants to shine as much as they do, she really does. Hopefully with time, Tsugumi can be as distinguishable a face of Afterglow as everyone else is.

"...Oh~. Tsugu, speaking of. Isn't your part-time shift at the cafe starting soon?" Moca taps her watch.

...Oh.

"....Aaaaaah, I forgot! I've gotta get there quick! S-see you later, you guys!" She makes a hurried wave behind her, then puts her deck in her bag and starts running back into Circle, stumbling across the rough ground until she's stable enough to start sprinting. Behind her, she can hear Ran and Moca letting out a light, lilted bout of laughter, and it feels like the very air is singing.

...She hopes. It may be selfish, but she hopes they'll always spare some time to talk to her.


	6. Strain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: This chapter contains a minor depiction of violence.

In the light of the afternoon, there's a pair of eyes in the monitor’s reflection.

Click, click. A distinct sound byte plays, and she lets go of her mouse for a minute, watching and paying attention; a number of other effects play as the next move begins to unfold on the screen.

Her room is rather quiet, despite everything it contains; she's taken care to make sure it’s usually free of clutter. After all, she wouldn't hesitate to think that most of the items in this room are treasures to her. In the space between the fern wallpaper and the teal carpet, there's a few standout structures: At one end, there's a dresser with an open top drawer, displaying a plentiful of needles and scissors and a multitude of different-coloured threads; a few of them are placed on the top of the counter, alongside a measuring tape. Then there's a soft plain bed with a little desk and mirror beside... and to the left, past the rug and near the window, there's a huge bookshelf, her pride and joy. It holds a breadth of novels on its top two shelves, and a selection of guidebooks, tins and albums to place cards inside on the bottom two.

Then, head to the left corner, and you have a much larger desk, complete with compartments below the main body used for a number of purposes. At the top sits her monitor and computer; connected to the latter, her headphones play a soft piano melody, the perfect kind to allow you some concentration. It mutes the sorting of pots and pans from the kitchen on the floor below.

If she looks past the monitor's reflection, there's an array of images visible on her screen. At the back, there's a 2D background of a lime-verdant forest drenched with trees and flowers; layered in front of it is a duo of 2-by-5 grids and other visual indicators, and on top of that is a selection of monster and spell cards. She's changed the visuals for most of these layers from time to time, something which feels like a luxury indulgence. A secret respite that allows a stealthed expression.

The sound byte indicating the end phase plays again, meaning that it's her turn. Following a few clicks, an arrow flies out from one of her monsters, heading towards the upper half of the screen. The life points of her opponent hits 0; a simple translucent box flies onto the screen, carrying the text 'You win!' alongside a few option buttons below. Then she starts typing:

weaverofwitchcraft:   
good game（*＾＾*)!!!

Bonsai:   
ggs!!!!! holy hell that was good  
its been a while since i saw someone pull off a mindgame like that too  
ive been using the same deck as you for a while, but you make it look amazing

weaverofwitchcraft:   
really? thank you, that's really nice to hear (๑꧆◡꧆๑)

It's warming. She doesn't usually find someone who uses the same cards as her, let alone one this sociable.

Bonsai:   
of course!!!! honestly i feel like i don't reaaaaally know how to use it sometimes

Then, she types out another response. One that wants to fly out, practically. Unfortunately, she only realises her mistake once it’s made.

weaverofwitchcraft:   
would you like to add me then?   
i've been using this deck a lot too, so i could give you some advice!

A second too late, her chest sinks. She can feel her smile start to fade. Thoughts of what if, thoughts of how, they build, until even a small piece towers. Every kind of person she could see, happy or angry, they all rush in, and she can feel her heartbeat threaten to waver. Deep in the monitor, there's a spectre of a disturbing face hiding behind the window, twisted with a fanged grin.

Bonsai:   
wow, really?! that'd be great! lemme send the request

weaverofwitchcraft:   
ah actually, sorry, i can't, i have to go  
im sorry

She quickly hits exit, putting herself back in Neo-Spacian Online's main lobby. Cleaning up her mess, she can only hope she didn't spill any sorrow on the other party. 

She checks, quickly, to see if she's in the main chat window the program has, which lists the duelists of all kinds present as they discuss and debate carefree. She doesn't enter it often, if at all, but she needs to make sure she won't get a surprise message from that player. Or anyone, for that matter; she hates to admit it, but even the spambots plaguing the main chat scare her sometimes.

Fortunately, she's not in any chat window right now. Composure regained, Rinko Shirokane takes a deep breath.

"...I'm sorry."

She knows she's regretting it now. After all, it's been a while since she met another person she was able to talk with during a duel; it was fun, it was nice. It felt reassuring. But there's been too many experiences that... went worse.

...Isn't that just an excuse, though? She was chatting just fine with that player, and it didn't seem like their conversation would veer into something negative. Isn't she just being irrational, just being overly scared? All she did by running was make that person worry.

...Rinko sighs. Her mind tries to provide earnest encouragement. She needs to pace herself, she thinks; that's what her friend would advise. There's no point in trying to rip herself apart.

Suddenly, a 'blip' plays from her computer, as an envelope-shaped icon brightens on the top-right of the window. Speak of the devil, actually; she knows there's only one person on NSO able to message her in private.

Rinko forms a gradual smile, and opens the envelope.

DemonPrincess4ko:   
rinrin♡!!!!!!!!!! i finally escaped big sis and himari's tutoring  
is now a good time??

She starts typing. She knows there's nothing to fear now.

weaverofwitchcraft:   
now's fine ✧ ─=≡Σ((( つ•̀ω•́)つ!  
are you doing okay, ako?

DemonPrincess4ko:   
yeah, im good!!! studying w tomoe is way easier than doing it at school  
even if its booooooooooooooooooooooring  
i missed dueling w you!!! do you wanna play a few matches

weaverofwitchcraft:   
ah, i'm modifying a few deck builds currently  
can we duel after i'm done with them?   
we can chat in the meantime (＾＾)ｂ

It's strange. She doesn't type her responses this fast around anyone else. But their conversations don't hurt either of them; and even if it did, they could apologise and make up easily. That's how their past two years together have gone, after all.

DemonPrincess4ko:   
of course♡!!!   
the queen of the underworld ALWAYS keeps friends company  
did you have any duels today rinrin?? who'd you get matched with

weaverofwitchcraft:   
i got to do a lot of ranked matchmaking ଘ( ᐛ ) ଓ  
probably because there's a lot of people online on friday evening  
i faced a few high level players too, and i won!

She doesn't know if she words her responses well. But that's usually fine when it's Ako. Deckbuilding on the side feels easy, sometimes, when she's with her; she doesn't have to worry about the conversation as much.

DemonPrincess4ko:   
MWAHAHAHA!!! congratulations!! i knew you would, you're amazing~  
i miss dueling w you, its so so mega ultra fun

weaverofwitchcraft:   
thank you （*＾＾*)  
you're really cool too though, ako  
dueling online is usually fun, but it's always really intense with you

DemonPrincess4ko:   
hehe  
that's what happens when legendary, awesome witches like us fight!  
against each other, we unleash our FULL magical might, and blaze...  
blaze, ummmmm

weaverofwitchcraft:   
blaze the field with our powers?

DemonPrincess4ko:   
you're so good at that :O!!!!

The messages don't continue, after that; she wonders if she's left Ako hanging, but the worry feels strangely muted. Soon after, she's done with the deckbuilding.

weaverofwitchcraft:   
ready to go ━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━!

DemonPrincess4ko:   
WOO  
i'll open a room!!!!

She accepts the invitation; the grids and array of cards return onto the screen. For someone like Rinko, having an online program to duel on... a program that so many other people use too... it's such an incredible boon. Finding people to duel face-to-face is scary, horrifying even, sometimes; but on a program like Neo-Spacian Online, dueling is the main reason anyone is even here. You don't have to strain yourself justifying your presence. That's why she and Ako use it so much.

Ako doesn't stop chatting, even when the duel's going. She always yells when she summons something particularly strong, grandstands a lot, puffs herself up with pride; she's expressive, vibrant. A lot of people would cringe at her, even online; Rinko spectates her duels with others sometimes, and the opponents' responses to Ako aren't always positive. But she doesn't let that stop her. It can't, even. Ako knows she's in no danger when she duels online, and she doesn't let that danger stop her when she's outside either.

It's... blinding, almost. Ako calls herself a fallen angel, but her wings are crested in courageous white. She's... really cool. Rinko wishes she could gain a piece of what Ako has for herself.

The time blurs by, smile on her face bright.

DemonPrincess4ko:   
ggs rinrin!!! i can't do anymore tonight though :c  
mum's been calling me for 5 mins now  
she sounds a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil mad

weaverofwitchcraft:   
ggs (ﾉ≧∇≦)ﾉ 

DemonPrincess4ko:   
grrrrgrrr, she + dad are probably gonna ban dueling for sat and sun again  
even though tomoe tutored me and made me catch up homework today :c

weaverofwitchcraft:   
that's... a little cute, almost ´･ω･  
sounds like they care a lot about your school work

DemonPrincess4ko:   
they do!!!! i lov them~  
but, like... im gettin so sick of 'no dueling' every weekend. i CRAVE  
they think ill just magically have someone to study with until monday  
oh!!!!!!!! rinrin i have an idea actually!!!

...An idea?

weaverofwitchcraft:   
what is it?

DemonPrincess4ko:   
the demon queen's gonna start breaking free!!!!!!  
like, at this rate theyre just gonna start banning me from dueling everyday   
it used to be just sunday, rather than the whole weekend, after all  
SO~  
im thinking! there's a local mini-tournament in a shop near Haneoka Tower  
its happenin tomorrow and you sign up by attending  
im gonna head there tomorrow and show some of my dark powers  
it'll be awesome  
mayb my parents'll stop trying to clamp duel time if i break curfew, too  
do you wanna come with?? no pressure

...

It's dangerous. Rinko has never met Ako's parents, and she's only run into her sister Tomoe once a few months back. Ako talks a lot about how cool she is, how protective she is, how she's the best big sister in the world... and honestly, looking at her scares Rinko. She's got the kind of aura that says 'hurt my sister and I'll destroy you with my own two hands'. How would Ako's family react, if they ever found out she was ditching curfews to play with a friend they'd never properly met?

...But, for some reason, she wants to go. A real-life local tournament... it scares her, but the idea also excites her. It hasn't been that long since she last met up with Ako, but they haven't gone out to duel with other people in a while. Most of their outings have just been Ako helping her feel safe as she shops for cards. What if, instead, she could take a step forward with her skills, and spread just a little further out into the world? Dueling so many other people, meeting so many more decks... there'll be holographic monsters too...

...Now she can't stop thinking. What if she could break free from her fear, a bit? Maybe she dwells too much on the past experiences, on all the hostile reception she and Ako had last year when they went out into town. And maybe she dwells too much all the snickers from the other kids, the disapproving stares from the teachers; the subtle denial surrounding dueling, that her peers and guardians expressed when she was still alone in elementary school.

Maybe it's time... to give it another shot. It may be selfish of her to think this, when Ako's more at risk... but at the very least, it couldn't hurt. That's how she tries to convince herself. If Ako can try again and again, then Rinko wants to think she can too. Not to mention, letting Ako ditch curfew all on her own would be scary. So...

weaverofwitchcraft:   
i'll do it  
i think it'd be pretty fun if it went well, so   
can you send me the location? i'll meet up with you there

DemonPrincess4ko:   
oh my god YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you rinrin♡♡~~  
dont worry, i'm not gonna do anything risky  
i dont wanna worry mum and dad and sis after all!  
lets meet up at the cafe next to it! ill get u hot chocolate~

weaverofwitchcraft:   
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆ i'll try my best!  
see you tomorrow ako~

DemonPrincess4ko:   
see you~~~! goodnight rinrin♡!

She shuts the chat window, hoping her friend doesn't get that big a scolding. Before she can dwell too much on herself, Rinko turns her thoughts to her friend.

\---

...It's fine. She's excited, even.

With the Haneoka Tower looming behind her, Rinko takes the walk down the road she needs, between tall grey blocks of building after building. At the bottom of each building, signs and shop titles colour the lower half of this area in a dance of vibrant, active light. Meteors of neon and little LED stars parade through shop after shop, each title beside them indicating their purpose as one kind of repertoire for a duelist or another. Aside from the locations purposed for food, almost every place here is meant for Duel Monsters; be it shopping for cards or structure decks, grabbing a snack alongside a magazine, finding a club for a dueling style, joining exhibition matches... if you can think of something dueling-related, it'll be here. A fair few of the buildings behind Rinko are exclusive to SDA students... but other than that, it's a free-for-all haven of cards and characters.

The information gets a little overwhelming, and the streets are a little crowded, but she tries not to let that get to her today. As she approaches a relatively innocuous looking cafe, she focuses her thoughts on the excitement of duel after duel, and the grinning face of her friend, instead.

Sure enough, one happy fiend sits at a silver table outside. "Rinrin!" Ako merrily jumps up, an embodiment of joy in human form; she's complete with an emotive wardrobe, including a black shirt with graffiti-like purple wings painted over, a black hoodie of torn sleeves and stitched pockets, and jeans of the same colour adorned with loose skull stickers and several ripped holes... some of which will probably make the whole outfit unusable eventually. It makes Rinko giggle; her friend's tastes are indulgent and expressive.

Ako skips over and hands Rinko a warm cardboard cup: "Hot chocolate! Thanks for coming... I figure it'd be a little crowded here, so I really appreciate it!"

"I-it's ok..." she slowly makes out in response. "I'm... happy. We haven't gone to a tournament together in a while..."

"Right?! I'm so excited!" Ako jumps several feet, somehow, fistpumping into the air before she lands back down; she's already got her duel disk on her arm, too. "The witches descend upon a new feast today! Thanks to my dark powers, I BARELY managed to slip past big sis today!"

"B-barely?" Rinko's reminded of today's precariousness. But she shakes her head, knowing that this outing's meant for the both of them. "...G-good job, Ako."

"Mwehehe, feel free to lavish your praises," she responds, twirling her hands to resemble the motions of sorcerors. "Dad actually talked to me this morning and said he's gonna ban dueling on MONDAYS, too. The demon queen won't take that sitting down!"

"I-I..." Wow. Yeah, Ako's brave, alright. It's daunting. "...I see..." Rinko blows on her cup, a bit, before taking a sip of her drink. To be honest, it doesn't seem like a good idea. Dueling is really, really important to Ako; she doesn't want to question a parent, but is it really better to tighten the ban? Would that solve the problem? She can't imagine what her own response would be, if she was in that kind of situation.

"Eh? You okay, Rinrin?" Ako asks, attuning to Rinko's growing expression of concern. Nothing gets past Ako when it comes to her friends, does it? "If you're feeling faint, we can wait here a bit first!"

"N-no, it's okay," she fervently cuts in. She really, really wants to give it a shot. "I... I'm excited. I think it'll be really fun if I sign up, so..."

Ako's smile brightens, and Rinko's heart flies. "Yay! Alright, let's go, then!" She offers a charismatic hand, which Rinko takes. Ako then skips joyfully down to the next building; not too fast, but still with plenty of energy.

The billboard above displays the light-blue title of 'Cavern of the Ice Barrier'. As her friend rushes in and looks through, Rinko takes a look at her surroundings; it's a plain setup. They're in an elongated entrance room that carries little other than open space and an upstairs deck. Evidently, it's not a very high-budget location, meaning the title outside is likely there for the coolness factor. But it's looked after properly; the wooden floor is polished and clean, and the walls are decently spotless. And that's all they need, really. The small herds of duelists occupying the space are proof enough that it gets business.

"Whoa! Rinrin, look!" Her friend points to the large adjacent room on the right; there's a few gigantic holographs duking it out, a figure behind each. "They've got an arena here!" It's just a simple flat space, with a few rows of chairs on the side, but that's perfect. Anything fancier might have been intimidating, actually.

"...Yeah. It looks fun..."

"I can't wait..." her friend vocalises, for both herself and for Rinko. "It's gonna be so cool! I haven't used one of these in like, MONTHS." She poses: "My lovely fallen angels, descend, and display your form to the world! BOOM!" A grand, sweeping gesture.

Rinko can't help but chuckle a bit at the sight; it's heartwarming. She recalls the person online she tried to friend request yesterday, and thinks about how many duelists like them are out there. Plenty of people who would be happy to duel with her, even face-to-face.

She grips her fists before her chest as she watches the match in the other room. Courage; that's what she'll have right now, she decides. She thinks of the heart-racing duels she could be having, thinks of the strategies she might see. There's such a real, exhilarating feel to a holographic duel; even if she sees the same cards and plays online, looking upon them in real life is exciting like nothing else. Fierce duels with fun opponents, that's what she'll expect from here.

"...Right," she says, taking a step towards the counter. "Ako... should we sign up?"

"YEAH!" Her friend fistpumps. "Let's go, go, go!" She rushes ahead, and Rinko speeds at a lukewarm pace to keep up with her as they head towards the reception desk. It's over on the very far side of this room, below the deck. The seconds she spends getting there feel like they make over a minute, but she keeps hopping forward.

Then, Ako stops before the reception, flicking a pose into action and announcing her presence to the tourney-goers around. "Fufufu... behold, fellow magi! The witch of darkness has descended unto your field!"

A few duelists around her whisper, something that'd make Rinko freeze on the spot immediately. But Ako isn't intimidated by quiet discussion; she shines, she blazes. "Mwahaha... don't get cold feet, now. Otherwise, my powers will turn you to ice before we even begin!"

Ack... it's a weird mixture of feelings. Seeing Ako at her best makes Rinko happy, but Rinko wonders if any of the whispers surrounding them are being mean to her friend. At the very least, they don't seem perturbed or hostile; they're mainly just confused, which is... well, expected when it comes to Ako. So this is probably going well, so far.

Or so Rinko thinks. But then she lets out a stifled, choked gasp. 

Her heart rate begins to speed again, as a familiar scene plays out in front of her.

"My magic shall create an, um.... rain of flame upon your arena! Beho-"

"Man, what’s with the RACKET down here?" Ako jumps at the razor sharp tone of the voice.

...It's happening again. 

Rinko slowly takes steps towards her friend, but she keeps her eyes focused on the three students, who walk down the stairs from the upper deck. Their uniforms indicate them as members of the Shirasagi Duel Academy.

She remembers, now.

"...Oh? The demon queen has a challenger!" Ako begins to respond, unfazed. Once again, she's still smiling, no sign of intimidation on her face.

"Demon queen? That your little baby moniker, or something?" One of the students sneers.

"She looks gross enough to be a demon, doesn't she?" Another adds. There's an ice-cold cacophony of howling laughter, blaring enough to grasp the whole building by its throat. Rinko's steps forward stop, her body frozen. 

The other duelists shuffle meekly away from the reception as the scene unfolds. A bead of sweat falls down Ako's cheek as she continues to smile; "Oho? Are you intimidated by the, uh... visage of a mighty witch?"

"..." There's a moment of silence. Suddenly, the entire air feels empty, quiet. Lungs choke. The students hide their fangs, and their faces turn neutral as they look at each other, nodding. "...Actually, yeah. I guess you're pretty cool."

"R-really?" Ako's face brightens. "Finally! A fellow descendant of darkness!"

"Y-yeah!" One student responds, trying to hide his snickering. "What deck do you use, kid?"

Rinko tries to take a step forward. There's the feeling of muck, pouring down her throat.

"Fufufu," Ako strikes another pose; then, she's sneakily drawn some of her cards out in one hand. "Take a look, if you dare!"

...She can't move. She wants to utter something, anything. But the fear freezes Rinko's limbs cold.

One student steps forward, as the others hide shark-teeth grins behind their hands. "Don't mind if I do..." One step forward. Another. Slow, calculating. Plenty of time for Rinko to interfere during. But she can't. Her body refuses any command as her angelic friend stares through a gaping maw.

The student reaches his hand out. It inches towards the deck...

...Then, Rinko's expectations are subverted. Nothing bad happens.

"...Eh? What's up?" Ako's face turns to surprise, confused as to why the student has taken a step back. "...Hehe. Are you really stricken with fear by my-"

Because something awful happens, instead.

A brutal, heavy sound of a body hitting the wooden floor. The sound of clothes crumpling, as limbs hit the merciless ground. It's a sound that somehow cries out more than the preceding 'thud' from a boot hurled into Ako's side. The cards in her hand scatter, falling around her.

Sharp, pain, hate. Rinko's eyes begin to scream for blood. She yells at her body to take a step forward, but her legs refuse to move. Her hand strangles her other arm. She can only watch as Ako slowly gets up from the ground, her friend’s trembling figure letting out only a fragile, shaking "O-ow..."

"Oh? Sorry about that. My leg must've slipped." The student grins. "I guess you're a tripping hazard."

His two peers laugh, laugh, laugh the guttural shrieking howl, the howl of a sadistic vulture. It reverberates, tortures, screeches. She can't take it. Through some instinctual force of will, Rinko takes a step towards Ako, desperate to help her up.

"Oh? And who're you? Her friend?"

"...!" She freezes. The eyes of the shoal focus upon her, and her heartbeat spikes. Immediately, her body fails a yelp on instinct, and fixates on the spot. Staring the student down, Rinko's brow strains between fearful and furious.

A few seconds pass. The inhuman grins grow.

"...Oh? Too scared? Yeah, that's what I thought." He takes a step back, relaxing his posture, and shrugs. "Well, guess I won't waste my time on you. Hey guys, wanna head to an exclusive spot instead?"

"Sounds good."

"Right then..." The student stretches, rests his arms behind his back, and starts to walk. But he notices the fearful stares of everyone around him, and scowls. "...Hey! Fuckface!"

The young receptionist jumps in his seat as he's singled out. The student takes out an ID card, and blares; "I'm ranked 30th in the SDA, got it? I'm basically a celebrity. So just ignore this little 'incident' unless you want your reputation trashed, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah!" His cronies add.

The receptionist just nods, as if he's about to cry.

...Ako gets up, standing on her feet again. She's still shaking. At the very least, her body appears to be unharmed. But Rinko can see her biting her lip, as she struggles to gaze at the maw again.

"Well, guess we're heading out," the student finishes. "Hey, demon kid. These places're for ACTUAL duelists, got it? Not LARPers. Ciao."

The doors shut. The laughter remains audible, for a second, before the room turns silent.

Nobody moves, for a second. Then, the atmosphere muted, people begin to move into action again, albeit with less conversation.

...The ice subsides. "...A-ah! Ako!" She kicks her head back into action.

"Ack, ack, ack... that feels a little sore. Hffgg.." Her friend pats the side of her waist. Then, she stretches, winces a bit from the pain, and shakes her head. "...Ah! M-my cards!" She shudders a bit, as she starts to try and gather them.

"O-oh!" Rinko finally moves again. "I'll... help you pick them up..."

"T-thanks, Rinrin... it still aches when I bend, a bit."

"A...are you okay? I'm so sorry..."

"Yeah, I'm good!" Ako's currently pained smile slowly recovers back to its lively default. "That's 1, 2... mmhm... wait... yeah, that's all of them! Thanks, Rinrin!"

"I-it's ok... I'm sorry. I knew they'd be like that, but I didn't think they'd..."

There's a straightened, open palm, hovered in front of her in response. "It's ok! That must've been scary for you too."

Rinko doesn't deserve that smile right now, she thinks, but she timidly returns the high five regardless. Ako hops from the ground and presses a fist to each side, posing seemingly with as much confidence as she had before the encounter.

BEEP!

"...Eh?" The sound makes Ako blink. She raises her right arm and looks at the device on the wrist... "...OH NO! Noooooonononono, there's an error message on my fuel disk! I can't operate it like this!"

Rinko heads next to Ako to take a look; for redemption's sake, if nothing else. "...Ah... there isn't any external damage, but maybe something inside got shaken."

"...Aw... I can't participate in the tourney like this..." Ako was keeping her enthusiasm intact, even after all that happened; but now, her smile's starting to fade. It's tormenting to look at. "...I really wanted to duel today."

A brief silence. Rinko tightens a fist, thinking of the students who just walked out; they were terrifying, horrible. They could bring harm with no consequences to themselves. People who can hurt you without risk are the scariest of all, and they were right here, with their glaring teeth, inside this innocuous-looking building. Rinko recalls every occasion last year when she and Ako went outside to duel, and the two of them ran into duelists like those; duelists who always pushed them away from the places they tried to attend.

The shaking returns. Inside her, she can feel dread build its form; it'd be an exaggeration to say that every outing ended badly, or that a bully always froze whatever expedition they had. But she thinks back to Ako tumbling to the ground, and cries inside thinking about how often that could happen. That was one of the worst things to happen so far. Rinko just wants to go home, now.

But first, she's not leaving her friend alone. So she musters whatever she has left: "U-um... if it's just a bit of internal damage, it could probably be fixed in about... 45 minutes... should we go to a repair shop?"

Ako turns to Rinko, her brow raising. Then, she slowly channels her joy back. "...Yeah! Let's go! ...Thanks, Rinrin."

...Exiting the building, the air feels much stiffer than when they entered. The maintained level of commotion on the streets outside doesn't relieve it.

...They walk. Ako hums a tune.

Rinko shakes. "..." Oh god. Not now, please, please. 

But she knows. She knows she's about to cry. She looks down to the ground.

"...Rinrin," she hears Ako say. She looks up to her friend. "...Wanna take a break, quickly?"

"...Yeah." She nods. Ako offers a hand, which Rinko takes.

She can feel it, feel it through the fingers. Ako's slow, measured pace, gently guiding her to an alleyway in the street. They retreat from the noise, and Rinko leans her back on the wall behind her.

It's quiet.

"..." She can feel a sob start to release. There's the beginning of tears, coming from her eyes.

"...Rinko." Ako's voice is soft. "Are you scared?"

"...Y-yeah." She's scared. Her body is shaking. She thinks about what would happen if they went out again. Maybe she'll be hurt next, or maybe she'll have to see Ako get hurt again. Even just a harsh comment, or the interpretation of a hostile glance, at this point, terrifies her to think about. All the kinds of people she could see pop into her head, and each form inside begins to turn red. "...I'm scared. I..." she can't finish her sentence, now.

She looks up, and sees Ako offering a hug. She gladly takes it, to her own chagrin, letting herself be enveloped in the angel's warm embrace; "I'm... I'm so sorry, Ako... I knew they would've tried to do something, but I didn't think they'd go as... far as to..." she sniffs. "And... I-I didn't even do anything when they hurt you. I... I just... I was scared..."

"It's ok," her friend whispers to her ear. "I was a little scared too."

Rinko breathes, in, out, in... and out. She wants to tear herself apart, but she knows, she's realised; she has every right to be scared, scared of those people too. Both of them are threatened by people like those. All she and Ako wanted to do was to duel, to have fun. Nothing they did threatened anybody, and yet they had to leave wounded.

Why is it that whenever Rinko wants to duel, someone has to be hurt? She feels like she's cursed. She feels lifeless blue seep into her veins; inside, fear roots itself in. Fear, and... 

...Anger.

She lets herself drop a few more tears, before letting go of Ako's arms, and straightens herself again. A few more deep breaths, and the burning crease on her brow subsides; she lets the adrenaline flow away, and looks to her friend again.

"...Thank you... Ako."

"Yeah! I'm happiest when you're happy, Rinrin," her friend says. "So if you ever need to feel sad, just let me listen."

Rinko nods, and smiles a bit. "...Should we... head back, after the repair? The tourney will have started... after it's done, after all..."

"...Yeah," her friend responds; Ako lets her own sorrow seep in now. "...Rinrin, please don't tell anyone about what happened. If my parents found out, I don't think they'd let me duel again."

"I-I... promise. I won't tell," Rinko responds.

They begin to walk out of the alleyway, back into the bustle. Ako's face looks tormented, for a second, denied of what it loves the most.

But then, her friend's expression indicates the buzzing of a lightbulb. "Right! The queen of demons won't ever give up." Ako turns to face Rinko. "Rinrin. I'm not gonna give up on going outside. I still wanna find people to fight, cool monsters to go BADOOM with! So... I'm gonna go to like, a park or something tomorrow instead, and see if I can duel anyone."

Courage.

Rinko smiles, despite everything that happened; after all their time together, she knows that her friend will want to persevere. Ako never lets anyone bring her down, never lets anyone ruin her light, and she helps others feel the same way. Ako's strong and selfless. "...Okay," she responds. "...Ako... can I go with you tomorrow, too?"

"Eh? Really?!" Shock of surprise, then elation. "Are you sure? It's probably gonna be crowded there, too!"

"...Yeah." Rinko nods. She wants to duel; it may be selfish of her to think this, but she doesn't want her hobbies to be denied again. Not anymore. She's shaking, a bit, not fully convinced in her decision, but something inside her roars at her to move. "...I'll... come with you."

Ako's smile fully recovers, once more. It's a reward all on its own. "Hehe. Thanks, Rinrin. Thank you for being here."

"...Y-yeah. Let's get to that repair shop."

"Alright!" Another fistpump, and their journey continues. The pair continue to head down the street, as the weekend pilots its course.

...The world may be frightening and lonely. But dueling has given Rinko a friend.

\---

Yup, she got told off. BIG time.

The queen of demons heads back to her room. Her personal lair is second to none; for starters, it's all black, purple, pink, red... ALL the good colours. The purple of the wallpaper's a little bit light for her liking, but Himari INSISTED on that colour when she asked her for advice, so she'll take her companion's words to heart. As for her arsenal of furniture, you can't describe it without starting with the most important thing; a comfy place to sleep! She lays to rest in a duvet of skulls each night, befitting a necromancer of her position. When her head in bed witnesses the world above, she'll see strung-together rows of bats lining the border between the wall and the ceiling, and know her minions are protecting her. They're all handmade, and don't tell anyone that one's a cutout of Dark Armed Dragon; otherwise, you'll be cursed. Then there's the royal, devilish... um... magnificent closet and dresser she has. With a cool mirror! It's got like, engravings on the side of it. Rinrin found it in a garage sale and gave it to her for her birthday. Best gift ever.

Closing the door behind her, Ako Udagawa ponders; she thought her plan was foolproof, but alas, for her, um... 'taciturn' strategy has hit a barrier. It turns out her rebellion didn't make her parents lower the dueling ban... no, they raised it instead. They just told her she's not allowed to duel for the next WEEK, now.

Sheeeeeeeesh... she loves Mom and Dad a lot, but come on. She knows, she knows; they care. They care a lot, they're worried, that's why. But what is she supposed to do, magically get her classmates to study with her when she goes to school? They all just shrug or snicker at one point or another. That, or they try to ignore her, or call her embarrassing. Homework'd be a lot easier if she actually had a study group at school, let alone one on the weekend.

Well, tough luck to her parents. They clearly don't get the message yet, so Ako'll continue her rebellion... not just tomorrow, but even tonight! First, she sneaks her duel disk out from under her hoodie; she managed to keep it hidden, telling her parents that she lost it. This is the weapon of her soul, after all, something she can't let it be taken away.

...It sucked, how relieved they were about hearing that it was lost.

No, no, she shakes her head, no negatives! Her family's great; if they don't understand, then Ako'll just drive her point further home until they do. Dueling means everything to Ako, after all. If they just looked beyond their worry, maybe they'd realise that.

Hiding the disk under her bed, Ako then heads to the pride and joy of her room. Her laptop might pretty sweet too, with the stickers and all, but this computer? Pitch-black! Large! Demonic... god, demonic is such a cool word. And her monitor's size is awesome, thanks to Rinrin! She's even got a sick pair of jet-purple earphones to go with the whole setup.

She wonders, as she opens up NSO; should she make another deck today? She LOVES her favorite, but it might be cool to check out the other archetypes and stuff too...

But before she can start, there's a knock on her door. "Ako!"

Oh no! That's Tomoe! Ako quickly shuts the computer off as she responds; "Y-yeah, sis?!"

A laugh. "What's with the yell? I'm not downstairs. Anyway, Dad wants us to help with dinner again. Come on down!"

"Oh! I'll be right there!" She responds. As Tomoe heads back down, Ako looks back under her bed... mmm. Her parents might find the duel disk if it's glowing under there, right? Then... she’ll hide it in the box down there. That should work.

Urgh. How did it get to this? She has to hide her prized possession from her parents, from her sister. What happened?

She tries to stave off those thoughts as preparation passes by, choosing to focus on her family instead. It's good that she does too, because she swears Tomoe and Mom shared about 5 instances where they nearly cut their fingers off with the chopping knife. The minutes pass by as she enjoys her time with her family.

...Then the dinner comes.

She's sitting there, pecking at her food with less gumption than she would've liked of herself; not really dark lord material. But...

...No. She's gonna speak up about it again. She loves Mom and Dad a lot. Surely they'd get it?

"...Hey, Mom," she begins. "Can I-"

"No."

"E-eh?!" She starts. Her mother laughs at that, evidently a lot more jovial about the situation than she is. Maybe her parents are too used to this to listen anymore.

"Ako," Her father advises, his face trying its best to look firm; he's never been good at that. "We understand, but you need to prioritise your studies more. It's good to have a hobby, but you've spent whole days on dueling recently."

"B-but!" Be honest, she tells herself. She doesn't want to argue with them, but this is important! She just needs to figure out what to say. "I-I... don't know how to be more enthusiastic about school. I don't have anyone to study with there, and everything gets boring so quickly."

"...Ako..." Tomoe murmurs.

"I'm sorry about that, sweetie. But I know you can make some friends there if you try; maybe they just don't want to talk about dueling. And they might just be shy!"

They're anything but! And she doesn't just talk about dueling! "That's not-"

"Ako!" Her mom raises her volume, wagging a finger; she's hitting the 'Firm Advisor' tone now, so that's a sign this is going bad. "You're a strong and sweet young girl; I know you can do it. You might find it daunting, but you need to go and talk to your classmates!"

Ako can only sigh, in response. How many times has it ended like this, recently? It's so unlike her family; they try to sound nice, but they make it sound like they're convinced it's HER fault. They used to be so encouraging to her about dueling. She tries, alright, and she'll continue trying, but that doesn't mean everyone at school is gonna suddenly STOP laughing at her. Her progress at having offline friends isn't suddenly gonna boom, and the sneers she gets aren't gonna just magically lower any time soon.

...Are they ever gonna lower?

The conversation naturally flows without her for a bit, but Ako catches a nod and a look of sympathy from big sis. That usually means she's gonna talk to Ako after dinner... and she understands Ako better than anyone.

...She can feel her smile return a bit. Right, take a page from Tomoe's book; no need to wear that much glum right now, not when things can still change!

Ako still manages to eat everything on her plate, despite the low appetite. Eventually, they're excused, the atmosphere maintaining that slowly murky aura of 'happy family dinner'. Then, Tomoe heads with Ako up to her room, and she can feel herself start to breathe again.

"...Sorry about that, Ako," her sister starts, closing the door. "I think they're... not all that 'hip', y'know? I think all their impressions of dueling come from, like, SDA things on TV."

"Ah, jeez!" Ako can't help but let her frustration flow a bit, now. "They're so nice about it, but they don't get a thing!"

"Ahahaha! I kinda get that," Tomoe responds. "They... act a little weird when they talk to me about it sometimes, too. Dueling's more than just a card game, though."

Right, she'd get it! Tomoe's managed to stick with the rest of Afterglow BECAUSE of dueling, after all. "Right?! It's so fun, and it's so cool... I spend time on it because it's fun to play with people like Rinrin!"

"That's one of my favorite parts, too. I'd stick with my friends even if we didn't have it, but..." she smiles. "Helps a lot, you know? Having that shared interest, having that outlet. I think it's nowhere near as hostile as people say it is."

"Yeah, yeah!" Ako jumps up; may the dark demon deities guard and bless her awesome big sister for all eternity. "Oh, how's everyone doing, by the way! I wanna thank Himari sometime for helping me decorate my room. Do you think she'd like an accessory? Like one that looks demonic, or something!"

"She'd love it! That's so sweet of you, Ako," she says, petting Ako's hair. Score one! "They're not doing too bad. Ran's grumpy, Moca's cracking jokes, Himari's crying over her monster cards and Tsugumi keeps padding more work... oh, did you know Tsugumi nearly beat Ran the other day? She told me that..."

Ako smiles, as her sister tries not to break into a ramble; this is like, one of the coolest sides of her, honestly. Hearing stories about Afterglow is so cool... it really makes Ako wish she was in their school already. They'd actually help each Ako and each other with homework, and hang out, and talk about dueling... they wouldn't laugh. Well, they'll laugh at jokes, but that's the point; Ako WON'T be the joke! She'll be a companion in the necromantic arts!

"H-Himari thinks that card is cute???" The conversation continues; Tomoe describes many twists and turns as the dark magician's sage, but this? Himari's got some weirdly awesome tastes! She's almost intimidated.

"Ahaha! Yeah, I can't quite see why, honestly..." Tomoe's face is sinking to an understated smirk... and then it jolts up. "Oh, right, Ako! The tutoring! You did the rest of the homework after me and Himari left, right?"

"Yup!" She's not lying about that; to quote wisened sage Moca, even boredom is edible when Afterglow's around. "I can show you, if you don't believe me!"

"Nah, I do. I trust my lil' sis," her sister responds calmly. Then, her face turns wise; oh, is she gonna drop some advice again? Ako's listening! "...Hey, Ako. About that conversation at dinner... how're the kids at your school?"

"Pbbbbbbbbbbbbbbht!" Ako HAS to blow a raspberry at that. "Most of them just laugh at me or think I'm weird! I don't get it, you know? I'm not asking them to recite the dark arts, either... I just wanna talk with them. I do plenty of posing by myself, anyway!" She strikes one to emphasise, which Tomoe smiles at. "...It's not fair. Most of them tell me to cut all the 'creepy' stuff out if I ask to study with them, and the teachers just say I'm being immature."

"Well, that's not fair. You could help half of those guys through the flu, and they probably couldn't nurse their parents through a cold."

"R-really? Thanks, sis!" A compliment! Score two. "But yeah... I just don't know what to do. There's some nicer ones, but they usually leave after a while too. I know I have you and Rinrin, but I wanna have other people to talk to too."

"...Yeah." Tomoe nods. Then, her gaze turns serious. 

Ako's listening intently, hoping her sister'll know what to do. She always knows what to do! Sometimes, she says stuff that Ako doesn't like, too; but usually her gut tells her that her sister's right, and you know what? She usually is! She's the coolest big sister for a reason. Ako wants to emulate her as much as possible, sometimes; all of her kindness, all of her jet-red coolness, her sister just always knows. And she understands why dueling's important to Ako too, right? So, that's why Ako sits down, ready to listen; she knows Tomoe has the awareness to tell her something constructive.

...But it ends up being the opposite, instead.

"Listen, Ako." She starts. "I... worry about you. I know you talk a lot about Rinko, but... she's an online friend, you know? You need to have people to connect with in real life, not strangers."

...

"I don't distrust Rinko, but... You can't just rely on someone you've only met in real life a few times. Online friends are good too, but... they aren't a substitute for offline ones." 

It's easy to see, even for Ako. So she tries to ignore the rest of it, her courage shattered.

"Look, Ako. I know school seems like a scary place. There's always a lot of bad apples around. But I think people might just be scared to connect with you too, you know? Some of them are just shy, like you said."

...No, don't. Please don't.

"Ako. I love dueling, so I get it. But dueling isn't all there is to life, you know? I think Mom and Dad take it a bit far, but... if you're spending that much time dueling online, then it's probably hitting your social skills a bit. I don't wanna say this, but... consider just a bit of a break, yeah?"

She can feel it. The dreariness, the weight. It's in the whole family. Why are the people she loves like this? Why do they think she isn't trying? What is it that they aren't seeing? Who?

She doesn't respond to Tomoe.

"...Ako? You okay?" She isn't looking, now; she's just focusing on her monitor. But she can tell her sister's face is full of concern. Just like always. It's so warming that it hurts, screams. "Um..."

"...I'm fine."

"...O-okay, then." Silence. Stop it; this isn't how Tomoe is supposed to be. Why isn't she saying anything else? "...I, uh... I'll leave, then. D-don't stay up too late, Ako."

She hears footsteps. Quiet ones, no flame in them. "...Yeah. Goodnight, sis."

"...Goodnight."

The door shuts.

...

...Ako grips her fists. She won't stop. She won't stop trying.

Deep breaths. In, out, in and out.

Right. She's the demon queen, the lord of fallen angels. She can't give up. If they're gonna be like this, she'll just fight back all the harder, rain all the chaos she needs until they finally realise. She swears now, she's not going to listen to any curfew she gets on dueling. No matter what! She sets her sorcerous eyes on the box underneath her bed, and nods, swearing a noble oath of blood.

Her plan for tomorrow is set. But what to do tonight, then? It's... gonna feel empty and boring if she just sits here, so maybe she'll play a few rounds on NSO before going to bed.

Click, click. The window opens.

Then, she hears a sound. The icon of an envelope shines from the corner of her monitor.

...Right. The world's scary, and lonely. But dueling's given Ako a friend. She smiles, and launches her next dark plan. Time for the witch's rebellion to continue!

\---

"I challenge you to a duel, fellow scion!" She points a finger at a student from a non-descript school, duel disk on his arm.

Amidst the dense forest of the park (Ako's current hangout after spending the noon at card shops), the student simply raises his arms and shrugs. "Nah, sorry. Good luck, though." He waves out as he walks away. Well, at least it didn't end badly!

It's been about an hour since she got here; her phone's turned off like it was yesterday, obviously. She'll, uh... figure out what to say when she gets back home laaaaater. Right now, dueling is the priority! Oh, and keeping herself fed; she's had lunch already and brought plenty of water. Convincing her parents isn't going to go as well if she doesn't take care of herself, after all!

It... feels a little harder, trying this without Rinrin. Thoughts of having another encounter with someone like an SDA student is... well, she tries not to think about it. Still, Ako shakes her head and resolves to keep trying. Her friend isn't going to show up until later, at least. And she might end up not feeling it in the end; it's happened a couple of times before. Rinrin's gotta prioritise her own comfort, and that's only fair!

She issues challenges to a few more; and lo' and behold, she gets one! It's a bit of a power differential, though, so it ends a bit quickly for her taste. Still, the fact that someone accepted is nice. They're... the only one who's actually done that, so far.

It gets a bit silent after a while, though. Honestly, she knows this isn't really the best of her magical methods. There's dedicated dueling hangouts and the like that're WAYYYY more suited for this... but also, those places are really heartless sometimes. There's so many weirdly cocky duelists who only like insulting others, and that's no fun. It gets even worse when you get an outright bully; after what happened yesterday, the demon queen's sworn that she'll pick places for a while where Rinrin isn't in ANY danger. 

...To be honest, if it was her friend who got attacked instead of herself, she'd be livid. Rinko's one of the coolest people in the whole world; she deserves to be able to smile forever.

It'd be one thing if she was a friend who just happened to talk to Ako; that'd be plenty appreciated as is. But Rinko's supported her and told her that the stuff she says is cool on so many occasions, it just makes her want to keep going. The dark lord's theatrics feel so much more validating, so much more powerful, knowing that someone else not only rolls with it, but even encourages it! That's so awesome! Ako's building her own necromantic arts just because she thinks it's cool, but she didn't expect anyone else to want to join in; that's just not most people's style, she gets that. So Rinrin doing that for her is... it's so, so cool.

And that's not even getting into how cool Rinrin is herself! She's so cool, it's like... how does Ako explain it? She doesn't have any poses or... well, it's more like her poses are really subtle? Ako's never seen someone be so cool or have such an aura while saying so little; Rinko's scared and frightened of a lot of things, but she still does so much despite that. Her passion feels like it could move mountains; her blade reams dark with hallowed dark, a... mystical, mystical! A mystical weapon, forged from the sky behind the moonlight. Rinrin sews costumes, builds decks, duels like a MONSTER... and even if she gets scared to do any of that outside, she'll at least make do and try to do it inside or online. Ako can't really imagine what it's like being in her shoes, but she knows it's gotta be hard for her. That's why seeing her make such cool dresses or really amazing dueling plays is just... the best? She does so much! And she's always so considerate, even if she says she isn't, and... like, the best part? Ako's only seen it once or twice, but Rinko has this mega-cool smile on her face sometimes when she duels, as if some necromantic surge of energy's gone into her at that moment...

...Oh! There's a duelist standing there, looking at Ako weirdly; then she walks off. Did the demon lord get distracted in the middle of challenging someone? Gotta focus!

The park is thoroughly scouted by her dark eye, gazing through a few different locations; there's definitely strangers who don't wanna be suddenly asked to duel, so Ako makes sure to check if people have duel disks on their wrist first. Anyone who wears that in public's at least MORE likely to be down for a game with her.

But apparently, that one duel from earlier is all the afternoon wants to give her so far. She can basically tally the rest of the responses; polite no thanks, snicker, sneer, 'creep', 'go away', howling laughter...

She can feel herself getting a bit tired, yawning a bit. But she's not gonna stop.

"Oh? What's this?" Her eyes perk up. "Do I detect a fellow due-"

Then she freezes. It's a student in an SDA uniform.

She just... sort of, stands there, pretending she hadn't just spoken. The student ends up shrugging, and walking off. Didn't seem like a rude person, but... urgh.

...Right. One last shot! There's another duelist in a uniform from some school or another, seemingly slacking and laying her arms behind her back on a grassy bed near the lake. Ako approaches; this time, the plan'll just involve being direct.

"Fellow duelist! I challenge you!"

"Mm?" She turns to face Ako, and... there's a bit of a creased brow on her. Ako freezes again. "Piss off, toddler."

...Well. That about sums it up. Ako tries to shake off the nerves, and... well. Maybe it's time for the dark lord to rest a bit.

She finds an empty bench and kicks back against it, slugging her backpack off her side. Her gaze turns to the sky above; in the middle of the Winter, it starts to get yellow pretty quickly. The sun doesn't really like being all that lively, around this time.

Birds hop and sing through the sky, carrying joy with no reason behind their wings. They're free spirits, with white eyes.

Ako sighs. She doesn't wanna get caught up in bad thoughts, but like...

...How much longer is it going to take? She feels like she always has to go out of her way if she ever wants a duel outside of NSO. So many people just say no; it doesn't even make any sense! A lot of the people she challenges are students from Dueling! Academies! This place isn't deprived of fighters, not in the slightest. And yet it feels like she rarely ever gets to have the duels she wants. Just even like, a tabletop match against someone is fun, because she'll be lucky if it even happens once a week. If it wasn't for Rinrin or NSO, she basically wouldn't be playing at all.

...It's not her fault. She's not DUMB; she knows not everyone is sociable, or easily gets along with people who roll with whatever pose looks coolest in the moment. But they're HOSTILE, sharp; she almost wants to believe they specifically don't want to duel HER. Why else would almost everyone from an academy or the like reject dueling her, even at events where people attend specifically to duel each other? How many times does she have to hear insults like 'LARPer' or 'freak' whenever she wants to duel?

...Is it just destiny? Is demon lord Ako destined to fail? Is it just going to be that, whenever she wants to duel, it'll be too irritating, too inconvenient for everyone else? It makes her feel miserable. Miserable, and...

...No, just a bit sad. No point in getting mad.

Against her will, a drearier sigh escapes her lips. Ako curls up into a ball on the bench. "...Well, fine then," she grumbles to herself. "Maybe I'll just quit dueling, then. I can't even go to one tourney, after all... guess I'll just go to SCHOOL and hear the laughter from THERE instead..."

"...A-Ako?"

Her eyes open. Immediately, she whips herself up from the bench.

Then she smiles. "...Could it be? Has my fellow dark witch descended?" She turns her head, and she's right.

"...Yeah. I-I'm sorry I'm late, Ako." Rinko gives a gentle, angelic smile. Angelic! Her outfits are always muted, but she just gives this kind of... elegant awesomeness to them. It's just... one of those white dresses with poofy sleeves, and a dark-grey thingummy-waist-down-skirt laced over it... whatever they're called. But her friend makes it look COOL.

...Wait. "Oh my god! Rinrin, were you searching for me around the whole park? I'm sorry!"

"Y-yeah, but it was fine. I knew your phone would... be turned off, anyway."

Even amidst her fouls, her friend is so kind. "Mwahaha! My gratitude for locating my, my, uh..."

"...holy form?"

"You're so good at that!" Ako can feel her smile grow. "How's your day been so far, Rinrin?"

"I-it's been fine... I spent the morning reading," Rinko responds, demonstrating eyes more, uh... liiiiterate than Ako's. She should ask her friend for a recommendation sometime. "...How did it go so far today, Ako?"

She can feel a little mewl escape her own lips. "W-well, it's... I had one challenger! Other than that, it's..."

"...Ah..."

"I-I figured! Asking for duels randomly in the park is gonna be impractical for a dark lord and all, just..." she thinks back to yesterday, and every other time. "...it didn't feel like going into dueling clubs was working."

"...Y-yeah..." is all Rinko makes out. She's trying to find a response, Ako can tell. The effort alone makes her feel more invigorated. "...Um, Ako..."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"...Is everything okay at home? You said on NSO that you got chewed out yesterday, but..."

Her stomach sinks, and she remembers Tomoe. "A-ah." She tries to keep her smile up, but urgh. Just urgh.

"...I see..." Rinko just nods, and enters quiet contemplation "...Ako." Her words come out slowly.

"Y-yeah?"

"...Do you want to talk about it? I... want to help, if possible. I-if that's..."

Ako's smile falls. She didn't really want to; she feels like... if she just goes all debby-downer, she's not gonna try and get up from bed the next day. But her friend means what she said genuinely. Maybe she should... take her own advice, and just let herself be sad.

"...Yeah. If that's okay. Thanks, Rinrin."

Her treasured companion nods, and sits beside her. She looks anxious, but she's still doing this for Ako's sake; Ako really does have an angel for a friend, huh?

So she starts. "...Big sis. Tomoe thinks it's dueling's fault, too."

"...Ah. That's..." Yeah. Rinko doesn't know Tomoe much, but... to Ako, her sister means the world. It hurts.

"...I'm not just dumb, am I, Rinrin? It's not fair," she continues, kicking her legs for the energy. "All I wanna do is duel. I know everything else is important too, it's just... I hate being laughed at again and again by everybody, being told 'no' so much. I love Mom, and Dad, and Tomoe, but... I wanna believe I'm right in thinking this is unfair. Is that selfish?"

"..." Rinko's silent. She doesn't have a response immediately, which is... yeah. Ako looks up to the birds in the sky again. It's... frustrating. Right now, Ako wishes she could grow the wings she dreams of. Legendary, magnificent, angelic.

"Um... Ako..."

"...Yeah?" Ako turns; Rinko's shaking voice is pretty obvious. She's... scared to try and talk. She doesn't know how to help her friend through that, so... Ako just holds her hands, and hopes that gets the message across.

"...Thank you," she starts. "I... wonder if it's selfish of me too, sometimes. When it comes to dueling. But... I want to believe it isn't. And..." she pauses. Rinko shakes her head, a bit. Is she trying to stave something off? "...And, um. Your family... they used to be supportive of you dueling, right?"

"Yeah," Ako responds, remembering the better days. "I mean, heck, they're still supportive when it comes to everything else."

"Mmm." Rinko nods. "So... maybe they just need some time to realise. They'll be able to understand someday... even if they don't right now, right?"

She realises. Her friend isn't certain, either; but it's good to know that she isn't being dishonest.

"...A-ah, sorry. That probably doesn't sound very reassuring..."

"No. It's fine. Thanks, Rinrin," she responds, giving her cherished companion a brief hug. She really is blessed... and that blessing's once again imbued her face with a warm smile. "...Yeah. I know they'll understand eventually. So, I'll keep smiling until then."

"...Mm." Rinko nods. The sky slowly turns to sunset; soon enough, the edges of their world will reach the night. "...Ako... are you still going to try and break curfew?"

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. That's a tough one. She wants to, she really wants to. It'd absolutely suck if she couldn't; at the very least, she's definitely not giving up on playing with Rinrin on NSO. But if she keeps going out, she might make everyone really worried. But, but, also; they're gonna be worried anyway, aren't they? Especially if they ban online dueling too; if that happens, she doubts she'll feel much of a reason to smile.

"Hnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! I don't know! I'll let my demonic nerves think of an answer this evening!" Ako jumps from her bench, because she's tired of just staying still in one spot. She extends her hand to her loved one; "Thanks for hearing me out, my fellow companion of darkness. It means everything to me. It'll be pretty late soon, so do you wanna head back?"

"...Ok. Let's go." She takes it, and the two leave together. 

A few of the white-eyed birds perch on the trees around them as they make their way down the path. Eventually, the pavement of the road outside comes into sight. Rinko quietly hums a tune as they take step after step; Ako's still thinking, still wondering. Should she break curfew or suffer it for a while? What'd be best? Is sitting under curfew gonna hurt her wings, or let them rest? She... doesn't know, she doesn't know. She was never cut out for this kind of thinking. All she knows is that everything just feels so unfair. All the dumb students, all the dumb things everyone says, nearly everyone. She feels like it's just her and Rinko, against the world, sometimes.

Then her thoughts stop. The brakes screech to a halt.

She sees it. Two figures, duel disks in hand. Wolves maned silver and mythril roam the streets. They have no uniform. Their clothes are simple and restrained, kind of like Rinko's. But she can tell, there's some kind of aura they have.

"...Thank you... the old one felt like a burden... this one is..." She can make out the conversation. The mythril wolf holds up a duel disk; holy crap, that design is so GOOD! It's ice-blue, and the orb is blood-red, and there's two curved blades wrapping around the podium on the upper side of the wrist; it's like an S-blade, or something!

"Whoa. Rinrin, who do you think they are?"

"I... don't know..." Her friend is surprised.

...There's a feeling. She needs to talk to them. She doesn't know why, but she has to follow it. The fallen angel's detecting brethren; brethren of the rebellious, the dark-winged, the unchained. "I'm gonna get a closer look, Rinrin! You can go home without me, if you want to!"

"Ah! Ako, wait!" But she can hear the footsteps by her side; that's fine. Having her friend with her makes her feel all the braver. Brave enough, at least, to timidly peek through the entrance gate, staring at the backs of the duelists taking the path forward. In front of the wolves, the beautiful night sky begins to seep up into the horizon.

"...That's right... will need to improve." The conversation becomes a bit more audible. "Currently, your priority... focusing on... calmer style."

"Yes... give it my best shot..." it's starting to fade; Ako takes a few steps forward onto the pavement, following them. Then, she hears it.

"Good... as much as we can... for Roselia."

Roselia.

Roselia, Roselia, Roselia. That's... that's so cool. That's such a cool name, that fits PERFECTLY for fallen angels or something similar. Is that the name of, like, their club or something? Are they a dueling group? They were talking about dueling, weren't they?

"Um, Ako... we... probably shouldn't be eavesdropping..."

"O-oh, right!" It's now or never. Ako gets ready to run. "I'm... gonna talk to them, Rinrin. Wish me luck!"

"O-oh. O-okay..." She hears her friend say, as she rushes forward. Of course, Rinko's footsteps can still be heard alongside hers as she moves.

Eventually, Roselia's duelists hear the movement, and they turn their heads around. Ako stops, on the spot; their gazes are strong, frightening. Almost like the ones from SDA students and the like. But... there's something in them, something that really makes Ako want to talk.

So. "U-um! Greetings; my name is Ako Udagawa, fallen angel of the abyss!" She strikes a pose.

...No response. The duelists turn their heads back, and begin walking again.

"W-wait!" She keeps going forward. She's experienced that reaction too many times to let her stop now, too many times to let it stop her from finding out who these duelists are. She HAS to know; she's not sure how often she sees people who look THIS cool. "U-um! Are you two part of a dueling group, or a club? It's called Roselia, right?"

One doesn't respond, but there's a scowl from the other, the beast of the mythril mane. "...We're not interested in playing games. Find someone else."

Ako hears her friend yelp at the blunt tone. But she's not going to leave with nothing this time; "I-I'm serious!" She says, continuing to tail them. "I'm not just any duelist, either! I'm a fallen angel, like you guys!"

"...A what?" Mythril responds.

"Y-you know! Not necessarily literally, but like. It's the same kind of feeling, you know? You're cool!"

"I-" Mythril sighs. "...What am I hearing?"

"Sayo," the other one responds. So THAT'S her name! "Just ignore her. Let's go."

"...Right."

"Wait! I'm coming with!" She says, but she feels her hand being grasped; Rinko's right behind her. "Ah. Rinrin..."

"U-um..."

"...Sorry, Rinrin. I'm... gonna follow them. Don't worry about me," she says. She can feel a bead of sweat on her face; she wants, more than anything, to learn about them.

"N-no, I'm not worried..." her friend mewls. "I-I mean, I am, but... I'll... I mean, I want to... follow them too."

"...Right," she nods, and smiles. "Thanks, Rinrin."

They move hand-in-hand, and eventually catch up with the duelists again. "You guys!"

There's no response immediately. So she keeps following them. They pass under the leaves of the trees, the birds flying by their side.

Eventually, she can hear the sigh from Sayo again. "...Right. I'm not having them tail us all the way, Yukina." She turns to face the demon lord head-on, finally. "Please stop following us. You should focus your drive on something else. Understood?"

Is she kidding? This is the most excited Ako's ever felt. "Not understood!" Sayo releases another exasperated sigh, but Ako continues; "I wanna join this Roselia! You're both so, MEGA cool! What decks do you use? I wanna see, I wanna duel you! I wanna know more about you!"

"For the love of... Roselia isn't-!"

"Sayo." Her companion starts, and Sayo quietens. Ako now stands face-to-face with the duelist called Yukina, and she keeps her smile on her face the whole time. It's a contrast to Yukina's kind of sharp, focused expression of necro-neutrality... which is kind of really cool, actually. "...You. Why did you follow us?"

"Because, because! I wanna know more about you guys! And maybe even join you!" Ako means it. This is the first opportunity she feels like she could have in ages. She might not even have another one, after this; there's so many rejections, constantly, in her life now, and she can't keep up with them.

"...Our group is one you'd regret getting to know. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it's better spent elsewhere," Yukina divulges what looks like saged wisdom. She's AWESOME! "There are plenty of dueling groups that could use your energy and identity."

"No! It has to be this Roselia!" Ako declares. "Nobody else. Nobody else even wants me in their group. It has to be you!"

"...Ako..." her friend's grip tightens.

Sayo tries to start again, but Yukina throws out an arm, blocking her; "Do you want to see if you're qualified to enter?"

"...What?!"

"...W-what?"

"WHAT?! REALLY?" Ako's the one yelling it at the top of her lungs. She can't believe it! Finally! "Yeah! I'll pull it off with, like... BOOM! BA-DUM! The power of demon lord Ako is a mighty ally to have!"

"...Then, fulfill my condition before speaking to me again," Yukina says. "Show me your duel disc."

Ako happily gives her wrist out; amber eyes of the night gaze upon the orb at the center of the disk, as everyone else watches in suspense. A few taps on the touch-responsive array, and Ako's duel history is projected from the disk, displaying itself to Roselia. 

What's the task? What is it going to be? She's so excited! She can't contain herself, she just has to jump up and down and up and-

"...From this second onwards," Yukina begins, "Find duelists around the Haneoka-Hanasakigawa dual-district and face them. All of them should be at least moderately serious players, with a 50% win rate at minimum. Win against twenty of them in a row, starting from now, and you can join. Lose even one duel, and you will instantly fail."

Three sets of gasps, instantly.

...

...It's... That's nearly impossible. That's a mountain of a task.

...It's an even COOLER challenge than she thought it'd be! 

"I'll do it!" Ako responds, jumping and giving a salute. "Leave it to me. The next twenty duels on the blade of demon lord Ako will be glorious, dark victories!"

"Y-you will?" Rinko asks. Ako turns back to her briefly, and nods.

The duelist called Sayo looks far beyond exasperated, for a second; but then her gaze calms, as if she's hit a moment of realization. Did she figure out Ako's secret powers? 

Yukina speaks. "Then, that's all. Until then, don't talk to us again."

They leave in silence once more. Ako waves at their figures as they depart into the deep blue; "Got it! I'll see you later, fellow demons of the night! I'll show you my strength and join, I promise!" No response; that's how quiet and awesome they are.

She has it. She has something, now. Something that will finally, finally let her duel. Something beyond NSO, out of her family's reach. Ako swears now, she'll unleash every power she has, spread every wing from her back and soar headfirst into the stars.

"...Ako..." Rinko starts. "...Are you... going to...?"

Ako already knows, what this is about; "...Yeah. Don't worry, I'll take care of myself. I'll pack lunches, train fares, all of it, and keep myself safe. And I'll head back home every night, so they know I'm safe."

The queen of fallen angels turns to her friend. She can see Rinko's eyes, wavering; they're worried. This is why Ako's blessed, why she can keep moving forward.

The night sky begins its ascent through the sunset. The two of them are bathed in the luminescence of lavender-orange.

Ako's eyes blaze in the moonlight, and her words flow. "...I'm going to join Roselia, no matter what."


	7. Open

She made a vow.

It's the morning, but the soft, sombre blue of the sky and its wispy white clouds show that it's much earlier than the time one'd get up to go to school. That's because Lisa Imai has something important to do before she studies for the day; and that's to check on her friend.

It's a long climb, up and down the stairs every morning, but it's worth it. It's not a schedule that allows too many nice outfits, but Lisa manages to settle for some passable compromises, such as today's combination of opened moss trench-coat, red sweater, beige shorts and winter tights. There's nothing like a good ensemble to keep yourself motivated with, and she's got plenty of experience and enthusiasm in making those.

Sometimes, she'll even kick herself up extra early for these trips. That way, she'll have time spare to use the kitchen, letting her make something a little more filling for Roselia than the simple rice dish symbolising the extent of her friend's cooking capabilities. There's some occasions where her friend skips breakfast entirely, so it pays dividends to try and push her alarms back. 

Today obviously isn't one of those days, though; unlike her friend, even Lisa can't make herself wake up so early on Mondays. So she's just brought takeout from some of the 24-7 restaurant chains, to store in the fridge again. Going to school and staying at home keeps her apart from Roselia a lot, but there's always at least a few things she can do. There's always at least a few steps forward she can take... no matter how hard it is, to make out her friend's back in the fog.

It takes long enough, but she's at the entrance to the base now. All the walking'll keep her legs toned, at least, so that's a silver lining.

Lisa opens the door without a shred of hesitation. There stands Yukina Minato in the hallway, treasured childhood friend for nearly a decade and a half. Yukina's a lot of things; for starters, she used to flip between charismatic and mewling pretty easily, depending on what you put in front of her. She was fussy about food and mathematics, and couldn't tell a rake from a mop, but she was always calm and happy when it came to dueling. It's like she could waltz you through the ballroom one moment, and then scowl in the next as she stares down the caviar on the dinner plate. She still tried to overcome that from time to time, though; there was a determined frown on her face, sometimes, when she tried not to prick herself with a sewing needle or let the cookies burn in the oven. It was such a different kind of expression from the confidence and collection she carried when it came to her life's passion. The contrast was adorable, honestly. It still shows even now, albeit once a month at most. Lisa takes every one of those moments and holds them tight, tighter and tighter the rarer they become, the further and further her friend's figure fades into the darkness beyond. Running and running, as fast as she can. Their life was once a road trip, where they gazed up at the starry sky every single night. Now, the vehicle's broken down, and Lisa has to keep wandering, keep walking through this shadowy, shaded forest, so that she can keep finding her friend and continue to walk beside her. 

As Yukina turns to face her, Lisa recalls a day when they were younger, and her friend was standing in front of her, striking silver hair floating lightly in the air, just like this. Except that they were in Yukina's home, rather than here. And Yukina was carrying the most cherished expression in the world; a smile. 

...At the very least, Yukina's black cotton coat and striped shirt indicate that she still changes clothes. She probably uses the cosmetics Lisa gives her, too, since the bags under her eyes look artificially (if sloppily) muted. Lisa makes a sigh of relief... and then perks herself up. "Morning, Yukina!"

"...Good morning. Did you come to practice?"

"Ahaha~, I wish. I couldn't get up that early today, though," she responds. Placing one hand on her hip forms a pose that tends to makes her friend worry less. "Oh, I'll be ready this evening, though. For now, I've got enough time to tidy this place up before school starts, so I'll get on with that."

"..." Yukina's expression remains blank. "I see. Thank you. Sayo has hung up the laundry, so you don't have to worry about that. If you need either of us, we'll be dueling outside on the shrine grounds soon."

"Got it! Keep warm if you're going out, Yukina~," Lisa says. She's about to reach a hand out and stroke Yukina's hair, an instinctual motion after all these years... but she manages to draw back in time. "I-I'll just dust the place down, and store the takeout."

Yukina opens the door to the patio, but she doesn't leave yet; she just rests at the hinge for now, letting out a stifled breath and watching Lisa's cleaning activity. There's a look in her amber eyes most would call cold... but to Lisa, it looks stiff. Strained.

...Yukina's looked at her that way a lot, lately. She keeps her grin up in response, of course, but the message that look always carries has been haunting her more and more, lately. 

She knows the message's contents. They're begging Lisa to leave.

A couple minutes pass, and a door opens. Lisa turns to her left, and sees Roselia's recent addition emerge from the shadows at exactly 7 'o clock sharp, duel disk in hand. Her clothing is as wrinkled as Yukina's is, and possibly even more plain; it's also kind of scary to Lisa how she can walk around in the winter with a short-sleeved blouse and an undershirt. 

It's not even that intimidating, though, compared to the stare she gives Lisa. They're only known each other for about a week, but Lisa already feels like Sayo has something against her. Still, she beams; "Good morning, Sayo! Have you had breakfast?"

"I have. I woke up an hour back."

"...Sayo," Yukina starts. She's gazing at an information display from her duel disk as she speaks; "You have the deck arrangement I asked you to prepare, correct?"

"I do. I'm ready for our training," Sayo responds. "...Are you looking at the record of that duelist from yesterday?"

"That's right."

"Eh?" Lisa pokes her head into the conversation, and heads over to Yukina's side. "What's this about? Did you manage to scout another person?"

"...No," Yukina responds, looking at a series of information logs. "Sayo and I simply ran into someone on our way back yesterday. Likely about two years younger. She was rather insistent on joining after she overheard us, so I gave her a deliberately impossible test."

"...I thought as much," Sayo says, nodding. "I had a hunch, after you abruptly shifted to humouring her."

"I see..." Lisa looks through the log alongside Yukina. Then whoa, hang on; she notices the name of the duelist. "Eh?! You guys ran into Ako?"

"...Is she someone you know?" Yukina asks.

"Yeah! I guess it's a small world." A red-haired rider flies back into her memory; a person who Lisa's been friends with for what, 4 years? Hot-blooded and kind, but a little too selfless for her own good. She's someone who should have her back watched. "I've only seen her a couple of times, and I haven't met her face-to-face, but I know her sister Tomoe pretty well. Tomoe's friend circle is really nice, and they're good at dueling too! I owe Tomoe a lot."

"I see," Yukina observes. "But Roselia will only thrive if it has the strongest duelists around, and most of Ako's duel history is very old; she's lacking in real-world experience."

"Mmmm. I think Tomoe tells me she does most of her dueling online with her friend. She's pretty into it, apparently."

"That means little on its own," Yukina responds; right, the focus is on Ako's skills right now. There's no room for small talk, huh? "Online platforms are very helpful for dueling, but there are certain challenges that come from using holographs in real life like we do. Furthermore, Roselia's path is likely unsuited to her. If she has friends who care for her, and lacks connections to the SDA, then her time is better spent elsewhere."

Her gaze is focused on Lisa as she says that last part.

"...For now," she continues, "Roselia still has 3 members. In any case, that's enough talk. Sayo, I'll head outside; meet me there in 5 minutes at most. We still have a long way to go."

"Understood."

With that, Yukina closes the door behind her. Honestly, Lisa's glad. If Yukina's challenge really is impossible for Ako, then she won't be able to join. Tomoe says she's a responsible, outgoing and kind girl, so she probably has a lot of friends... and this place is pretty secluded, so it'd cut her off from all of them. Not to mention how much her family'd be worried about her, and vice versa. If Yukina had declared they'd be taking Ako in, Lisa probably wouldn't have agreed to it, even if would benefit Roselia. She can only imagine how distraught Tomoe would feel about it.

Speaking of Roselia members... right, Sayo! She's standing there, deep in thought. Lisa tries to connect to her other pal; "You're dueling Yukina again today, right? How's it going?"

"...About as expected." You could swear there's a frown on Sayo's face, but blink and her expression is blank. "I'm still nowhere near her level."

"That figures. Yukina really loves dueling, after all." It sounds about right. Lisa's managed to dig enough conversation out from this spiky wolf to know that she was ranked 5th at the SDA... but Yukina is something else entirely. Her passion flows out so fiercely, her voice splits the earth so strongly, when you duel her, that it makes you forget about everything else. That's been the case for so long; it's how Lisa felt about her dueling even back when they were kids.

...There's something missing now, though. Something that isn't easy to put into words.

"And what about you?" Sayo snaps Lisa out of the haze, unexpectedly; she's normally already outside by now. "Your performance against me last week was incredibly lacking, after all. Have you trained any further with Yukina since?"

It's the same stare and reception that Lisa gets every other day. But Lisa hasn't stopped trying to reach out to a friend before, and she's not about to stop now. "Yeah, I've been weight-lifting a bit! Not sure if I'm even near you yet, though. You're really strong, Sayo!"

"...I see." 

"...Hmmm. Hey, Sayo, do you ever wear earrings?"

"That's enough."

"I- ...huh?" she's cut off; Sayo's words are even sharper than usual, and her tone's taken some strange kind of hostility to it.

"Why are you at this place, Lisa Imai?"

...

Well, that's a bit of a loaded question. But the answer's always been the same. "For Yukina, obviously."

"Does your presence here benefit her?"

"Aw, come on, Sayo," she shields. "Yukina doesn't even bother to boil coffee when she's alone. I can't leave her be."

"I am aware of her lack of domestic abilities. But I doubt that's all there is to it."

"It's not a matter of what there is or isn't." Lisa keeps smiling, but... she's multitasking this conversation with checking shops on her phone now, her hands tapping link after link. "Yukina's my friend. That's why I gotta stick by her, y'know?"

"..." Sayo lets out a malcontented breath. "...I do not know what led you to follow Yukina and her path. But from my point of view, your presence here is a negative factor. This past week has thoroughly informed me that you're not professionally skilled in dueling, or serious about improving. That kind of sloppiness is a detriment to this group's practice."

"...Well, you're right about me not being that good," Lisa says. "But that won't stop me. I'm not leaving Yukina alone. Not until I can make her smile again."

"Roselia is not a place for smiles."

Lisa's hands stop. Her expression fades.

"This is not a joyful path. Me and Yukina are here because we are willing to toil and bleed until the Shirasagi Duel Academy falls. It is not an enemy that will fall to emotion or kindness."

...

"Frankly, if you are here to make us focus on anything other than dueling, then you are destined to fail." Sayo heads towards the door. "...You're not like me. You have a life that can be better spent elsewhere. If you value it, you should quit Roselia as soon as possible. That's all I have to say."

The door shuts cleanly. Lisa continues cleaning. She tries to sing, but her voice is unwilling to communicate.

Soon after, the sounds of emerging monsters echo from outside. Roars reverberate under the room; Lisa has to remind herself that they won't cause any actual vibrations getting in the way of her cleaning, since it's not too often that she duels using holograms. Still, she adjusts the neglected flower vase sitting on the shelf in the dining room, making sure it won't topple over too easily.

...She tries to stay positive. Sayo's honesty is blunt, but... she's also probably right, about one thing; Roselia won't find a happier path that easily.

But Lisa Imai is not the sort of person who abandons those she holds dear. Supporting others is the reason why she keeps moving forward. 

She remembers, remembers so many things. Her blade is forged from memories, memories of shared joy. Joy from playing together, dueling together, eating together, laughing together, crying together and failing together. Lisa has seen the full range of expression and the full range of emotion Yukina Minato can give, and their bond has stood the test of time for day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year. Clear skies, sunny skies, cloudy skies, starry skies, rainy days, foggy days, windy days, misty days. There's so many memories that only she and Yukina know of, so many moments that only belong to them, so many moments that only the two of them can treasure. 

And if Yukina's become unable to treasure them now, then Lisa is the only one who can. That means she has to. After all, they promised, ever since they were little, that they would stay together no matter what. Not even the creation of Roselia has stopped Lisa from being able to follow her friend. No matter how much everything has hurt, no matter how many times she and Yukina have desperately faced each other down with their swords sheathed, Lisa has stood by her side unfailingly. If Lisa gave up now and went home, gave up on the possibility of helping her friend enjoy her life again, and gave up on their promise... she'd never forgive herself. That action would go against absolutely everything her code stands for, absolutely everything she stands for.

...But that doesn't mean the problem will fix itself if she's just here. Lisa knows from the past year; every gesture of affection she makes, every piece of help she offers, it only serves to make Yukina feel worse. Lisa isn't doing enough to help her friend right now; if she was, then she'd already be succeeding, wouldn't she?

She needs to find a way. She wants to believe Yukina can be happy without fighting an enemy that massive, an enemy that enduring. Yukina doesn't deserve to have her life pigeonholed into this, no matter what she says. It's not fair for Yukina, and for Sayo, to be stuck here all alone. Lisa wants Roselia to be able to enjoy life, too.

She grips her fist tight, and tries not to shake. She swears she'll find a way. No matter what. If it's for her friends, anything should be possible for her.

She just needs to know... what does she have to do, to make Yukina feel happy again?

\---

A spill.

"ACK!" It happens when a piece of paper slips from the stack on her arms, and her foot slides over it. She caroons to the floor, and- OH GOD, thathurtsthathurtsthathurts... at the very least, the paper and bundles of pink hair soften the blow to her face. Otherwise her nose'd proooooooooooobably be broken. Not a good look for her.

"A-are you okay?!" Oh, great, just great; she looks up, and sees a student who got a full view of the incident right in front of her.

Still, maybe she can seem a little more charismatic if she looks like she's shrugging it off. So she jumps up from the ground, giving the student a beaming thumbs-up. "Y-yup! I'm all good!" She says, ignoring the aches and- ooo, that stings. Ow. Owieowieowie. She tries not to cry at the pain.

"...I-I see..." The student nods, returns a much more awkward thumbs-up, and then continues down the hallway. She breathes a sigh of relief; she gets to work on stacking the papers back up, as tedious as it is. Hopefully the student council didn't need these files to be in a certain order, because she's just put them back together at random. Good job, Himari... real smooth...

Fortunately, the council's perfectly amicable as she hands everything over; the praise feels nice, and they seem perfectly content to sort out whatever got muddled themselves, so that's nice. Still, she feels phooey.

...Mggggggghhhhh...... this is a bad start to the Monday... maybe if she sulks on her desk, Moca'll do the classic therapy and ruffle her hair for her.

Okay, better. Thoughts of her friends are starting to flood in now, and that always makes her ready! Chin up, Himari Uehara; time for Afterglow's leader to report in!

She descends down the stairs with aplomb; maybe a pale-brown coat, pink dress and tights don't give off the most heroic aura, but the big scarf'll help with that, right? If it's flowing, that is. She has to make sure not to trip over it when she's walking down. And there her friends are, right at the bottom; time for her to descend! "Good MOORRRRRNING, Afterglow!"

"Whoaaa, Himahima's hyped~," Moca calls out.

Yes, validation! "Ehehe, feel free to keep up praises!" She responds.

"Good morning, Himari!" Tsugumi waves beside Ran, who's kind of curled into a ball at the bottom of the stairs as Moca leans on her back. She's... been feeling more and more down lately over the past week, hasn't she?

Oh, right, Tsugumi! "Good morning, Tsugu!" She says, giving out a hand for a high-five; Tsugu timidly returns it with an honestly adorable smile. "Oh! Tsugu, those earrings look great on you!"

"Y-you think so? Thank you!" Yeah, they do! Go get em', Tsugu... oh! A bandaid? "Here; your nose is bruised, Himari."

"You're an angel, Tsugu!" She plasters it on her nose; who cares if it helps or not? Between the sunflowers on her ears and the sun that's, like, stored in her face, Tsugumi is really cute right now. W-well, cute in like, the girl sense. As in, not cute in the gay sense. Wait, is it homophobic to think that?

...Speaking of girls, actually! "Oh, you guys! Where's Tomoe at?" Himari asks.

"Oooo, good question. Tomoe usually shows up before class starts~," Moca replies. "Wonder what she's doing."

"Hmmmm... strange..." A mystery for the leader to learn about, then. But first... "Ran! I bought some sweets with me. Do you want one?"

Ran leans her head up, shoving Moca aside a bit; she looks a little tired, but she takes a gummy bear. "...Thanks," she says. "Good morning."

"That's more like it!" Himari responds, making a little fistpump before taking a couple of gummy bears for herself... and feeling a pair of hungry eyes on her. "...Moooooca... dooooooon't stare at me like that..."

"Hehe~. You caught onto my thieving ways. Darn."

"Oh phew, you were just trying to steal. I thought you were gonna tell me to go on a diet..." Wait a minute. "...Hey, don't steal them!"

"Fufu, don't worry, Himahima~. I would never seek to reduce your cuddliness factor~."

"Grrrr..." Himari pinches two of Moca's cheeks, eliciting fake yells of pain from the gremlin. "Don't tell me you want me to be chubby!"

"Worrorry noououoot, yoyoyung ooone," Moca responds, her 'Wisened Teacher' voice distorted by Himari's pulling of her facial muscles. Oh, she should probably stop that before it hurts, actually. "Choose whatever path of food you please. If you ever have more than you'd want, Moca will absorb it through osmosis for you-"

That's as far as she gets, because Ran gives her an abrupt poke on the forehead. "Don't tease her. You're causing a scene."

...Right. Focus, Himari! She gives her remaining sweets to Moca to sate the beast's hunger, then sits down on the stairs next to her grumpy lil' pal. Being a good leader means listening to your friends' worries! "Ran, how're you doing?"

Ran's not looking at Himari; it's typical of her, but her face looks a little weightier than usual. "...I'm fine."

"...R-right! H-how're dueling lessons going? A-and..." think... think... "...how's class? Is it scary not being in the same as ours?" 

"...It's fine." Oh no, she's still scowling. Should Himari have not brought that up?

"I-I see! That's... good..." Uuuuuu. Her attempts have already ended like this a lot over the past few days. Still, that doesn't mean Himari's gonna stop; not when her friends need cheering up! "...Want another sweet?"

"...I'm good. Thanks."

Silence.

...ARGH, this isn't working! Himari can feel the smile on her face shake a bit. Time to make an impulse decision, then! "...Right... um, Ran! How's your f- I mean! How's home?"

A sigh. Ran looks... positively depressed. Great, good job Himari; messed it up again. All she can do is stare at Ran as Moca hovers around the area. All she can do... is just look... at her friend's really sad and really sobby face... really just... go to town on looking at it! Just absolutely slam her eyes into it!

...Oh no, she's gonna cry. "Urggggggggh......" It's just not fair! Poor Ran!

"...H-Himari? Are you okay?" Tsugumi asks, surprised. Of course she's not!

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" Himari bawls, hurling her arms right around her friend. "I'm... hic... worrrrried about yyyyyouuuu!"

"W-why all of a sudden?!" Ran's exasperated, but Himari is Afterglow's leader; she can't HELP it!!!!!! It's not fun watching her friend be sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Wow, Ran~," Moca digs salt into the wound. "You made poor Himanectarine cry."

"Y-you're gonna make her cry more with a nickname that bad!"

"Oops~. Give her this, then~."

"I- fine."

Give her what? Himari looks up, then sees Ran holding out a sweet; yeah, she could use it. "Sniff... thanks, Ran. Sorry that I'm the one crying..."

"W-well, maybe she just needs a bit more time, Himari." Tsugumi says, causing Ran to look away again. Himari can... feel Tsugumi petting her head a bit. D'aw.

"Sniff..." she wipes her tears, then tries to pump herself up. "I guess so. Ran, tell us if you wanna talk, okay? You can count on your leader!"

"Me too! We're always here for you, Ran," Tsugumi pipes in.

"I-I will. Sorry for... making you guys worry." Ran gets up, expression unchanged, and throws her bag on. "I'll... go to class now. See you later."

Well, that's something, at least. Himari stands up and stretches her shoulders a bit. She may have accomplished... well, nothing, with that attempt, but at least everyone's still friends. That's the least she can do.

The bell rings, and Himari heads to class with Tsugumi and Moca in tow; she really does hope Ran talks to them, soon. Ran's always stood with the rest of Afterglow, but... sometimes she feels so distant. It's so hard to tell what's going on in her head, to the point that Himari wishes she could just, like... jump into people's brains and cheer them up from the inside. Wait, on second thought, that sounds icky; maybe she'll just take a page from Moca's book and start snarking constantly, and that'll poke Ran out of her shell a bit.

Unfortunately, Himari is seated right in front of Moca, meaning that she has to deal with being incessantly poked from behind every day while everyone's waiting for the teacher. All she can do is sulk on her chair as Tsugumi tries to dissuade the gremlin, until...

A door opens, and Himari catches a flicker of red. She jolts her head up immediately and looks at Tomoe entering the room, and her friends follow her gaze.

"...M-morning, guys!" Tomoe tries to slap on a haphazard smile, and gives a meek wave, the sort you see a socially awkward dad on TV chuck out. "Uh, sorry I'm late."

...

This is... Tomoe, right?

"Hey, Tomo." Moca says, playing her words comically straight. "Go back outside and then inside again, and yell that thing. The thing you always yell."

"T-the thing? Oh, right. Uh. Okay!" 

...........Tomoe waaaaalks out. Then the door cloooooses........... 

...........And theeeeen the dooooor oooooopeeeeens again........... slooooowly...........

...........aaaaaaaaaand Tomoe juuuust quuuiieeeetlyyyyy waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalks in again. "...S-soiya?"

...

Three of Afterglow's gazes are directed right at Tomoe. Suspicious. 

"...Um! M-morning, Tomoe! How're you doing?" Tsugumi tries to start.

"O-oh. Morning," Tomoe says again.

"O-Tomo-tone~, what's up? Everything chill at the Udagawa house?"

"Uh... yeah, everything's chill over here! Frosty, even! How're you guys doing?"

Oh no, no no no. Himari's not having TWO of Afterglow's members walk around like zombies today. "Tooooomooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," Himari starts, growling.

"Y-yeah? What's up?"

She walks over to her friend's location and gives the most intimidating stare she can muster. Tomoe looks kind of... vacant. "Tomoe. TOMOE. To. Mo. E. Tell me what's going on, now."

But Tomoe doesn't bite, wearing that same jovial smile she always tries to keep. "Ahaha... thanks for the concern, but don't worry, don't worry. I think I just woke up on the wrong side of bed, or something."

"...Tomoe..." Tsugumi starts. "Is something going on with-"

But the normally vivacious red-haired rider cuts in, with all the grace of a crashing motorcycle. "A-ah, ah, I just remembered! I have, uh... I have to bring some files to the student council... uh..." She says, but then she frowns and just stands there. "...Oh, right. I don't. I, uh, forgot."

Tomoe's awful at lying, as per usual- wait. Waitwaitwaitwaitwait. "Wait a sec! Tsugu, do you know what's going on?" Himari's desperately trying to gather information; how is she not in on what's happening? What's Tomoe going through? Did she get in trouble?

"A-ah! Sorry, I’m not certain about it... never mind." Oh no, Tsugumi won't budge either now. Has she already been silenced? 

Himari looks to Moca to see if she knows anything, but Moca just smiles and shrugs. "Beats me. Maybe Ako stole her pudding?"

"N-no, nothing like that! It's fine, it's fine!" Tomoe pulls a bit of a smile back up.

"Tomoe, wait-" But the bell rings. Himari wants to press further, but Tomoe quickly hops over to her seat, and the teacher walks in, silencing the room.

Urghgghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Urghghgghgghhhhhhhhhh...ghghhgg.h....ghhhhhhhh. Himari faceplants on her desk. As she reels a bit from the pain on her forehead, the back of her hand meets the sensation of crackling plastic; she takes the packet of sweets from Moca and tucks it into her pocket. Thanks, Moca. 

Soon after that, the lesson's on, and Himari has to pay attention to HISTORY studies again whether she likes it or not. She can't help but daydream, though, and her head looks up to the ceiling. She tries to imagine, like, Tsugumi's Mewfeiulle or something, jumping over a fence back and forth again and again in her head, but the thought only has so much of a cuteness factor before Himari gets distracted, and she turns her head to look at Tomoe. Tomoe just gives her a wave; at this point, her perfectly chill and friendly smile has already masked her face. Why was she late? What's going on?

Urgh. Himari sighs, and opens to page 13. She doesn't know how to describe it, but... something about Afterglow just doesn't feel right, lately. It's not just her, is it?

\---

Tweet, tweet, the birds in the sky go, flying somewhere she doesn't know.

What species're they? They're so cheerful, so perky. If she just became a bird right now and soared away, she wouldn't have to think about schoolwork right now... although she's not sure if there's a market for bird duel disks. Maybe somewhere out there.

".......Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu." The extended groan from her mouth changes pitch frequently enough to sound like its own song. The opera of Himari, Moca'd call it.

Himari collapses onto the bench, and immediately bumps the back of her head on the wooden planks. Startled, she yelps and presses her hands to the afflicted area, singing sweet lullabies to try and soothe the- oh god, ow, it hurts. Great, that's the 2nd misfortune Wednesday's given her so far; she's already damaged her right scrunchie beyond repair after getting it stuck on a tree branch, so she just has to sit here like a dummy as a big forest of hair tangles itself inside her scarf.

...This is a cool scarf, though. Striped, pink and white, it matches even today's ensemble of grey fluff-lined coat and long pink skirt. And hey, it fits with the rose-gold earrings too, a bit; maybe it'll redeem her hair a bit? Give her one of those 'messy but still rocking it' days. She sure hopes so! After all, if the fashion of Himari Co-ordination Queen Uehara is falling apart, then that's a baaaaaaaaaad sign.

She sighs, looking up at the sweet, sultry sky; it's painted that soft, happy blue, with wispy white clouds lazily making their way up. It's an hour before school begins, and she's just... sitting here, in this park! It's a pretty ok park; it's pretty barren, being mostly plain crumbly dirt with a few trees planted at the side, but it's wide, and the brick wall at the edges makes it feel like a little enclosed space for Himari. You could probably hold a holographic duel in here, if you wanted to. It's large and empty enough for that. Sure is empty, alright.

Yup. She's sitting here, she sure is. She sure is just... sitting here. She pushed herself to head out and make use of the fact that she set her alarm early, but... all she can think about is Afterglow. So now she's just... sitting here. In a park, without the other members of Afterglow to actually talk with. Most of them might not even be awake. Maybe Tomoe, if she isn't being a big grumpus now.

..............................................

...GOD, she thinks. Would it kill for everyone to just talk about their problems sometimes? If Ran or Tomoe would just break their stoicism or cool factor for one moment and ask her for advice, that'd be swell. Why can't she make them do that? Well, sure, she's probably not the best at advice, compared to Tsugumi, but she's here and that should count for something!

...Urggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." As every part of her body whinges, Himari wonders; is she the leader of Afterglow, or is she a clown? Is she the head of a dueling group, or the head of a circus? It's not fair. She just wants to help, but it's so hard! Constantly! At least her right-hand Moca's full of cheer and throwing sweets her way, and Tsugumi always keeps her going... but Ran's been even quieter than usual, and now Tomoe's suddenly clammed up too! Himari evidently isn't doing what's listed in her job description, is she?

...She wonders. Tomoe's thing might just be temporary, but Ran's problem has lasted like, at least a few years. Pretty much everyone in Afterglow knows that Ran's dad is being mean to her when it comes to dueling. Parent's worries or something, probably. But Ran just doesn't wanna talk about it, so she's just becoming even grouchier with each passing day. Or actually, come to think of it, maybe she's just too scared to talk about it. Poor Ran. Himari just wants to give her a big hug and tell her it'll be okay, but she doesn't know if everything will be okay. It's not like Ran can just say "I'm gonna duel, Dad," and then walk out. It sucks, too, because she used to be really enthusiastic about inheriting the Mitake school. Her arrangements were always so pretty, even if Himari doesn't really know anything about flower language. Now she just gets bitter whenever she passes by a florist's shop, and that probably isn't making the Dad issues any lighter, huh?

Well, enough negativity! Is there anything good old Himari can do? Any cheer she can bring? Time for a brainstorm session! Hmmmmmmmmmm....... wellllllllll..... maaaybe she couuuuld duellllll... her Dad? No, that probably wouldn't work; she hasn't seen her Dad duel even once, and he probably wouldn't want to play the sport he hates either. Then... how about...

Nope, nothing else is coming to mind. With that one idea, her mind is already spent. Maybe she really is a clown. Oh god, is she gonna cry again?

...A sniffle. Well, that's comforting, at least. She wipes the tear and opens her diary; maybe she should turn this thing into, like, an information base on Afterglow. She'll write a page for each member and detail their strengths and flaws, in true leader fashion, or something. Ran's will be something like... 'strong' for strength, and 'reserved' for flaw, and Moca will be 'smart' for strength and 'keeps bringing milkshakes and placing them in the dueling field so she can make jokes every time a hot lady monster gets summoned' for flaw. Although come to think of it, she got pretty low grades on her tests last year, didn't she? Maybe 'lazy' would be better for the flaw listing, then.

...Hmmmmmmmmm. Is this gonna help? She's writing it down, alright, but considering how often she steps on landmines whenever she tries to cheer her friends up, maybe every attempt she makes is just destined to blow up in her face or something. Is she cursed? It's possible. She DID accidentally think Tsugumi's birthday was a day earlier than it was, once, and brought the present in the middle of her work shift only for every customer there to stare at her. Maybe this is just divine punishment for that.

...Urgh. Himari slacks until she's basically lying vertically on the bench. Is she a bad leader? Is she just a fool?

"Huh? Is that you, Himari?"

"Eh?!" She jumps from her seat; whoa, she was daydreaming way too much. She's lucky whoever's calling her name isn't like, a pickpocket or something. Wait, who is it?

Himari spots the shadow by her feet, and looks up to her right; "...Oh, Lisa! Oh my god, I'm so lucky. I could really use the company right now."

Lisa smiles, and god she's an angel. "Well, I'm glad to provide! Nice to see a familiar face here. This park is really nice, isn't it?"

"Yeah... even with all the leaves gone in the Winter, it's so quaint, right? Oh my god, Lisa, your outfit looks great again today!" Black off-the-shoulder shirt, with a blurred grey pattern rising from the bottom, wide-rimmed red coat, blue jeans... it's a combination she's not really good at describing, but she loves it! And those earrings? They're like, diamond-shaped, but they each have this crystal in the center that looks like it changes colours through the rainbow when they move. She ASPIRES to Lisa's style, honestly. 

"Ahaha, you think~? I spent half an hour staring at my wardrobe today, so that's nice to hear! It's a good thing if it matches your tastes, Himari." 

Hehe. She almost sniffs. "Lisaaaaa, I miiiiiiissed you!" She gets up from the bench and grabs Lisa's hands, jumping up and down in joy. Himari wouldn't dare admit it, probably, but she really really REALLY could use the company. "It's been a real funktown here, lately. I dunno what to do!"

"Eh, really?" Lisa sits down, and gestures Himari to do so as well. Gladly obliged! "How's the gang doing?"

"Ohhh my god, so..." she launches into a tirade without even realising it. It's been about... a month or so since they last met up? She's got a LOT to cover; she touches upon them finally attending Circle, all of their mishaps, how they're all training, how popular Ran's gotten... hopefully Lisa won't mind. But then again, she never does, because GOD Himari wishes she could have Lisa's patience. She goes through duel after duel, too; Lisa's especially happy to hear about all of Himari's matches with Tomoe, and gets pretty curious about Ran. "...and then Ran just picked one monster from my whole field again, and attacked it, and I lost! That made me feel so silly. Oh, also, did I mention she started buying a ton of punk accessories lately?"

"No, you didn't mention that either~!" Lisa speaks along, in sing-song. "Rebellious phase, maybe? You did say it was feeling like a funktown here lately."

"Oh, right! I almost forgot!" Himari feels almost bad, telling Lisa about this, but... "It's just... UGHHGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH, you feel me? Ran in particular's been so moody lately... I feel sorry for her! Tsugumi keeps doing work like usual, but I worry about her still, and..." she wants to continue about Tomoe, and Moca, but her limbs are draining and Lisa's lap is looking mighty comfy. "...I'm just so tiiiiiiired, Lisa. I feel like nothing I'm doing's working."

"Ahaha... yeah, I get that feeling, sometimes."

"Eh? You do?" Himari leans her head back up. That's crazy to hear; Lisa? The brunette who could hastily bake a batch of cookies 30 minutes before Tomoe's birthday party and still have them taste amazing? The Lisa who keeps checking up on everyone, even if she's only briefly acquainted with them? "What's been going on over on your side, Lisa? Lemme hear you out! ...Why're you in casual clothes, actually? Doesn't your school have uniforms?"

"Yeah! I'm just normally awake at this time now," Lisa responds, an easy smile on her face. "I meet up with a few friends of mine on most mornings. I get changed while I'm with them, then head out for school afterwards."

"Eh? Eh? Are you part of some breakfast club, or something? Do you have a secret base?"

"Ahaha~! Yeah, something like that, I guess. They're not very good at the whole breakfast thing though."

"They're lucky to have you, then!" Lisa makes a kind of self-deprecating grin at that, shrugging at the comment, but Himari means it; god, she'd pay to have even half the caretaking ability Lisa does. Himari gets tired after like, 10 minutes of mopping. "Is your mysterious friend one of them?"

"Yeah! How'd you guess?" The mysterious friend! A presence Lisa's mentioned about 5 million times in the 3 years they've known each other, but never mentioned by name. Spooky! "She's still... well, it's been a little tough lately. That's the source of my 'nothing is working' feeling over here. Didn't head to the, uh, club this morning, because of that."

"Oh no! Is she doing ok? And are you?"

"Yeah, yeah, she'll be fine! I'll make sure it works out, so don't worry about me too much."

"Knowing you? I know you'll make up, whatever the argument is, Lisa! Go for it!" Himari throws a fist into the air to emphasise it. Lisa appears so confident and helpful sometimes that it's kinda reminiscent of Tomoe. No wonder that frazzled fire-brain is how Himari met her in the first place.

"Aw, thanks~. You're all so supportive, y'know? Afterglow's such a good friend circle that I'm almost jealous." Lisa straightens her back and leans over, her hair dangling in the breeze. She's pretty... "Do you need a hand with your crew? I'm always happy to help a few friends!"

Oof. Yeah, she's not about to deny that. Lisa's so kind, and... Himari's just... so so tired. She knows she should have more endurance on her own, but...

"...Thanks, Lisa... nobody tells me about anything sometimes. I pretty much always ask the crew if they wanna talk when they're feeling down, but they all insist it's ok." She slumps against the bench. "...Hey, Lisa. If your friend's having a problem, and they won't let you talk to them about it, what do you do?"

"Mmmmmm... that's a tough one." Lisa's look is like... the look of a history professor who's teaching about a world war they've been in. That's deep. Even she has some challenges, huh? "Well... I'd probably stay by their side, until they were ready to talk, you know? I think you already do a good job at that, Himari."

"You think so?" Aw. Well, she can't deny she's always checking up on them, and she's always gonna keep dueling them; they can think it's annoying all they want, but Himari won't let go of her friends.

...They won't think she's too annoying to hang out with, right? She doesn't wanna be left alone...

"Yeah! You all seem like really good friends, so I doubt you're gonna deliberately stay away from each other. So as long as you stick together, they'll want to let out what's troubling them eventually, won't they?"

"Mmmmm...." Oh no, she's falling into the negative zone. "...What if they don't wanna stick with me, though? I'm not THAT good a duelist compared to Ran, and I just kind of... end up messing things up when I try to help them."

"They love you for it though, don't they?"

"Hey!"

"Ahahaha~!" Lisa laughs, at her expense. Unbelievable. The betrayal, the betrayal! Himari stares wistfully at the sky, her only true companion. "...But seriously, I don't think they'd ditch you for those reasons."

"I mean, sure, but... what if I just get worse at dueling, then? I mean, I win enough for now, but I kinda feel like everyone else is gonna improve soon. I love playing, but studying is hard, y'know?"

"If you're having trouble hitting the books, they'd probably just help you out! Even if they didn't, it wouldn't be the end of your friendship."

"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut....... I mean, but!" She tries to autocorrect her complaining tone; Lisa's already a saint for hearing her out as-is. "Dueling IS Afterglow's thing, after all. And I'm the leader! I gotta set an example for them! Can't do that by just relying on them..."

"Then," Lisa says, pausing; there's the sound of something moving from a coat pocket. "Why don't you have some practice with me? It'll be a nice change of pace, won't it?"

Himari whirls her head towards Lisa; there's a grin on her face, and a deck and duel disk in her hand...

"...Oh my god! I forgot you dueled, Lisa!" Lisa's face practically screams 'C'mon, really?' as she says that; YES, really! But Himari hoists her bag up and stands firm on the park grounds. "I'd be glad to! The leader of Afterglow never turns down a challenge!"

"Now that's the Himari I know~!" Lisa rises, a skip in her pretty step, and makes her way down to the other side of the park; she's made a wide enough berth for several holographic monsters to dock in. "If you wanna get some training in, you can't just sit there!"

"R-right!" Himari takes her position on the opposite side, and readies her duel disk. Tomoe raised her eyebrow at this thing when Himari told her she spent as much on it as she did on her deck, but c'mon; you can't duel if you don't look the part. It's a podium of pink, a blade of even more bright pink, and then an orb of white at the center to accentuate the design. She readies her deck and poses confidently with her hand on her hips, ready for a showdown. "Don't hold back on me, my beloved fashion senior!"

"That's the spirit! Right then, let's do this!" Lisa readies her own disk, and... uh, whoa, whoa, whoa. 

There's a sudden gust of wind, and Lisa's hair billows wildly in it; as a playful, confident smile grows on her face, a blade rimmed blinding white unsheathes itself from her disk... and a buckler, one made of the same hard-light material, is forming on Lisa's other wrist. Armed and ready, Lisa draws 5 cards, and the orb on her disk lights up.

...Wow, Lisa could totally sweep a girl into her arms and carry her away, couldn't she. I mean, not necessarily in THAT way, but-

"Himari? Don't keep me waiting~."

"Oh! Right, bring it on!" Bad time for THOSE kinds of thoughts, Himari! Focus! She whips out 5 cards from her disk in an exaggerated motion; she's not going to let her dueling peer down. They're about equally strong, last she remembers, so she can't hold anything back if she wants to hone herself.

...They are equally strong, right?

"**DUEL!**"

"_I'll start!_" As their disks display **4000LP** each, Lisa takes the initiative! Himari's not surprised by that. "I summon _Gem-Knight Lapis in attack position!_"

Lisa swipes the card in question onto her sword, causing the rims to glow a faint but resplendent blue. Laces of lapis rise from a miniature portal, dancing and weaving until they form a similarly miniature soldier. The second she's on the field, the gem in her center glitters, and crystals of all kinds manifest around her body; she levitates each and every one around her proximity with a serious, nearly precocious focus. **1200 ATK** at the ready, she awaits her opponent.

...She's also adorable! She's made entirely of rock and steel, from her beady eyes to her plated skirt, but she's as lifelike as any person... Himari should get a copy of her card... 

Oh, there’s the beeping sound of something else entering the field; "Then, I set one card face-down, and end my turn," Lisa says. "C'mon, Himari! Show me what you've got."

"...Right! _It's Himari's turn!_" She leaps into the air and draws out another card, for a total of 6... hmm... right, Lisa's a tailor of _Fusion Monsters_, much like herself. That means she needs materials. And if that's the case, then Himari has the perfect excuse to call one of her favorite friends in! "I summon _Fluffal Owl in attack position!_"

Her precious little plushie hits the field from another portal, twirling a little in midair like the showoff she is; she's only got **500 ATK,** but you don't need attack when you look that soft and cuddly. God, what a cutie pie!

"Oh, right! You use those cute little fellas!" Lisa says. "...Wait, hang on-"

"You're not distracting me, Lisa! _Fluffal Owl's_ effect! When I summon this card from my hand, I can add one _Polymerization_ card from my deck to my hand!" Good lil' Owl plays a little hooting tune from the music box inside it, and the card in question pops into Himari's hand; THIS is what she needs! Time for a Fusion Summon!

"...Oh, boy..." Lisa comments. She sounds exasperated; maybe it's Himari's intimidation factor!

Himari raises the card into the air, just for a bit of dramatic effect, before throwing it right into the side of her blade. "I activate the spell card _Polymerization!_" A gigantic, swirling blue portal emerges behind Himari, like it's just blotted the space out behind her. "Using monsters from my hand or field as _Fusion Material_, I can summon one Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck! My materials are _Fluffal Bear_ and _Edge Imp Sabres_ in my hand!" 

She poses with pride as the two monster's forms emerge, glowing in red; one's an EXTREMELY adorable, round fluffy pal, even complete with a scarf of her own! And wings! And the other's six pairs of scissors combined into one; can't get better than that. "Aren't they cute, Lisa?" She says, before the red light envelops them entirely.

"Y-yeah..." her opponent's smiling, kind of.

"Well, just you wait, then!" Himari throws her arms out to each side; the portal starts to brighten, and her hair begins to levitate. The smirk on her face grows indulgently, and the bodies of her monsters start to stretch and swirl, swirl, swirl and swirl, spiralling into the portal's center, round and round! "Bear of adorable pink and scissors of good handiwork, invigorate yourself! Look beyond your limitations and let your souls combine; become an honest craft of earnest cheer, and let your new form emerge!"

Himari slams her palms together, and multiple orbs of light emerge from her blade, running laps inside its edges as recklessly as they can. "_Fusion Summon! Level 6_-"

Then the portal suddenly explodes.

"ARGH!" Himari nearly reels over from the sound, spending a solid 3 or so seconds flailing on one leg before recomposing herself; it's not real, but it ends up shocking her every time. "Argh! Why does that always happen? Anyway, let's rock, _Frightfur Bear!_"

Out from the dust, a plushie bear hurls itself into action, landing on two big feet; it took a lot of cutting and sewing for her to reach twice Himari's size, but she's still got plenty of enthusiasm and cuddle factor! She's even got a fancy new pair of cutting implements in her stomach now, giving her **2200 ATK;** not a bad decision, if Himari says so herself! She poses confidently, shoving her duel disk arm out to one side to show off the looping lights. "How's that, Lisa? Do you like my friend?"

"Y-yeah! It's pretty unique."

"Hehe! You haven't seen anything yet." Himari responds, swiping a pointer finger right at her opponent; "_Frightfur Bear_, attack _Gem-Knight Lapis!_"

Time for ol' bear to shine! She starts rushing forward, a PAM! playing out from each foot slamming the ground, and she leaps towards Lapis for one big diving tackle, slamming the ground with enough force for holographic dust to build up.

...Wait, there's some kind of sparkling light from Lisa's side! "...I activate the continuous trap card _Spirit Barrier!_" The debris clears, revealing Lisa's buckled hand shooting forward, crackling lightning emanating from her palm and fighting the force of the attack. "As long as this card is face-up, I take no life point damage from any battles!"

The dust settles, revealing Bear chucking Lapis into her mouth. Soon afterwards, there's the sound of shattering crystals, and particles of light fly out from the loose spots in Bear's figure. Lisa tries to ignore the sight, because... well, yeah, Himari didn't say Bear was the neatest fighter.

Curse that barrier, though! "Grr! I'll get those tasty life points next time, Lisa!" Himari declares. She swipes one arm out; "But that's not the end of it! _Frightfur Bear's_ effect activates; when she destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the graveyard, she can equip it as a spell card to gain 1000 ATK!"

"Ah!" Lisa reels as her duel disk shines, and Lapis's card flies out; its holograph settles face-up on Himari's backrow. Bear's scissors snap menacingly, as its ATK increases all the way to **3200!**

"Fufufu," Himari chuckles; for a Fusion Summon, nothing's more important than materials. Attaching Lapis to her own monster means that Lisa can't use it for big plays! That's a good first show from her; she stands tall and proud, hoping she's up to scratch. 

"I end my turn!" She then declares. "See if you can get past this big ol' buster, Lisa!"

\---

It makes her fun to play against. 

Her tastes are unique, and nobody else would call that bear cute. But Himari doesn't listen to any of that, and trucks along all the same; Lisa can't help but smile at her energy, really! She's always a blast to be around.

It's been a while since they fought, so Lisa had forgotten about her taste in cards. But now she recalls the little mini-Bears Himari made for each member of Afterglow, all attached to their bags. That crew is an adorable bunch, honestly.

...Right, the duel! Lisa can't keep her friend waiting, so she tries to stop the ruminating for now. "_My turn, then!_" She draws a card, for a total of 4. Sword and shield in hand, she stands before her opponent. Himari usually does better than she gives herself credit for, so this has been pretty exhilarating so far!

...It's kind of nostalgic, actually. She doesn't feel like this often.

_Spirit Barrier's_ holograph starts to flicker, as Lisa makes her next play; "I activate the spell card _Magic Planter!_" Then it shatters to pieces, making Himari look a little confused. "By sending one face-up continuous trap I control to the graveyard, I can draw 2 cards!"

"Eh? You're already giving it up?"

"I'll need all the cards I can get," she responds, 2 flying out into her hand. She spreads all 5 cards out above her buckler, smile growing on her face. "...Especially since a friend of mine's in your captivity. Lend me a helping hand, _Gem-Knight Garnet, in attack position!_"

A card from her arsenal turns her blade blazing red, and a pillar of flame erupts in front of her, causing her coat to flow in the air. A cascade of garnets fly around the center of the pillar, and a brave, bold fighter jumps out, fists hot with **1900 ATK** in flame.

"Whoa, intense!" Himari yells.

"A bit like Tomoe sometimes, right~?" Lisa grins, thinking of her friend.

"Ahaha, true! But, that blockhead's not gonna stand up to a monster made from PolymeriZATION!"

"Tsk, tsk, Himari," Lisa says. "You know _Polymerization_ isn't the only card out there that can Fusion Summon, right?"

"Y-yeah? What about it?"

Her brow settles. It's time for Lisa to charge.

The crystals in her earrings rear red, as the portal hits her field; "I activate the spell card _Gem-Knight Fusion!_"

A rush. Light bursts from beneath Lisa's feet, creating a spiralling, blinding vortex. Waves of crystal dust brushed pink dart rapidly through the current, carrying gem upon gem upon gem, treasured gems of every kind and colour. "My materials are _Gem-Knight Garnet_ on the field and _Gem-Knight Obsidian_ in my hand!" She declares. Garnet's form shatters into glowing pieces, and a card from her hand breaks too, joining the flow.

The currents carry revered red and blessed black. The light paints Lisa in their colours, and the vortex hurls forward into the field.

Her sword and shield burst into wisps, briefly, as she closes her eyes and clutches her hands to her chest. The lights of the currents shimmer at her heart. "O garnet knight of protection, lend me your sense of burning duty! O obsidian knight of protection, lend me your silent, watching aid! Think of who you both hold dear, think of who you've both sworn to follow. Let your feelings flow between you, and let the bond that emerges combine your souls into one! Make your vow!"

Lisa awakens; her eyes are lent a blaze of whole, burning crimson, feelings etched deep within. "_Fusion Summon! Level 6, Gem-Knight Ruby!_"

A bullet of sailing light breaks free from the vortex, and beams into the sky. From the storm, a magnificent form of glimmering ruby stands tall; as the form clears, Lisa's sword and shield re-emerge in her hands, carrying an intense hue in their rims identical to that of her new monster. The knight stands before the towering Bear; in a show of power, three swings of her halberd, cleaving with **2500 ATK,** leave scorching lines in the ground and cause her imposing cape to billow in the wind.

"Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa, that's AMAZING!" There's a yell.

Aw, that's sweet of Himari to say. It's not that big a play from Lisa's part, really... and she's not done yet, either. "I activate the effect of _Gem-Knight Obsidian!_" Light flows from Lisa's graveyard, the beams ending in shades of husky dark-grey. "When this card is sent from my hand to the graveyard, I can special summon one level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my graveyard! Return, _Gem-Knight Garnet!_"

A card flies out from the small compartment in her duel disk, and the gems course once more, bringing back her monster's flaming form.

"Two of them!? And one's a Fusion Monster, too... but, Lisa!" Himari jumps, and wags her finger. "Neither of your monsters can stand up to my mighty Bear's **3200 ATK!**"

"Maybe not," Lisa responds. "But when something's impossible on your own, you can always count on a friend! I activate _Gem-Knight Ruby's_ effect!"

Ruby flicks a hand, performing a singular rough spin of her halberd before holding it to the air. "By tributing one face-up Gem monster on my field," Lisa explains, "Ruby gains that monster's ATK points until the end of the turn! _Gem-Knight Garnet_, lend Ruby your power!"

"...Eh?!"

The knight in question breaks into a swirl of crystals once more; but instead of fading away, they flow into the patterns engraved on Ruby's halberd. Their form glows, temporarily rocketing their ATK all the way to **4400;** a feat accomplished only by their combined power.

"Oh no!" Himari yells, hands to her face.

"Oh yes!" Lisa grins, hyped from the adrenaline rushing through her. "_Gem-Knight Ruby_, attack _Frightfur Bear!_"

The steadfast knight takes a stance, inviting her opponent forward. The fluffy creation gladly obliges, and rushes headfirst in another tackle. Her armour shining, Ruby rushes forward and slams the side of her halberd against Bear's fists; they're locked in push and shove momentarily, but the knight manages to apply a heftier force, breaking the clash and causing her opponent to stagger. Another swipe, and Bear's form is cleaved diagonally in two; a worthy opponent, she thinks, as Bear falls and bursts to pieces.

"Aggggggggggggh!" Himari slaps her hands on her head, as her LP falls to **2600.** "My fluffy friend! How could youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

"Sorry Himari! But all's fair in love and war~," Lisa winks; a card zips from Himari's field to her hand, which she tucks into her disk. "I'll be taking Lapis back to my graveyard now, if you don't mind."

"Unbelieveable. UnbeLIEVEable." Ohohohohoho, ohohoho! Himari's smiling, the wind howling at the untied hair on her right; she's trying to look angry, trying to pout, but the glee she can't suppress is infectious. "My ensemble's ruined, now!"

"Ahahaha~! You're enthusiastic!" Lisa's merry, she's riding the rush. It's been a while since she had a duel as fun as this. Then again, she hasn't really dueled anyone outside of Roselia for a while; has she been avoiding it? She shrugs the thought off for now, and imbues her ruby blade with one more card; "Here's a nice face-down for the stinger. That's my turn over, Himari!" As she declares that, Ruby's ATK returns to **2500.**

"..." Himari appears silent, for a second. But then Lisa sees her smirking face; "You got it. _It's MY TURN!_" She makes another leap into the air as she whips out a 4th card for her hand. "...Yes! Oh my god! That'll work!"

"Oh? Did you come up with something?" Lisa takes in the grin.

"You bet! Get ready, Lisa, because you're going up against my favorite pal!"

"Oho?" She wields her sword at one side, and holds her shield out in front. "Well, I'm always happy to meet a new friend! Bring 'em out!"

"Gladly!" Suddenly, pink threads race out from Himari's fingers, latching themselves into the ground. "I activate the effect of _Edge Imp Sabres!_ By returning one card from my hand to the top of my deck, I can special summon it from my graveyard _in defense position!_"

Himari twirls, and the threads yank and hurl themselves; the sounds of zippers ripping play from beneath the ground. Then, they pull out the holograph of Sabres from the ground, back with **800 DEF.**

"Hehehe," Himari giggles. "You may have defeated my Bear, Lisa, but that means you completely ignored _Fluffal Owl_ in the process!" She poses; "I activate Owl's second effect!"

Ohhhhh, so that's her gameplan. She occupied Lisa with retrieving Lapis, keeping her other venue for fusion free!

"By paying 500 of my lifepoints," Himari explains, "Owl lets me Fusion Summon a Frightfur monster using materials on my hand or side of the field!"

Her loop-light duel disk suddenly unravels into a thin, luminescent rope, a pair of scissors attached to the end. Like an experienced, off-beat craftswoman, Himari hurls the rope into the air, scissors flying true to the sky; they gleam in the rays of the day, and Sabres and Owl's forms dissipate into light, light which then swirls into one big ball. Himari hops a step back and spins, the rope loosely following her trajectory; then, with a swing of her arm, the scissors are thrown headfirst into the ball, the rope embedded within.

The ball takes on shifting hues of pink and purple; the rope races, and Himari begins to chant. "Owl of soft wings and scissors of good handiwork, combine your strengths! No matter the end result, seek to explore the world, look beyond your limitations, and let your souls combine! Become a cherished, honest craft nobody would reject, no matter how torn or matted you are, and let your new form emerge!" Himari tugs the rope, and the ball is lightly pulled towards her; then, as if the scissors are roaming free inside, she hurls the rope left and right; a spin here, a dance here, Himari makes every motion of her scissors wild, passionate and unpredictable, modifying her creation in whatever way she thinks works best.

"_Fusion Summon! Level 8!_" Then, she pulls the scissors out, and the rope weaves its original form back, that of her duel disk's rushing blade. Once she does, the orb explodes; Himari reels for a second, but stands her ground confidently, and keeps smiling as her clothes blow in the wind, determined to see the process through. "...Achoo... ugh, I hope I don't have a cold. A-ahem! Let's rock, _Frightfur Kraken!_"

The dust settles, and another large plushie has entered the field; on the surface, it's a funny-looking, googly-eyed beast with a soft, bouncy plastic coating (don't tell Himari that there's a bit of fluff leaking out). But don't underestimate this creature, because each and every one of this octopus's limbs carries... RAZOR BLADES! Worth **2200 ATK!** For... one reason or another. One has to wonder if Himari stuffed a second plushie inside it, too, because there's a pair of glowing red eyes, hiding in the monster's maw.

"Isn't she ADORABLE?" Himari squeals, jumping right at Kraken; she gives her a big hug, which makes Kraken's pair of hidden red eyes brighten. The monster seems pretty happy at the compliment, bouncing around. "Be prepared, Lisa! This buddy's full of surprises!"

"Haha~, is that so?" Lisa responds, deciding not to bring up the fact that she can see Kraken's effects. She's surprised Kraken is who Himari brought out, since there's a number of destructive Fusion Monsters that Fluffals could threaten Lisa's board with... but Himari doesn't seem like she's too worried about that.

"Let's play a battle of wits, Lisa!" Himari puts one arm at her side and points a finger out with the other; "First, I activate _Frightfur Kraken's_ effect! Once per turn, I can target one monster my opponent controls, and send it to the graveyard! I target _Gem-Knight Ruby!_"

"Oh boy!" Lisa readies herself. 

"Go go, Kraken!" Himari cheers. Kraken slaps its largest blades together menacingly; then, it drops them, and... fires an enormous laser from its mouth instead.

But not so fast! "I activate the continuous trap card, _Safe Zone!_" Lisa declares. Her card flips up, and gigantic, metallic, multi-segment limbs fly out from its image, rushing to cover Ruby; with a bit of bracing, they're able to completely deny the laser. "So long as this card is face-up on the field," she explains, "_Gem-Knight Ruby_ can't be targeted by card effects or destroyed! She's indestructible now!"

"Hoho," Himari responds, seemingly chuffed despite what she stares down. "An indestructible knight, is it? But that works out!"

"Really? How so~?" Lisa isn't quite sure what on earth her opponent is planning, but... it doesn't seem obvious.

"Simple! Kraken can't attack my opponent directly on the turn it activates its effect. However, it CAN still attack your monsters, and it can also attack TWICE per turn!"

"Hm..." Lisa ponders. "I assume you have a plan to work around Kraken having 300 less ATK than _Gem-Knight Ruby_, then?"

"Well, you could call it that!" Himari sings. 

...

...She grins. Then, she makes a decision no sane human being would follow, slamming her remaining 3 cards into her duel disk like she's on a sugar rush. "Time for Kraken's SUPERPOWERED MODE! I ACTIVATE 3 COPIES OF THE QUICK-PLAY SPELL CARD _RUSH RECKLESSLY!_"

"..." Lisa takes about ten seconds to process Himari's decision. But all that comes from her thoughts is a reaction so nonplussed that it almost wraps back around to being calm. "...E-eh?"

A gigantic crackling aura envelops Kraken's form; evidently enthused by the power surge, Kraken flails like a feral imp, and whirls her dual blades around at a ridiculous speed. "Each copy of _Rush Recklessly_ gives _Frightfur Kraken_ 700 ATK! That's a total of 2100!!!!!!!" Her monster's ATK shoots all the way up to... well, **4300**... yeah, that's enough, alright.

"Y-you had three of those in your hand?" Lisa says, exasperated. "You have three of those in your deck?!"

"That's right! This is Himari Uehara's explosive power!" She boldly proclaims, with all the glee of a die-hard fan at a concert. "Prepare yourself, Lisa! _Frightfur Kraken_, attack _Gem-Knight Ruby!_"

Kraken's motions imitate a roar, and it pounces forward at Ruby at breakneck pace, creating a gust of wind that bristles the park's trees. Ruby wields her halberd and readies for the onslaught; she only fights Kraken's two biggest blades, but Kraken rushes with an unreadable level of speed and force, drowning Ruby in a fantastical flurry of attacks. The clang of metal is heard an uncountable number of times, as each monster thrusts and swipes at each other as rapidly as they humanly can.

Eventually, Kraken breaks Ruby's guard and causes her to stagger; Kraken then throws both her bladed limbs out, but gigantic metallic arms block Ruby's destruction once more. That doesn't mean Lisa comes out unscathed, unfortunately; she's not protected against battle damage, so her LP falls to **2200** from the exchange. But she throws an arm out as she raises her shield; "_Safe Zone's_ effect! Ruby's protected from harm!"

"Mwehehe! That's exactly what I wanted!" Himari boasts. She throws out her pointer finger yet again; "Since Ruby isn't destroyed, Kraken can launch another attack and damage you even MORE now! _Frightfur Kraken_, attack _Gem-Knight Ruby_ again!"

...Lisa's realised.

Kraken takes a stance, and begins its haphazard assault once more, seeking to overwhelm Ruby's skill through sheer force.

Lisa's realised. She unravels it, unravels the duel. She thinks back to the casual, friendly demeanor throughout. She thinks back to her first, suboptimal turn, and Himari's first, suboptimal turn. She thinks back to Himari's decision to summon Kraken and imbue it with 3 of the same one-time use spell card; not because it was necessarily an optimal play, but just because Himari wanted to use Kraken.

Kraken breaks Ruby's guard once more, and the arms from _Safe Zone_ fly out once more. Lisa realises, now, looking at her sword and shield; they're dull, rusted. Their edges aren't sharp; they've been worn.

Training with Yukina has helped Lisa realise. This duel was suboptimal in every sense possible. It could hardly be called skilled, at least in regards to a higher level of play.

That's fine. In fact, that's probably why it's fun; Lisa and Himari are trading blows for the thrill of it, dueling for the fun of it. They made choices simply from feeling things out and rolling with the flow, choosing whatever worked best in the heat of the moment, choosing what they'd cause the most havoc with. Skill and technique don't matter here. Neither of them are playing exclusively for the sake of winning, and that makes this feel... relaxing to Lisa. It's a feeling she hasn't had in a long, long time. Not for years, now.

"Ack!" She braces as dust flies past her from the force of Kraken's attack; her LP falls all the way to **400.** She can hear Himari cheering on the other side, lavishing her monster with praise and gusto.

Lisa understands, now. Dueling comes in more than one form. And this form, a lively and happy fandango of fun, isn't the same kind of form that Roselia's duels take. She was heading in a different direction from Yukina, from the very beginning. She's gone completely off course. It's no wonder the forest seemed so dark.

"How's that, Lisa?" Himari cheers, as the debris settles. "And, and! Check this out! _Frightfur Kraken_ can change itself to _defense position_ after the battle phase ends, if it attacked!"

As if it's showing off a new toy, Kraken giddily bounces up and down, and then covers itself with its blades to form a cage of steel; it weighs in at **3000 DEF.** "Great tactic, right?" Himari drawls. "Since _Rush Rucklessly's_ attack boost wears off at the end of the turn, Kraken can keep itself safe by using its higher DEF instead!"

"..." Lisa breathes. Then... a chuckle. Then a full blown laugh. "Aha... ahahahahaha~! Yeah, it's great!" She can't help but return Himari's energy as much as she can. "I can see why you like that pal so much. What a talented girl!"

"That's the leader of Afterglow's boss monster for you!" Kraken blushes from the praise; the monster and the duelist make a peppy duo. Himari continues; "Don't slack off now, Lisa, because you're gonna have to get past it!" She points a finger at her opponent. "I end my turn! See if you can come back from that!"

"..." Lisa takes in the joyous air. "...Yeah. _It's my turn._" She draws her final card, for a total of 2. A light, silent breeze travels through the air, subtly brushing her hair.

...Lisa understands, now. She understands just how much, how much more it will take, than this, to stand by Roselia's side. She understands what she'll have to sacrifice now. This blunted sword and shield aren't enough; they'll need to be sharper, tougher, stronger. After all, she made a vow.

"...Thanks, Himari." Lisa says, and smiles.

"Eh? For the duel? No problem!" Himari responds. "I'm pretty good, right?"

"Yeah," Lisa responds. "You're full of life, Himari. But... I'm going to end it, with this turn." 

"...Eh?"

Her gaze sharpens, and her earrings gleam. Her cards are like whetstones for her armaments, like armour for her body. Lisa arms herself with every piece of equipment a knight needs. Then, she draws her gleaming blade. 

"First, I activate the spell card _Magic Planter_," Lisa says, marking the beginning. "I sacrifice _Safe Zone_ to draw two more cards!" 

Immediately, Ruby's form breaks in front of Lisa's eyes, alongside her trap card.

"Eh?!" Himari's exasperated. "Why'd you do that? _Safe Zone_ destroys the monster it's protecting when it's removed!"

"I wouldn't worry about that yet, Himari. Now, I summon _Rescue Rabbit_ in attack position!" She yells.

Himari's confusion turns to a delighted squee, as a playful, fluffy friend appears, wearing its heart on its sleeve. Sorry, Himari; Lisa won't have much time to play from now on. 

"_Rescue Rabbit's_ effect," Lisa declares; "By banishing this monster from my field, I can special summon two level 4 or lower Normal Monsters with the same name from my deck!" Rabbit's form zips up to the beyond. With its disappearance, a chilling breeze of crystallic blue ruptures the field. "Come, _Gem-Knight Sapphire!_"

Each knight emerging surrounds itself with an icy barrier, an impenetrable wall against most kinds of torment. In this form, they only have **0 ATK,** but their statistics are irrelevant. They're not here to fight; they're here to be a ray that paves the way.

Lisa recklessly throws out an arm; "I activate the second effect of _Gem-Knight Fusion_ in my graveyard! I'll banish _Gem-Knight Garnet_ from the graveyard, allowing me to return _Gem-Knight Fusion_ to my hand!" 

The crystal current returns, and begins to swirl once more. "Y-you can recover it? Oh no!" Himari's in shock.

"As many times as I need to. I won't stop!" As the card crystallises in Lisa's hand, she adorns her blade with it. "I activate the spell card _Gem-Knight Fusion!_ My materials are one _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ from my field, and _Gem-Knight Lazuli_ from my hand!"

The waves of crystal dust brushed pink carry their revered treasure once more, treasured gems of every kind and colour. Sapphire's form shatters into glowing pieces, and a card from Lisa's hand breaks too, joining the flow.

The currents carry blues, brittle or brilliant; to the trained eye, their hues differ slightly. The light paints Lisa in their colours, and the vortex hurls forward into the field.

Her sword and shield burst into wisps, and Lisa clutches her hands to her chest, the lights of the currents shimmering at her heart. "O sapphire knight of safety, lend me your frozen determination! O lazuli knight of memories, lend me your neverending power! Think of the cause that unites you, think of the challenge you both face. Let your feelings flow between you, and let the bond that emerges combine your souls into one! Make your vow!"

Lisa awakens; her eyes are lent a monochrome fire, feelings etched deep within. "_Fusion Summon! Level 8! Gem-Knight Zirconia!_"

Lisa's weaponry returns, bathed in a pale glow. A bullet of storming light breaks free from the vortex, and beams into the sky. From the hurricane, a gigantic, towering form of unbroken zirconia looks to the stars on one knee. Then, her gaze falls to her opponent, and she stands, turning the page to the illustration of her size. Her height is that which most cannot ascend to. There's gigantic blunt armaments where her hands should be. A symbol of undaunted, silent strength, the knight breathes quietly onto the field, **2900 ATK** taken form.

"Oh, phew, it's lower than Kraken's DEF..." Himari breathes. "I-I mean, haha! If that's all you've got, Lisa, then you've wasted your Fusion Summon for this turn!"

"Oh?" Lisa responds, bearing a wistful expression of retrospective. "Who said I was only Fusion Summoning Zirconia this turn?"

"E-eh?!"

Lisa raises her buckled hand to the sky; "_Gem-Knight Lazuli's_ effect! When this monster is sent to the graveyard by a card effect, I can add one Normal Monster from my graveyard to my hand!" Her palm shines. She breathes; "Come back to me, Lapis."

Lazuli's best friend returns. Now, it's time to return the favor. The sky darkens. 

"...I activate the spell card _Absorb Fusion!_" Lisa declares. Her earrings dance between every colour in the wheel. An astrological screen of crystal stars spreads itself out on the surface beneath them, until the entire ground has become a kaleidoscope of memories. The park is alight in an eerie glow, as shadowed clouds encroach the sky. Himari watches in awe.

"This card allows me to add one Gem-Knight card from my deck to my hand," Lisa declares. "I choose to add another _Gem-Knight Lazuli._"

Lisa adds the final key to her hand. The crystal stars become warped and surrounded in a faded, thick aura; in the scape of Lisa's memories, three kinds of gems have their forms drawn towards the center of the field, and their brilliant light within shines beyond. "Then, immediately after adding the monster to my hand," Lisa continues, "_Absorb Fusion_ lets me Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight monster from my Extra Deck, by banishing materials from my hand or field! My materials are _Gem-Knights Lazuli_ and _Lapis_ in my hand, and _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ on my field!"

The kaleidoscope begins to whirl, round and round, as if the entire starscape is a portal to the beyond. The three gems pick up in speed, beginning to spiral, and Lisa's sword and shield fly out from her arms, joining them in the fusion. She closes her eyes and clutches her hands to her chest, light flowing through her every vein.

"O lapis knight of love, who shares my soul! O lazuli knight of memories, who shares my past! O sapphire knight of safety, who shares my devotion! Bless my world with your light! Look upon the connections you all hold, the time you all share, and combine your souls into one! Let our love and our lives form a sword and shield of incandescent, invincible diamond, and let our body become the ultimate, unending oath! With your combined power, I make my vow!"

The kaleidoscope is submerged in a sea of black, glistening with brilliant stars. A light of every colour cuts up through the earth.

Lisa awakens; her eyes shine with every colour of the rainbow. "_Fusion Summon! Level 9!_ Drive our world, _**Gem-Knight Master Diamond!**_"

The earth's scar blares; the components are enveloped, and they grow, grow and grow. A brilliant unblunted blade, engraved with everything held dear to her. A stalwart unshakable shield, translucent and aglow like no other. In armour impenetrable, the knight speaks silently on one knee, her voice heard only by herself. Then, she welcomes her armaments without hesitation or complaint, and accepts the reason she is given to fight. A model of chivalry and devotion, Master Diamond bows gracefully to the opponent... before unearthing her gigantic broadsword, and swinging it to her side. A typhoon is left in its wake. Magnificent cape howling, **2900 ATK** forms her core essence.

...

"W-whoa..." Himari's jaw is agape at the sight. But she stands tall and proud, affronting knowledge. "T-two Fusion Monsters in one turn... b-but! Neither of them have more ATK than Kraken's DEF!"

The clouds loom overhead. "At this point," Lisa responds, her hair swept in the wind, "That's not a comfort, is it~? After all, you probably know I've got a plan, don't you?"

"U-urk! Bring it on, my dear senior!" A lively response, perfectly fitting the duel they've had. Thank you, Himari.

Lisa decides to continue smiling. This duel's not over yet, after all, so she'll enjoy it while she can. She raises her left hand; now that her blade's been given to her monster, only the podium and orb of the duel disk remains on Lisa's wrist. "I activate the effect of Master Diamond! By banishing a level 7 or lower Gem-Knight Fusion Monster from my graveyard, I can gain that monster's effects until the end of the turn! _Gem-Knight Ruby_, lend me your strength!"

The orb on her duel disk shines in the knight's colour, and a gem on Master Diamond's blade shines with it, painting the entire broadsword in red illumination. Now it's time. Lisa swipes her arm out to her side, and declares; "Master Diamond's Ruby Effect! By tributing 1 face-up Gem monster on the field, Master Diamond gains that monster's ATK points until the end of the turn! _Gem-Knight Zirconia_, lend me your power!"

The towering giant's form dissipates, becoming a ray that lights the way forward. The patterns engraved on the hilt of the broadsword pulse. "And that's not all," Lisa says. "For each Gem-Knight monster in my graveyard, Master Diamond gains 100 extra ATK!" Her monster shines. "Combined with Zirconia's 2900 ATK, Gem-Knight Master Diamond now has a total of **6200 ATK!**"

...

"...O-oh boy," is Himari's response. "K-Kraken, hang in there!"

"This is it!" Lisa throws her arm forward, her eyes fixated. She makes her last yell of joy; "_Gem-Knight Master Diamond_, attack _Frightfur Kraken!_"

Luminant Surge. The knight gazes upon her opponent, an earnest creation enthusiastically brandishing its weapons. She nods in respect, and turns her back, beginning to walk. One. Two. Three...

...Four.

The knight's aura flares. Her cape flies. The broadsword juts out at her side. 

Then, in a moment you could blink and miss, Master Diamond makes one massive, ferocious swing with both hands; her entire body turns back to face her opponent, and her blade slams into the ground with enough force to cause an earthquake. In mere milliseconds, a line of surging, raging rainbow tears its way through the planet, the wave cleaving right through her opponent.

"Master Diamond's Ruby Effect! When this monster attacks a monster in defense position, the attack deals piercing damage to my opponent!"

Regrettably, the jolly creature stands no chance against Master Diamond's attack. A worthy opponent, the Kraken shatters into shards, and flies away. The holograph of a tempest rips through the other side of the field.

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Himari totters on her feet, trying not to keel over from the shock. Despite succeeding in not falling, her LP isn't as lucky, crashing down to **0.**

...

Lisa stands tall as her monster's form fades. A wind passes through the park. Himari just looks at her for a moment, as if she can't believe what she's seen.

...So, it's probably best to break the ice. "...Ehehe. Good game, my dear fashion junior~," Lisa says.

"...Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..." ...I-is Himari alright? "..wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..." No, seriously. ".....wwwwwwwwwwwwwwWWWWWWWWWWWHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Oh my god, oh my god! Oh! My! God! Lisa!" Okay, she seems fine. She's jumping maniacally up and down on the spot, after all. "That was so COOL! You were so, uh... I don't know a word that won't make it sound ga- I mean, weird! But just trust me! That was amazing!"

"Ahaha, really?" Lisa bashfully scratches her head. "I don't know if it was anything all that good, but thanks."

"No, really! That was like, really crazy strong! I didn't expect that from you!"

Well, that's not surprising. Lisa's been missing something from her dueling all this time, after all. Something that she'll need from now on. 

"I'll take your word for it, then!" She winks and ruffles Himari's hair a bit. "And if I really did that good, I guess you can't deny it when I say you did good too, right?"

"Eh?!" Her friend's eyes light up in joy. "Did I do fine? Really?"

"Yeah!" Lisa smiles. "So long as you keep going, you'll always be Afterglow's leader. Have some of that pride!"

"ALRIGHT! YEAH!" Himari fistpumps in the air one last time; NOW she's back in a good mood! Lisa couldn't bear seeing her look so downtrodden. Himari gets emotional at a lot of things, but Lisa can't help it when a friend is sad.

...Yeah. Now she knows. As she watches Himari dance around the park, Lisa comes to terms with her path.

This duel with Himari... it was lovely. Fun, passionate, full of excitement, full of almost childlike joy. Just like back then. This joy, it's one of the things Lisa loves the most about dueling.

Lisa would do anything, anything, to have a duel like that with Yukina again.

But to make that possible, she'll have to throw away that kind of duel for now. Because that's not how Roselia duels, and that isn't why Roselia duels. They're filled with passion, but their goal isn't to have fun; it's to accomplish something massive. Something daunting, instead.

Lisa Imai knows now. In fact, she probably always knew; until the Shirasagi Duel Academy falls, Yukina will have no reason to be happy. That's simply how passionate she is for dueling. Yukina won't stop carving through her path until she reaches her destination, and she won't ever deviate from it, no matter what. Absolutely nothing will stop her from following it through, no matter how painful it is.

"Lisa, Lisa!" Himari pipes in, heading to the park's exit. "Walk with me to the sweet shop! I'm gonna get something from there in celebration, so I'll treat you... oh! And could you come out with me to the mall next week?! I'll be in good hands when it comes to fashion, if I have you around!"

"...Ahaha." Lisa laughs, and pats her friend on the back. "...Sorry. I probably won't be able to."

"Eh? Why? What's up?" Her face is... bordering on sad again, now. It hurts.

"Well, that's..." Lisa tries her best to look merry. "I'm... probably going to be busy. For the next month or so, at least. It's, uh. Something a bit personal. I won't have much time to hang out with you for a while. Sorry about that."

The dark clouds hang over. 

"...Okay!" There's pep nonetheless. "I'll put your training to good use! Call me anytime though, yeah? I'll always be happy to help you out!"

"...Got it. Thanks, my little junior~." Lisa picks out a scrunchie from her bag. "Here, I have a couple spare. One of yours is damaged, right?"

"Oh!" Himari looks surprised, but she takes it with gratitude. "Yeah... that's why my hair looks like a mess right now. Thanks, Lisa. And... good luck, with whatever it is you're doing!"

Himari looks... well, about as sad as she normally looks, sometimes. But there's a special pang of guilt Lisa feels, having said this to her.

She suppresses that guilt. Right. Yukina's path is set in stone. So if Lisa wants to stay by Yukina's side, there's only one thing she can do.

Lisa forms a new vow. No matter what it takes, no matter how much it takes, Lisa will stand by her friend. She'll be the sword that cuts through Roselia's opponents, and the shield that protects Roselia from despair. She'll carry out whatever Roselia desires. She'll do anything. That, she decides, is the fastest way to make her friend happy again.

...It's about time to hit goodbye. "...Thanks, Himari." She turns her back, and begins to walk outside the park's entrance. "I'll get through it just fine. And if-"

"Himari!"

A bird flies down and perches on the hinge of the park's gate, right in front of Lisa, as someone's distant yell is heard. Covered in rough shawls of feathers, the crow looks towards Lisa; it gives off a scrutinising stare, briefly distracting her from the person's voice. One of its eyes is a calm, analytical blue.

...The other is a horrific shade of red. The crow's gaze sharpens, bloodshot.

"Whoa!" She recoils back in fear. But the bird doesn't make any sudden movements; it merely sizes Lisa up, for a moment.

Then, it flies away, suspicions cleared for now. That was, uh. Scary.

...Wait, who was that yell from? Lisa turns to where Himari's facing; ah, now there's a familiar face.

"Oh! Tomoe!" Himari yells, and waves. The red-haired rider's rushing down the pavement, out of breath.

"Tomoe! Over here!" Lisa yells too; there's always at least one more moment she can spare for a friend.

The rider nearly crash-lands in front of them, panting desperately. Lisa gets a bottle of water out and chucks it over; Tomoe gestures to ask if she can just devour the thing, which Lisa approves, and then she immediately goes to town glugging it down. "...Thanks... sorry... I've been..." She catches her breath and gives a faint grin, adjusting herself. "...I've... been running all morning, basically."

"Well, that's a bombastic way to see you again~!" Lisa says. "How've you been? I haven't seen you for about a month!"

"Not too bad! Nice to see you again, Lisa," Tomoe responds. "...But I don't really have much time to catch up right now. I'm, uh... have either of you seen Ako?"

The skies have turned grey.

"Eh? No, why do you ask?" Himari innocently inquires. "Is she even usually awake at this time?"

"...Well..." Tomoe's hesitant. "It's, uh... it's nothing big, but..."

There's the sound of simmering; Himari's practically vibrating, and there's a low-pitched, sustained hum angrily pushing itself out from her mouth. "....Tooooooooooomoooooooooooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

"...Eh? What's up?" There's a bead of sweat.

"To. Mo. E." In a sudden and daring maneuver, Himari tugs at the shirt of her friend; Tomoe yelps as she's made to stare Himari in the eyes. "Tell. Me. What's. Going. On."

"...I... it's ok. Don't worry about it." Her friend says, almost on instinct.

"TOMOE!" A jolt. Himari's angry, oh she's angry. "Are you bottling stuff up again? Talk! To! Your! Friends! For! Once!"

"...Himari..." Tomoe says. "I... it's just. I don't know. Ran's already going through a lot. And I don't want to drag anyone down with-"

"Nuh-UH!" Himari wags a finger, refusing to let go of her friend. "At the very least, you're telling me! Afterglow looks out for each other, alright?"

"...Yeah. Thanks..." Tomoe nods. "I might be stupid in trying to take this on by myself, anyway. Hey, Lisa."

"What's up?" She speaks up. "You okay with me hearing this too?"

Tomoe smiles bashfully, and Lisa almost feels like she's looking in a mirror. "...Yeah, it's fine. You might as well be an honorary Afterglow, anyway. You don't have to, if you don't want to-"

A pat on the back. "Ahaha! If my friend wants my help, I'm happy to give~." That's right. Lisa will always be there for her pals. "Tell us what's up!"

"...Right." Tomoe starts. "Um... Ako hasn't been home since yesterday morning."

Lisa's body freezes.

"...Eh?! Really?!" Himari asks. "Is she ok?"

"I'm not sure. Things had been a little tense lately. Then she went out and skipped school on Monday, and I got into an argument with her about it that evening."

It's a miracle that it isn't raining yet.

"WHAT?! Ako skipped school?! Little Ako?!" Himari exclaims.

"Yeah... the aftermath wasn't pretty. Mom and Dad were shouting, and I got too angry for my own good too. Then I woke up the next morning, and... she was already gone. She cleaned the place up a bit before she left, and took her piggy bank and some stuff from the fridge with her. She... hasn't been home since. It's been over a day..."

She swore she'd do anything.

"Why? Is... is she ok?" Himari's worried, now. Tomoe looks regretful, but her friend doesn't let go; "Don't clam up now! I want to help!"

"...Sorry. Yeah..." 

There's a tortured expression. Her blue eyes have been torn to shreds by grief. It's a look Lisa's never seen before on Tomoe.

"I... don't think she's in immediate danger," she says. "Ako knows how to take care of herself. But I'm not sure she'll return home unless I find her myself."

"...Huh?" Fear. "Why? What's she doing?" Himari rings a deafening bell.

Lisa braces for the worst.

"..." Tomoe is silent, for a moment. "I... think she's gone out to duel."


	8. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Metaphor/imagery involving blood, heavy injury and violence.

She roams the outskirts of their lair.

The city has a strange atmosphere to it, as if it's split in half. The hotels, shops, arenas and hidden clubs surrounding the Haneoka Tower make up one of the largest bodies of dueling activity in the dual-district. Originally, she saw it only as an excited and energetic hub, a landscape of metal flowing with rivers and surging rapids of duelists. The place was filled to the brim with passionate fighters, raring to connect with each other and explore the interest they share. In that sense, it was a place that didn't really suit her. There may have been a few places exclusive to Shirasagi Duel Academy members, but it's not as if they stood out to her back then; she merely saw them as a backdrop amidst a much wider pool.

Cutting herself off from the SDA has changed her perception of the entire place. The enthusiasm that runs through this location's veins isn't lacking in integrity or reality, of course. But leaving that accursed academy has allowed Sayo to understand; she realises, passing through these streets, that the Shirasagi Corporation reigns over Haneoka Central City. They're an axe that runs beneath the roads, stealthily holding them in the guillotine. Every parade they host here, every tournament they host here, it serves to strengthen their iron grip. With their funding and influence, it wouldn't be a surprise if they could 'convince' unaffiliated businesses around here to simply close down and leave, if they became too influential for their own good. And though it's natural for this company to host the premium on competitive dueling, some aspects of their stores signify other intentions. They don't work just to help their own duelists become stronger; they also attempt to crush any source of outside competition. Most notably, duelists without access to their shops will likely have a much harder time finding certain rare and powerful cards. It's an issue Sayo must contend with too, now that she's left their academy. 

It's no wonder her leader describes their grip on Duel Monsters as a 'stranglehold'. In a way, the Haneoka Haven Stadium, looming over the city at the top of the tower, is like a gigantic sentinel to the gates of heaven.

...Sayo's situation has placed her in some rather precarious circumstances. Unlike her peers at Roselia, she isn't operating at the base under her parents' permission. She's a runaway. And though she doubts the SDA or her family would care emotionally about her absence, it's likely that her presence in these streets would be reported; after all, every parent has an obligation towards the safety of their child, and the higher-ups at the SDA would likely see the disappearance of their 5th-strongest student as damaging to their public record... even if the world as a whole couldn't care less. Hina would be sad for a bit, but she always finds new things to be interested in; Sayo's hardly notable in her eyes, most likely.

Regrettably though, Roselia's base isn't suited for online ordering and delivery. And though there are plenty of specialist crafters for devices such as duel disks in the Hanasakigawa area, the Haneoka area is much more renowned for its contributions to duelists' decks. Hence her exit from a shop chain in this city, a few extra utility cards sleeved and stored in her bag. With that last activity on the list accomplished, Sayo has no further business here. It's fortunate; the medium-length wig Lisa leant her is a very helpful disguise, covering her rather distinct mess of hair tied within. But the brown colour and... 'cutesy' cut is hardly a good fit with the rest of her attire. It feels rather mocking, in a way, like it's reminding Sayo of the normalcy she lacks.

Still, she thinks as she walks down the street; she has to be thankful to Lisa. In fact, that Lisa realised Sayo needed to be inconspicuous in order to buy dueling supplies, and brought the wig to Roselia in advance, is a moment of foresight that feels... unlike her. Sayo has trouble understanding what drives her, but there's been a noticeable change in her attitude since yesterday, one worth respecting as a peer. Her actions have become ignited.

...No, no, one side says. Only time will tell if that new resolve in Lisa's eyes endures. It would be uncharacteristically weak of Sayo to believe Lisa is truly a member of Roselia now... no matter how much the fires in Lisa's irises burn now. No matter how striking her expression is, compared to Sayo's-

...Sayo recalls some of the faces her academy broke, the draconic snarl their expressions began to take. She recalls the adoring eyes the world lays upon her sister. Letting those thoughts fuel her, she reminds herself of the path she can take to resurrection. Continue practicing, she orders herself.

Veering off from the central streets, Sayo heads down a pavement beside a miniature highway, one that eventually travels alongside SPACE River until it hits the Haneoka coast; it's a good pathway to cross back into the edge of Hanasakigawa, back to Roselia's base. As she walks in the light of noon, blocks of gigantic metal offices loom at her right side. To her left, there's a rather posh-looking park, primarily paved in red brick with various plants decorating the edges; the brick eventually makes way for a sleek, white marble, which leads to a staircase. Then, the staircase heads up to a rather elevated location; on a bridge that cars rush under day after day, the edges of tables and chairs behind the glass wall can barely be made out from the eyes of someone at Sayo's level. Combined with the sleek architecture, they imply the presence of a luxurious relaxation area.

...Sayo can't help but wonder if that park is Shirasagi-owned too. A corporation that helms the face of dueling, in a pair of cities that hold dueling as its central, most coveted sport, its raison d'etre... it's possible that the company owns more around her than she realises. How many of these locations belong to them? How many of these did they fund and build, even? How enormous is the enemy she once affiliated herself with, and how many of these places do they arbitrate? She questions if even the inconspicuous area in front of her might be under their grip-

Sayo's vision detects something.

Stop moving.

.

The Dragon has appeared, her very presence answering. Sayo's body enters high-alert on pure instinct. The world turns black, for a moment.

There, walking upon the domain, the corporation's mask makes itself known. One of the most powerful students of the Shirasagi Duel Academy signifies the park as her lair. The 2nd-strongest. Second only to one duelist. It's a position only a fool would dare to insult. 

Even from this distance, her aura is suffocating. Her long, polite blonde hair is neatly arranged to her back, not a strand out of place, but the ends of the mane resemble an army of sharpened blades, slashing the word 'demure' to shreds. Her expression presents an amicable, well-worn smile, but nobody knows whether that smile is truly genuine. After all, it could accompany an action only authority allows at any moment. Hence, it screams danger.

Chisato Shirasagi. Second from youngest of the Shirasagi children. The model image of cut-throat regality. The most distinguished, and arguably the most well-known, face of her family's Dueling Academy. One of the faces of Roselia's enemy has returned to Sayo's vision.

Sayo snaps out of her shock and immediately rushes behind a corner for cover, watching the figures separated from her step forward. Chisato's lack of uniform, replaced by a simple black dress, implies a desire to remain under the radar. But it's hardly a subtle one. She wears no disguise like Sayo does. The people at her side are blaring; they're all either Shirasagi children, bodyguards, or in one case the Dragon's personal agent. But that's exactly their purpose. They don't hide Chisato; no, they tell the people around Chisato to hide, instead.

Breathe. The shades ascend to the luxury deck above. Breathe. Sayo realises, having collected herself; now's the time to leave. Without the ability to fight them, there's no reason for her to be present here. In fact, being identified by a member of the Shirasagi family would be disastrous for her. For all she knows, even just being spotted watching them, as a random brown-haired stranger, could be dangerous.

Still, she takes a second to look at Chisato’s back, to look at the stars above. To look at what Roselia must face, to look at what Roselia must bring down. Sayo stares a figure of her enemy into her soul.

...All the more reason to duel, and duel, and duel, until her goal is accomplished. Sayo swears once more that she'll raze the entire academy down to the ground, and shine.

...

She continues her return to her cove, having wasted enough time already. Blending in with the background, Sayo walks-

"AH!"

Suddenly, shock, fear, distress; a whirl of pastel pink hair fails to slow, and threatens to topple Sayo down. She deftly dodges, and the stranger's stumbling ends in a fall to the ground.

Having just tried to leave quietly, the event leaves Sayo's nerves high-strung, and she takes a moment to regulate her breathing as the stranger gets up. "Ow... that hurts... um!" She scratches her hair, and awkwardly turns to face Sayo. "S-sorry about that! I'm running late... I didn't watch where I was going..."

...Her uniform. Her saccharine voice and fluffy hair give off a rather peaceful aura, but that clothing signifies membership at the SDA.

Sayo's eyes shrink, now on guard... but she looks at the student's face, and it's not one she recognises. Hopefully, that means...

"...Oh! A-are you..."

Sayo's heartbeat jumps. But she tries to keep her expression neutral, and quickly and convincingly changes the tone of her voice; "...Do I know you?"

"I was just wondering... um..." The student quavers. "...A-ah! N-no, sorry... I thought you were someone related to my friend, but I... um, I think I'm just being silly... um! Goodbye!"

She rushes off, clearly in a hurry.

...Sayo breathes once more. It's hilarious, almost; she assumed her lack of popularity compared to Hina would help her remain stealthed. But her sister evidently shines so bright that anything in her proximity becomes reputable through her name alone. 

It's flattering, a part of Sayo's mind tries to snark; after all, that same shine is what makes the world perceive everything around Hina as worthless, useless in comparison to her radiant form. But Sayo discards the thought like she always does, choking the red. Hina will never personally be her enemy; she's merely a representative, the gateway between the land of the dead and the land of the living. Sayo could never hate her.

...Don't think about her face right now. There's practice to be done.

She breathes, and lets the ice flow through her veins. Her encounter with the pink-haired student has reminded her that she's in SDA territory. Her mind cools, and she begins to walk down the pavement with a calm expression on her face, blending in with her surroundings. Sayo passes by building after building, crowd after crowd of duelists, as the Thursday afternoon slowly begins to make its course.

The ice always comes easily to her. But now, there's something skating on its surface; ever since she joined Roselia, Sayo has felt her lungs take in air like never before. The day she took Yukina Minato's hand was the same day that she violated the principle of a stable future. She took that certain, reliable, empty future, and threw it away, directing her dedication and effort towards something that truly deserved it. Yukina's warmth saved her.

...She has a place in Roselia. And now, she will hone her skills like never before. As Roselia finds other worthy duelists to become complete, the path she's chosen will open, and her enemy will face her blade. It will be a long and painful path, but the promise of life at the other end is what keeps Roselia going, what keeps Sayo going. It's a path perfectly suited for someone like Sayo, and she has faith Yukina will make sure that any other member who joins is suited for it too.

A crow flies overhead. Sayo's walk under the detestable blue sky is rough; she weaves her way around groups of lively, jolly friends, who make their way through their ordinary lives. There's duelists of all kinds, from the sociable to the outright antagonistic, who she has to veer away from and keep heading through. On one occasion, there's a trio of panicking sharks, enraged SDA students who rush past her, swearing and cussing over some kind of loss they endured. Sayo pushes past all of it, determined to resume her training as soon as possible.

"...Fufufu. Over here, my fellow renegade of darkness."

But she has one more encounter, before she can finally return and focus. Sayo turns her head towards the alleyway, expecting the shadowed figure to be an obnoxious advertiser. She'll turn them away, and finally be rid of distractions, she thinks.

Instead, she finds a face she thought she'd never see again.

\---

Silence it. Silence it. Silence it.

Cut.

The deafening, heaving sound of brutally clashing metal breaks the ears. For years, Yukina has been locked in battle. Her enemy, a compassionate maiden with silver hair and amber eyes, who refuses to stop retaliating. Each swing of the maiden's blade rings through the grass with all the force of a vehicle. Each side's sword wails in agony as they clash. 

But finally, finally, Yukina's found an opening. She grits, her teeth bleeding. Her eyes burn, her own hands threaten to strangle her. But she strikes. Red is a horrific colour.

What a monster she is.

The reflection staggers, and clutches her chest. But she continues to grip her blade. The tears scream out from her eyes. She charges at Yukina, and screams, even as the wound crushes her. The winds howl in pain, but the blades of grass have become suspended, refusing to move.

...

The skies have begun to cloud. Rough winds heave through the shrine grounds.

"...I activate the effect of _101, Silent Honor ARK_," she declares, her body shaded by a cold glow. "By detaching 2 Xyz Materials from this card, I can target one attack-position monster my opponent controls, and attach it to ARK as a new Xyz Material."

A sharpened metal submarine imposes itself over her opponent. Between two hulking armaments, a core glows; as two orbs following the vessel burst into wisps, the knight of diamonds on the other side of the field watches herself become taken prisoner by a beam of light. It wraps itself around her form, until her body becomes another orb itself. Then, the beam retracts back into the submarine, taking the captive with it.

"_Silent Honor ARK_, attack my opponent directly." Yukina declares absolute.

The ship departs for its destination, untethered. The two hulking segments, shaped almost like spears, begin to glow at the gap in their centers. Their tips flicker with pulsing red energy, which then fire into spectacular, spiralling lasers. The wind howls at her opponent as each laser sails through the ground around her.

Her opponent's LP drops to **0.** As the dust settles for the 5th time that evening, Yukina waits for the duelist to declare the end of today's training. But again, it doesn't happen. She's only been like this for a day, but there isn't a single second Yukina forgets.

"...Wow," Lisa exclaims, ever smiling. "That's another clean loss for me. I didn't realise you had a workaround like that, Yukina. There's a lot of monsters and decks you can use, huh?"

Her companion’s been wearing a black, button-removed suit-jacket these past two evenings, which now settles from the duel's gales; the opening in the middle reveals the red sweater she still wears within, leading down to the blue jeans below. The earrings of rainbow remain, and her voice keeps its lilt, too... but it feels like the volume has decreased slightly.

"..." The air itself feels like it's quietly rumbling. "...There's a great many options every duelist can choose from," Yukina responds. She walks over to Lisa's side, and hands over a copy of the card she just used. "This one is among them. If your deck can accommodate it, you'll find it to be helpful."

"Is that so~? Thanks, Yukina." Lisa responds. "You've given me a lot of recommendations today, haven't you? How am I doing?" 

"There's marked improvement," she says. "You're far from where you need to be, but you've picked up your pace, and your progression is beginning to stabilise."

"That's a relief..." The blade of her duel disk refuses to retract. "I guess I should keep at it, then. Can we go another round? I need to be able to land a hit on you, at least."

Again. It's true of Sayo and Yukina to duel repeatedly into the night. But seeing Lisa do the same as the sky slowly darkens is surreal; something has changed, over the course of this week. She thought Lisa would eventually free herself from this place, after a long enough period of time, but now the knight seems more determined to remain than ever. Lisa's always been tenacious in standing by her friends, but... is this really the same kind of action?

Why? Why? The voice screams.

Yukina gazes with pain into the loving eyes of her longest companion. There's the same heart buried inside them, but the surface wears a rougher complexion now. Why? Why has Lisa Imai's attitude changed? She has a life outside of this place. Why has she kept herself locked within? 

Why, why, the vehicle in her mind tries to race. All this time, it's been speeding on the tracks, fueled by the thoughts of a friend. Even after it crashed and burned beneath the starry sky, even after she abandoned it, it refused to stop moving. It chases her, chases Yukina, burning through the forest with a dying light. But now, it finally begins to slow down. It protests, protests against its condemnation, asking why, why. It wails at her, wails at Yukina, asks her why she has taken her friend to hell.

It wails, wails, and wails, just like it has all this time. For years on end, it's wailed as Yukina has thrown herself away.

...

...But no more. Enough doubt, enough wallowing in emotional failures. The ultimate blade cannot allow itself to be rusted.

Another brutal swing. It slices all the way up to the side of the neck. She watches the maiden fall to the frozen field, and bleed. There's quiet, pained breaths; they're drowning in search for the surface called life.

Time stills.

...

"...Very well," Yukina responds. "We'll continue to duel. After a few more rounds, I'd like you to focus your efforts on deck building instead."

"Got it," Lisa shuffles and draws 5 cards, before Yukina even walks back across the field. "...A single hit. That'll be my first goal, Yukina."

And so it begins anew.

Ever since Roselia was formed, Yukina has torn herself apart over thinking about Lisa. But she knows; in order to stand a chance against their enemy, an enemy gigantic enough to bring devastation to people's lives, to entire families... Roselia needs the strongest duelists it can find. There can be no compromise if the Shirasagi Duel Academy is to be bested. She cannot allow herself to compromise on strength, or hold back in paving her way forward, no matter how cold the path becomes. She needs to discard her emotions, and discard her worry, in favor of power and passion; after all, Lisa shows promise now. If she can cut the students of the SDA down, then that's reason enough for her to stay. Knowing her, it's likely impossible that she'll ever leave, until Yukina accomplishes her goal.

So Yukina swallows the bile down, and swears. Now isn't the time to hesitate. It's time to say goodbye to her weakness. She will fulfill that goal at any cost.

Her fist tightens. Amber glares ferociously at the heavens, daring the stars to outshine it.

The world unsheathes, and the training begins once more. The duels rage and rage, but each ends in a complete and utter victory for Yukina. Nevertheless, Lisa refuses to falter, drawing her sword again after each and every loss. Her eyes dart between each of her cards, her mind darts between each solution in her deck. She's learning, exploring, experimenting, honing. Her thoughts are becoming sharpened. There's no doubt about it; she will help Roselia accomplish its goal in the coming month.

"Ack..." Lisa mutters, crouching from the vivid image of another monster’s attack. Her LP falls to **0** again. "Whew, you're a tough cookie!"

"I never slouch in a duel," Yukina responds. "Do you want to go again?"

"Yeah! Thanks, Yukina. Just give me a second to stretch."

...

...Yukina tries to keep her expression calm. The maiden’s body lies in the frozen field, bleeding; but she reaches a hand out nonetheless. Then she speaks; "...No. Thank you, Lisa."

Lisa smiles.

...

...That makes three blades she has now. Where will she find more?

An answer appears in someone else's hands.

"Yukina? What's up?" Lisa asks. She turns her head towards the same direction. "...Oh! Welcome back!" She waves towards the wolf maned mythril, who returns as the night begins to rise.

Sayo completes her trip up the eternal staircase, stepping foot into the sanctuary. Characteristically, she already has her duel disk out, cards attached inside. She gazes at the field in front of her. "...I see. You're still training."

"Yeah~." A soft smile. "How'd your trip go, Sayo? You got everything you need?"

"It went fine," she responds, taking off the wig. She steps across the shared ground, handing it to her companion. "...Thank you for your assistance. Do you plan on facing Yukina again?"

"I was, yeah," Lisa says. "But I've got some deck upgrading to do too. If you need to duel her, I can step back inside for now."

"For now? Are you planning on staying the night?"

"Yeah." Lisa places a hand on her waist. "After I have school tomorrow, I'm staying over for the weekend, too. Let's have a little boot camp for dueling~!"

"..." A moment to pause. Sayo stares at Lisa with an inscrutable expression on her face. "...I see. In that case, I'd like to take you on tonight too. I'm curious about your progression."

"Got it, got it~," Lisa responds. "Want me to get some dinner out?"

"We'll eat after a little while longer," Yukina declares. "There's still certain scenarios I want to test with Sayo, first."

"Right! I'll watch, then." Lisa stands to the side instead of heading back, beckoning Sayo to take her place.

But strangely, Sayo doesn't immediately hit the field. "...Before we start, there's an update I'd like to give."

"An update?" Yukina responds. "Is this something important?"

"It has the potential to be," Sayo... says. Her expression wanders bewilderedly through a scape of rain. "It's regarding the duelist we met last weekend. Her name was Ako."

Suddenly, there's a choked, pained gasp from Lisa, as if a curtain has just been ripped aside. Yukina tries to ignore it; "What relevance does she have currently?"

"...Do you remember the task you set her?" Sayo begins to explain. 

"Vaguely," Yukina responds. "I deliberately chose something almost impossible to accomplish."

"Yes. 20 consecutive victories against suitable opponents across the dual-district." She heads over to Yukina, and starts to tap the array on her duel disk. "...She found me today as I was heading back from the city. Take a look at this."

Sayo taps a few areas, and the orb on her disk emits a green light, signifying a request to share information. Yukina extends out her own duel disk in response, and a new history log for dueling is sent to her. Once the transfer is complete, Yukina begins navigating the menus, finding her database; she locates Ako's record, and a holographic screen projects itself from the orb.

Her eyes briefly shrink in shock.

"..." 

Sayo's silent. By her side, Lisa meekly wanders over; her expression walks a tightrope between a mask of curiosity and a blood-curdling scar, as she looks at the record. Then, it breaks; "...W-what?!"

Her surprise is warranted. A list of 12 consecutive victories. Every person fought had at least a 50% win rate. There's multiple duelists from both Hanasakigawa and Haneoka. Every single result... was a **4000**-to-**0** win for Ako Udagawa.

Except that's not quite the truth. At LEAST **4000**-to-**0**... would be a better way to describe it.

"...Please take a look at the 10th duel," Sayo says. "That student is ranked 30th place at the Shirasagi Duel Academy. This duelist beat him handily, with a sizeable field advantage. It would not be an exaggeration to say she crushed him."

A bolt of thunder breaks the following silence.

The maiden cries. Yukina silences her, her expression hidden. She's found her next member... and her curiosity is piqued.

"...Yukina..." Lisa says. "...Are you going to-"

Metal wails.

"Yes." She responds, absolute. "Sayo. Do you have her contact details?"

"..." Sayo's unusually silent; her face reflects. But then she speaks. "...I do. She gave me her phone number."

"Tell me." Yukina says, drawing a new blade. "I'm going to inform her of my interest. I intend to watch the next 8 duels she has with my own eyes."

"A.... haha. Ahahaha... ha..." The atmosphere is choked by the clouds. "I... I figured. I guess that means Roselia's found a new candidate? It's really Ako, isn't it?"

...

Yukina turns to Lisa, refusing to question the strain in her companion's voice. "Yes."

\---

The blank screen envelops her vision.

The field of grass billows in the wind, brimming with life. It breathes air into her lungs, sharpens her senses. It's kissed orange by the beautiful, peaceful light of the sunset sky, the incomplete sun lending its radiance to the world beneath, and the flowers are impossible not to find dancing in the midst. It's the most majestic, most precious and most treasured thing to look at in the world. 

But there's one thing that ruins this amazing sight. One thing that callously blocks the rest of the world away.

For years, Ran has had to stare the wall down. For years, it's blocked her passage to the other side. Its shadow constantly looms over her, almost as if it's laughing at her. She draws a meek sword of iron from her voice, trying to speak, and she timidly swipes, swipes and swipes, trying and trying to move it. The wall barely ever falls. Sometimes, someone on the other side will find a way through, and let Ran in; a secret passageway, a tool that leaps over, or a few ushered words of negotiation to which the wall agrees. Then, Ran can truly smile, as the two of them watch the sunset together. Playful banter, flying petals, mischievous pranks, elbows dug in, ruffles of the hair, tense arguments, kind tutoring, warm secrets, eternal bonds. Even in the tunnels, the stars of the sky can gleam through the sunset light... and sometimes, she'll see that other person's field too, on the other side of the wall; the majestic sight it gives differs with each and every single one of them. 

But all of that is short-lived; it's as if the link was destined to falter. Eventually, the person declares they have to say goodbye, a sorrowful but warm expression on their face, and Ran can do nothing but willingly walk back through the gap. Then, the wall will close, and laugh at her once more, choking her body in the shade. In that shade, even the light of the sunset is hard to find. The wind becomes colder, the clouds begin to gather, the rain begins to heave. The image of that other person she connects with will be lost to her, and all she can do is try to open the gate once more, try as hard as she can to see their face again, to feel their touch again.

She has to know. She MUST know. What can she use, to tear that wall down? What can she use, to meet the person on the other side again, for longer than before? Sometimes, the answer varies, as the wall shifts its form. It's almost as if it observes the person who wants to speak to Ran, and changes its structure to best keep them apart. In those times, Ran's mind blanks, filled with misery, and all she can do is try and speak. Normally, she can only muster a whisper from the clot in her heart; if she's lucky, there'll be something louder. Rarely, she's been able to yell, to scream. But not even that works sometimes. Out of them all, the moment where she truly, truly lets her voice fly, only to have it fall on deaf ears, is the most crushing moment of them all.

...

With a blade of burning rose, drawn from her wrist, she moves forward. "..._Aromage Bergamot_, attack _Millenium Shield!_"

His power amplified by the surge of life, a calm, parental figure heaves a storm of carnation. Surging red lights fire forth, their caster standing his ground as his eyes gleam, and he enduringly unleashes attack after attack.

"_Aromage Bergamot’s_ effect!" Ran declares. "When my life points are higher than my opponent's, my Plant monsters' attacks deal piercing damage!"

Each bolt is insufficient on its own. But through its rigorous, persevering might, a barrage slowly chips and chips away at a supposedly inexorable, time-worn barrier. The shield's singular eye can only watch as it finally crumbles after all these years.

"AAAAAAAAAAAARGGGFFFGGHHH!" 

...There’s a comedically high-pitched yell from the other student, despite the lack of reality to the attacks; they're only holograms, and yet the image of the shattering barrier seems so real. It's... not like Tomoe to be so easily perturbed. She even slips and falls to the ground in the process, as her LP hits **0.**

Then again, almost nothing about Tomoe has been like Tomoe this week. Ran walks over as the day comes to an end; the duel is over, and conversation looms again, but she reaches her hand out nonetheless. "...You okay?"

"Yeah! That was another good one, Ran." Tomoe presents a smile. "...Hup! Thanks for the lift. I think the shock made me fall over."

Sure, that's what it was, huh? "...Really?" She asks.

"Yeah. You've become even better since we first joined Circle too. You've been facing a lot of the students here, haven't you?"

"Yeah." She can't deny that. After all, dueling is all she has to keep herself happy lately. But Tomoe's hiding, as per usual.

"Ahaha. You know, you're lifelike when you duel, Ran." Tomoe pats her on the back. "The Haneoka Qualifier Cup is next month, isn't it? I know we'll all enter it once signups open, thanks to Himari... but you might have a shot at making it far."

That doesn't matter to Ran. What matters is something far more important. "I'm not gonna enter it if you guys won't."

Tomoe looks like she's caught off-guard. But then, her gazes turns serious; thankfully, there's still some fire left inside her. "Of course. Don't worry, we all will. We said we'd all enter it together."

"Promise."

"I promise." Tomoe stands confidently. The posture is refreshing; Ran takes it in while she can, before Tomoe slinks back into the shadows. "We're all entering the Cup. Together. As dueling group Afterglow."

"...Thanks." Ran gives a brief smile; Tomoe returns it. Then, the joy fades.

She's hiding. And Ran doesn't know how to make her stop. All she can do is just continue the illusion of their normal conversations.

"...That card, Tomoe," she says. "_Millenium Shield._ Why'd you put it in your deck?"

"Well, I can Pendulum Summon it pretty easily, I guess? Feels like a good blockade, with all the defense it has."

"You'd be better off with another archetype if you want more defense, I think... that, or you should try and add more options to your Extra Deck."

"That so? Thanks, Ran. At least you're clear with your advice; Moca usually just throws shade."

Ran can't help but chuckle, despite herself. But those words also remind her of...

...It's a web. There isn't just one person.

...What's going on with Afterglow?

"Toooooooomoooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" There's a lively yell rushing through the field, and yup; Ran turns her head and sees Himari. "I'm coooomiiiing for youuuuuuuuuuu!"

"Ahaha! Over here, Himari!" Tomoe returns the wave, then covers the remaining distance to high-five her friend. "You doing alright? Didn't sleep in class today like Moca did, right?"

"Nope!" Himari fistpumps. "I pulled a 'Ran' and gave her a little flick on the nose when she was dozing off. I'M the only one in Afterglow allowed to doze!"

"Leader's luxury, eh?" Tomoe laughs. "Well, Moca sleeps enough as is anyway, that rambunctious goblin." Then the fire in her tone quietens, again. "So, um... did you come for..."

"Yup! I'm ready to go when you are," Himari says.

...Ran doesn't say anything. It's been like this the past couple days; Himari and Tomoe will just zip off after school ends, beyond everyone else's sight. Tsugumi will try to raise her voice, Moca will watch with hawk-like eyes, and Ran...

...Ran can't do anything.

"Don't worry about us, Ran!" Himari gives a beaming thumbs-up. "We're on a secret mission. We'll solve it and return ASAP!"

"Yeah!" Tomoe adds. "Hopefully..."

"...Right." That's all Ran can respond with.

"Say hi to the rest of the squad for us! Don't stay up late!" Himari bolts, waving frantically and yelling her exiting speech.

...

Ran can't return the wave. She swears she can see her friends' backs. But the second she focuses her eyes, there's something standing in her way. It's towering, imposing. It dares Ran to even try and find a chink in its armour... and she's scared. If she gets any closer, she'll sense the spikes nearly grazing her skin, and her spine will feel like it's about to collapse.

She wishes she could say something, anything. Whatever Tomoe's going through, she and Himari have kept quiet about for the past week; the rest of Afterglow seems to have a vague idea about what the problem is, but nothing certain. It's aggravating like nothing she's felt before. At first, when the two of them started running off, Ran thought they didn't trust her with their problems; was she just too meek and unreliable, to be worth including in whatever Tomoe's going through? Did their bond mean nothing?

No. The actual reason's worse. It's too kind for its own good, just like Tomoe always is. The way Ran's friends lightly tread around her personal life sometimes make it all too clear; they don't want to heave their burdens upon her. They don't talk about themselves when they're around Ran; they just give off brilliant grins, gestures of affection and supportive snacks, and tell her she can do it, that she can make it.

...Why? It's kind, it's warm. But that warmth is torturing. They just want her to have the courage to face her own problems, to face her father, before helping any of them out, so that she doesn't put too much on her plate. Idiots. Idiots, idiots, idiots. Can't she care about them, regardless of her own problems? Can't she just express her concern? All their kindness just makes Ran feel even more alone. 

Please. Please. Please let me in, she wants to say. Let me in. Let me help, even if it isn't much, even if I end up screwing things up. Don't leave me alone. Not when I'm in danger of falling apart from Afterglow entirely.

...If she loses them, then she's lost the biggest reason. The biggest reason for her to duel. The pieces are all falling apart; how can she smile in the sport she loves the most if her friends aren't with her anymore? How can she have the courage to utter even a single word, if she's torn away?

...She wants to see her friends.

A dash.

Ran races back into the building, races through the corridors. Not wanting to attract too much attention, she frantically shifts up the stairs, trying to find the classroom she's not a part of again. Every time she makes her journey there, it feels like it takes longer and longer to reach.

Faster. Please, faster.

She opens the door. Finally, there they are. Thank god.

Moca and Tsugumi are chatting away; there's some paper and writing materials beneath them, and an open math textbook, but whatever studying they were doing has evidently since made way for talking about Duel Monsters.

...She stares at them, for a moment.

"Yeah. If you run too many of that card, your hands might brick, Tsugu~. Otherwise, this is pretty good." Moca gives a charming wink. "Good job, my student~."

"Really?" There's a confident smile, the return of the Tsugurific. "Thank you, Moca! I won't stop now!"

"Fufufu. Anything for you, dearie~... Oh." Moca turns towards her. "Heyyyy, look who it is. What's down to clown, Ran?"

"...Hi."

"Good work on getting through the day, Ran!" Tsugumi waves, heading over and handing her a cookie. It's tasty, warm. It almost hurts. "Thanks for the visit. How are you doing?"

"Fine."

Moca catches on quick, as she always does, and she puts on a sombre but cheshire grin. "How's the pep squad, Ran? Did they disappear to perform their mysterious deeds again?" Ran nods. "I see. I'm kinda surprised ol' Himarine hasn't spat it out to us yet."

"...Yeah." Tsugumi's beaming face fades. "They say they'll sort it out quickly, but... if Himari isn't telling us about it, then whatever Tomoe's dealing with must be pretty serious."

"Pretty cold of them to leave us in the dark~," Moca says, keeping her singsong tone. "I'll unleash my Moca-patented wrath on them when they come back, unless they satisfy my burning hunger. I'll be demanding at least five baguettes in return~..."

Their voices are a melody of peace, the symphony of the sky; they're a tune Ran can't tread without.

"...Hm. Hey, Ran. Surprise selfie!" She finds herself whisked into Moca's arms alongside Tsugumi, and a picture of the three of them is taken. She can't even feel surprised at her friend's typical daredevil attitude; her body feels numb, her head tires. She wants to sleep. But should she lie down on her field, or in their arms? 

The temperature of the air stifles. Moca's waving the picture about; Tsugumi is timidly asking for a retake, quietly insisting that she didn't look neat enough for the first shot. There's... only three people, in this picture. Two have already left.

...And it might not be long, at this rate, before it gets worse. Because her father's scowl only increases by the day. What if, one day, he decides the risk is too great, and Ran has to end up saying goodbye to Circle?

What a crap attitude. He's so blind. Why is he so scared? If Ran is taken from the school Afterglow's in, just because he doesn't want their bonds to weaken... then their bonds really WILL weaken. He couldn't be more wrong; dueling is what's kept them together, all this time. She just... wishes she could say that to him! She wants him... to believe her. She wants, desperately, to know why on earth he thinks that. Why?

Great. Worst case scenario, she'll be torn away from her friends, and then she'll have no reason to say anything anymore. Thanks, Dad. What a favour you've done for your daughter. The Mitake school must be proud of you.

...She sighs.

Then, a poke on her nose; much to her chagrin, she's caught off-guard this time. "Wah!"

"Hehe~." Moca smiles. "A spaced out Ran's only cute when she's happy, you know?"

"...Moca..."

It's comforting, relaxing. Is it a good feeling, or a bad one? Is she getting closer, or is she getting further away?

"Hm~... maybe it'd help if I impersonated Tomoe? ...Hey Ran, I'm gonna try and suplex you. HIYAH!" 

Moca lunges. Ran's thrown right out of her funk as Moca fails to lift her, and she bursts into laughter; what kind of impersonation is that?!

"M-Moca, cut it out!" The smile on Tsugumi's face betrays her earnest attempts to stop the havoc. Moca only giggles at the chastisement, and she musters all her might to pick Tsugumi up too.

"Gah! Tomoe doesn't even..." She tries to suppress her laughter, "...do that, Moca! She's not a wrestler! Ahaha!"

Urgh. Of course her friends end up getting to her, don't they? Ran juggles joy and sorrow on her face. Afterglow is a thrill ride.

Thankfully, there's a light enough mood for Moca to be satisfied, and she finally puts them down. "Hehe~. How's my patented Moca therapy? Did it get you out of your Friday funk?"

"It's the perfect pre-work warm up, isn't it?" Tsugumi says.

"...Not bad. Maybe I'll make my appointments weekly," Ran responds.

She just wants to melt in the arms of her friends and stay there. She remembers all the times she's done so.

...Will she keep having that luxury?

"...Um, Ran..." Tsugumi starts. "I don't think I know exactly what Tomoe's worried about, but... I know she'll get through it. She can't tuck herself away from Himari, after all."

"...Yeah. That's true."

"Hoho~, Tsugu. Wise words."

"Y-you think?" There's that cherubic smile. "Well, um. I-if they don't make any headway by next Monday, I'll try and talk to them! I don't want to enter February with a downcast Tomoe..."

"...Yeah, me too," Ran affirms. "It hasn't been an issue for that long, but I feel kind of worried."

"...Right. Then, let's do just that!" Tsugumi says. "I don't want to seem pushy, but... we'll give them a shove whether they like it or not! Together."

"I'll prepare my best Tomoe negotiation tactics~." Moca extends her hand out. "Tsugu declared it, so that's settled. Let's make it Afterglow's next mission."

"Right!" Tsugumi puts her hand over Moca's.

"Right." Ran adds her hand to the pile. The three grip each other, and make a new promise.

...Here's hoping nothing gets worse over the weekend, Tomoe.

Ran breathes. She really does owe everything to Afterglow. She gazes at her friends, and all of their tomfoolery, and knows that none of them would ever hate each other. That, if nothing else, is absolutely certain. It's as certain as the fact that Ran loves dueling.

...Her gaze catches a low-score test paper.

"...Moca," she says, and points at the object. "...This."

"Oho," Moca drawls. "It seems you've noticed my academic woes~."

"...This has been going on since last year, hasn't it?"

"D-don't worry!" Tsugumi perks in. "I was helping her out before you came in, actually. Although it turned to a dueling conversation halfway through..."

"It's an equivalent exchange," Moca says, making the shape of a star with her arms. "Tsugumi lends me her brains, and I lend her my mysterious dueling ways. Together, both of us are teachers AND students at the same time. It's the ultimate combination~."

"Yeah, sure," Ran responds. "...Just make sure you actually study, ok?"

"Roger~. I wouldn't want my cruel, remedial-lesson-chained hand to ruin Afterglow's funhouse time, after all."

...Good. Ran hopes she's just seeing things.

"...And speaking of funhouse time, Ran," her idiot dumbass friend says, "you've forgotten something very important."

"...Eh? What?"

...Oh, it's coming back to her. 

That's right. Things have been so hectic lately that it almost slipped her mind entirely.

But now she remembers. It's important. Today's a once-in-a-month occasion, a once-in-a-month opportunity, isn't it?

"Remember, remember, Ran~." Her finger moves in a swirling pattern. "We're 3 days from the end of the month. That means the secret meetup is happening today. We've got a friend expecting us."

"...Yeah." Ran nods.

"...Oh!" Tsugumi exclaims. "Right, that means you two are..."

"Correct~." Moca hops up from her chair, and grins. "We're gonna hang out... with HER."


	9. Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this chapter, this fic has officially reached it's NaNoWriMo goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm going to make it a bonus goal to try and reach the end of Arc 1 before November ends; I'm predicting there'll be about 13 chapters to it total. I'm having a ton of fun writing this, so I'll keep going /o/!!!!
> 
> Content warning for imagery depicting blood and heavy physical harm, in the first half of this chapter.

Reckless.

She searches, and searches, and searches, and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches and searches.

Where is Ako? Where is Ako? Where is she?

Night after night, the sunset doesn't feel like home anymore. Now it symbolises the time Tomoe runs around Haneoka the most instead, searching every part of every city in a vague, desperate hope. Rivers of people, streaks of metal, lines of companies, rivers and canals, seasides and arenas, any place where she could possibly find what she's looking for. Her hair's become matted, the bags are beginning to emerge. Her lungs burn.

But she can't stop, ever. She'll hate herself if she lets herself catch even a single breath. Nightmares ache at her; thoughts of the cold air cutting at her sister's face scream at her. 

She tried calling, again and again, but her number's been blocked. She looked in every venue she could find, but only one even remembered seeing Ako, and they said she probably wasn't going to return. She checked the internet cafes, but her beloved little sister was nowhere to be found. Her lungs burn, her throat scrapes against the cold hard ground. She can barely even try and yell out the name of the person she treasures and cares for the most...

Why?! Why?! It doesn't make sense! It's not something trivial, but it's still just a card game. Why? Why did she leave? She left as politely as she could, too. She cleaned up the house before she left. She took money for groceries, for places to stay, she even packed her lunch just fine. But it's terrifying; how reckless is she, to run away from the arms of everyone who loves her? And for what? Dueling far from anywhere safe, in the cold, empty, pitch-black night? 

Is she with Rinko? Is she with a friend Tomoe's barely ever even met, someone who she's supposedly known for years now? Is she with someone who's supposedly too anxious to even give a contact number to anyone but Ako?

Someone who refuses to even show her face to the rest of the Udagawa family?

It's been over 3 days since Ako came home. The older, supposedly responsible sister can feel herself growing desperate. Her legs ache in agony from hour, after hour, after hour, after hour after hour after hour after hour after hour after hour of running. But she can't stop, she can't get lost in thought and doubt now; she can't take a moment to breathe and think things through. Because if she fails to keep her sister safe, she'll never forgive herself. Ako's in danger. Ako's not safe. Ako's not safe. Ako's not safe. Ako's not safe. Ako's not safe. Ako's not safe. 

Please, Ako... come home... please!

\---

The knight looks upon the signs of war.

She dances between swords. But she's done it.

There's heavy winds hitting the shrine grounds. The sparkling stars of the night become encroached by the clouds. 

The duel has ended. She retracts her sword and shield. She lost, as per usual. But the training's paid off; she landed a hit. This is everything she's worked towards so far.

...It's far from enough, obviously. But now, she's taken a step closer to bringing back the memories of old. Her armour shines.

There's a glow in her friend's amber eyes; not quite shocked, not quite happy. But there's a sense of recognition she feels from looking at it. A sense that there's been genuine progress, a sense that she's been properly acknowledged as worthy. A sense that her effort has finally started to become enough, enough to bear fruit.

For a moment, she dares to humour a dream.

She tries to imagine her friend standing in front of her. The sun is shining in the bright blue sky. The breeze is gentle. The birds sing, laughter makes a warming melody, and silver dances joyfully in tune. 

Her friend's back is turned. She wants to see the expression on her most beloved, most treasured friend's face. Like a rushing fantasy, she takes a step forwards, and reaches her hand out...

It's everything she's dreamed of for the past 5 years. Everything is perfect. The vehicle has been brought back to life, and it begins to travel once again. Life promises to continue. Her friend turns around... slowly but surely, she sees more and more of her friend's face... more, and more, and more... 

There's more, and more... until, finally, after all this time, after all the effort she finally put in... she sees the expression. She sees, on her beloved friend's face, a truly genuine, captivating smi-

Metal wails. Lisa's eyes constrict. 

Pain, searing pain. Blood. 

'Traitor.'

Something has ripped into her skin. There's the sensation of seething, incurable, unbearable agony. She tries to scream, but nothing comes out. 

She wavers. Her vision blurs, her friend's face becomes impossible to see. She looks down to her hand; a broken sword, blazed red and blue at the hilt, has mercilessly stabbed itself into her palm. 

Her nerves fail, her arm shakes. In silenced, tortured wails, Lisa bites back her tears, turns her head around... and finds a crushing wall of chains, beginning to emerge behind her. Chains coloured a deep, dark metal, somehow darker than the rest of the pitch-black world around her, like the crafted shawls of a raven's feathers. They travel up from the ground and down from the sky. Numerous, uncountable, they build and build, intent on building until they can stop Lisa from taking even a step further, locking her away along with her most treasured friend on one side.

Air has left her; she gasps in desperation, the flames buried in her hand ripping apart her lungs. But she tries to focus, tries to focus her gaze, and tries to see what's beyond the chains, on the other side. 

In-between the gaps, there's the face of a red-haired rider, torn apart by grief.

Despite the agony, Lisa rushes forward and rips the chains aside; through sheer force of will, with just one arm, she continually tears open the gaps, as they try and close in on her. She's beginning to make her way through, her body's halfway to the other side. The rider's face slowly turns to hope, and Lisa's lungs slowly begin to fill with air.

But then, Lisa hears her name called from behind her. 

Her friend is calling her.

She tries to silence a gasp. Her arm stops moving. But the chains take advantage of her inaction, mercilessly binding and trapping her. She starts to feel colder and colder as she turns her horrified gaze between each side of the wall.

Two blades are held to her throat.

"...Lisa?"

"Ah!"

She wakes. She's back at the shrine.

Yukina stands on one side of the field. 

"...Oh! W-what's up?"

"You were distracted, for a moment. Are you done with training for today?"

...

"N-no, I'm fine!" She smiles, and draws her blade again. "Come on, let's keep going until you head out. I can't stop now."

\---

Goodness, just look at the time. She's gotta ponder...

...Does a UFO know how to stop itself from crashing into the ground? Like, if you think about it, it's entirely possible that aliens don't know how to drive safely. No, seriously. People may assume aliens have the same body structure as humans, but they probably wouldn't in reality, so their brains might be missing something that-

Wait, wrong channel.

THERE we go. No humour just yet; first, she's gotta pay a visit to the Afterglow thinking corner.

Hmm... she'll think about monster-truck mom, first. She's already figured the issue has something to do with Ako, since Tomoe keeps freezing on the spot whenever that name gets dropped. Considering the constant grave expression, it's definitely related to Ako's condition... is the little gamer girl sick? Missing? Depressed? Any of those would explain the Tomoe-Himari Secret Mission Escapades, but Himari probably wouldn't have the energy for 3 Udagawa-house visits if it was just a cold or the flu. Combined with how clammed up Tomoe is, it means that Ako's most likely missing. As for why, she hasn't worked that out yet; but whatever the reason is, Tomoe won't open up about it easily. Best solution with the current info, she reckons, is for her to stick by Tomoe's side, even when things get really dark.

Speaking of Himari... she evidently isn't too happy about having to keep Tomoe's secret. She's doing a fine job latching onto Tomoe and providing support, but she's like a trapped pipe right now. If ol' Leader can't spit it out to the rest of Afterglow soon, she'll burst or slip in true Himari fashion, and she'll probably feel awful about letting Tomoe down if she does. That's not something which'll be solved until Tomoe's stuff is... so, plenty of jokes and ribs to let out some of Himari's steam would be good in the meantime.

"Moca."

Then there's Tsugumi; no problem there. Everyone always makes sure she doesn't overwork herself, so that's not an issue. She might be feeling like she's just 'plain old Tsugurific' sometimes, but there's a special value in running behind everyone else; it means that Afterglow always has a home to come back to. There's basically no, nada, zero chance, that the rest of the gang'll forget about her, considering how constantly everyone supports and includes her.

"Moca."

...And finally, there's Ran. Now THAT'S a long one, isn't it? The solution might be similar to Tomoe's, though, so she'll try that too.

Moca Aoba stares at the face of her best friend, but she lets her head wander freely in the meantime; when you set your default expression to 'comedically idle', that daydreaming kind of just comes naturally.

A flick on the nose. "...Ow~," she lies.

"Moca, you've been staring into space for 15 minutes."

"Well, so have you~," Moca says, smiling. "After all, we all live in space."

"..." Now there's the exasperation she loves to see. Afterglow's so fun to tease. "I'm not gonna bother arguing with that one."

"Score two for me, then~."

"You've been keeping track?"

A giggle, and it ends. Her best friend's smiling, and that's all Moca needs right now. A silent roadtrip, with occasional bouts of conversation and laughter; that's what's characterised their venture over to the east side of the Haneoka district. 

This place is right next to SPACE River, but it's quiet compared to the raging hub of activity over on the west side. The fact that the Haneoka Haven Stadium's still visible from the opposite half of the district is... pretty spooky. Other than that obnoxious ball, though, this area is pretty cut off; it's a small cityscape, of course, because almost every part of Haneoka is stuffed with metal buildings, but nature makes its course here too. If Moca could kick her vocabulary synapses into gear, she'd wax poetry about how pretty the top of SPACE Waterfall looks from down here, as it kicks groundwards besides the road they're on and travels down towards the SDA, hordes of uncut trees and grass by its side. There's almost a faint rainbow hovering around it, which'd fit perfectly with the soft transition of the sky between orange and lavender. It's only early in the evening, but the stars're out in full force, and it's making Moca crave candy. They're bright as all hell, as if they're making their presence known in this little area in particular. 'Look upon me, yon captivating gourmet... please feel free to eat my tasty edges...'

"...Ran, can we stop by a sweet-"

"No."

"Darn."

Fitting the whole natural vibe, there aren't really as many people hanging around here. It's probably linked to the lack of Duel Monsters facilities; there's only a small quantity of card shops and dueling houses here, about the lowest you could find in any one location in the dual-district. People probably just prefer the flashy lights that ol' Shira-sucky Corporation throws out left and right around the central city; they're all there for that glamorous dueling buzz, maybe even ready to risk their careers there. What a life that's gotta be.

See, over here, it's quiet. And that's perfect; because if the friend they're gonna meet was found with them in somewhere like Haneoka Central, there'd probably be whispers and murmurs abound. A high-ranking student of the SDA, hanging around two 'nobodies' from some small dueling academy at the coast? It'd be a real pain for this funny fella's daily life. That's the kind of dumb company ShiraCorp is. We really do live in a society, huh?

Oh! There's the place they need.

"Ran," she giggles. "We're here." Moca grabs a couple of gaudy-looking masks and slaps them across her face. "You've come to my secret lair~..."

Ran skips a couple beats, at first... but she manages to keep the flow going. "...This is an accessory shop, Moca." The toys are confiscated. "I'm putting these back before we get accused of shoplifting."

Good. There's enough snark in there for now. It's a REAL bad sign when Ran doesn't respond at all. "Noooooooooooooo!" Moca protests, gleefully adding the whinge to her voice. "You've seen right through me~..."

"Do you even remember where the place is?"

"Of course~." Moca saunters to the entrance of the adjacent building, decked in starry decals. "Welcome to Galaxy Duel House, hot stuff. You got what it takes to face the best in the dual-district?"

"Moca, this is... practically a wilderness. No good duelist comes to this place- ah." Theeeeereee we go. Ran can't help but smirk at her subtle joke. Score three. "...Alright. I'll give you that one."

"Hehe~. A victory for sweet lil' Moca." She prompts the automatic doors to open, and makes an exaggerated motion for Ran to enter.

She lets the cacophony in her mind try and simmer down as she re-examines Galaxy. Inside, the place is... pretty comfy. Comfy enough to sleep in, she's wagered. Aside from the entrance, the entire floor is decked in a subtly glittered dark-blue carpet. The lights and lack of flashy extra decorations make the whole place feel like a little home in of itself; the only notable decal point is the fact that the entire walls are papered black, with a bevy of filled or outlined pink stars painted across them, sailing through the sides of the place. There's a few TVs strewn about the area, and some soft upbeat electro's playing... it's like if dubstep fused with lo-fi anime hip-hop beats. Would it be illegal for Moca to try and make this place her second house? The bean bags on the upper deck are looking miiiighty welcoming...

But alas; unlike Shakespeare's Yorick, poor Moca can't get her beauty sleep just yet. Well, it's a 'living' kind of sleep, unlike Yorick's, and she's not in a graveyard, so it's not quite the same, but they ARE both jesters... oh, hang on. Is there a Duel Monsters card of that clown out there? That'd be-

Oh, right, the meetup. Focus just a smidge, Moca. Guess a little bit of fizz will have to do, in place of a good nap. "Hmmmm~. She's probably at the upper deck, Ran. Wanna get some drinks and head on up there?"

"...Sure." That's a solid yes. Moca's become a master of interpreting one-word responses, thanks to this huggable stoic.

Between all the comfy chairs, coffee tables and the ice-cold cola in her hands, Moca is in her Element. This is her prime zone. It sucks that this place is a whole train ride from her home... that's too long...

Wait, no idling yet. First, Ran. She checks the expression on her friend's face as they wait for Ran's coffee from the bar. It's... so weary, now, even if some of the usual expressions and emotions haven't changed. Honestly, if there's one problem Afterglow has that's bigger than anything, it's probably Ran's dad. It's been a slowly crawling bug into their activities for years, making Ran's expression more and more bitter by the day. It hurts to see; that's exactly why Moca keeps a good, good eye on Ran and cracks as many jokes as she can. No major offense to Mr Mitake; like, anyone who feeds Moca that many donuts isn't a bad person at heart. But jeez, let your daughter duel, you obstinate clod. If they could just get past that obstacle, they'd be golden. 

And honestly? They probably can. Afterglow is real strong. They can pull it off, with enough effort. Moca can say with absolute certainty that all of her crew will get past their problems in the end, even Big Papa Mitake. I mean, hell, convincing him is certainly possible. That's the kind of amazing, driven, shining people the rest of Afterglow consists of. Moca Aoba's biggest blessing in her life is her wonderful, wonderful friends; watching them from above, from high in the sky, she knows that as the braincells called 'determination' and 'diligence' were hijacked from her head, the world gave her Afterglow in return. 

Probably a fair trade, honestly. If trickery and jest must be Moca's blade, she'll wield it with all the grace and poise she can if it helps out her friends. Afterglow may be strong, but Moochy Moca's still got a fierce protective streak; she just can't help but want to poke into their problems and push them forward. I mean, hey, there's nothing wrong with that, so long as she doesn't do anything that'd make her trip all over them. And she's made painstaking efforts to make sure she won't, for now.

The coffee arrives.

"Hey, Ran. Did you know coffee comes from plants?"

"..." Three-second silence. "...Yeah."

"Cool."

They head out from the bar and start searching; strangely enough, their friend isn't actually at the upper deck as per usual. Although claiming that this fiend has a 'usual' pattern of activity would be an audacious statement.

"...Ah. Moca." Ran points a finger towards the back area on the ground floor. Moca scans her eyes across as best she can...

"...Ahhhhhhh, there she is~. Let's hop on over."

They head back downstairs and dart around. Moca peeks around the wall to get a look; there's that snowglobe, that absolute wrecking ball. Up ahead of them, kicking her legs in her chair, she's a rollercoaster in the form of an excited young girl, only a year older than the two of them. She's got a short-sleeved top with one shoulder off and the other on; it's white, but head down and you'll see butterflies of blue and streaks of black. Then, hiding beneath the uniform tied around her waist, there's a pair of ripped pants probably taken and ruined straight from the academy. There's a belt on it and a set of jangling chains at its side, adorned with little plastic stars; knowing her, they probably glow in the dark. Knowing her, the two braids she's tied her short milky-teal hair into were probably made on a whim. Knowing her, she probably just slapped the entire look on haphazardly this morning. She's a ball of energy you'll never see coming, a being far too unpredictable to try and locate on your own. An invincible hero, a shining star. She rests her elbows on the coffee table, head bobbing left and right, her back turned to Ran and Moca. 

Perfect.

"Moca, what are you doing?"

"Don't approach her yet~," she says, concocting her dastardly scheme. "I'm gonna surprise her."

Here's hoping it works. Being a stealthy little frog is one of Moca's handiest traits; she's got the neat little knack for making her footsteps sound as silent as the vacuum of space. It's a good thing she's too cute to head into a life of crime. One step forward, and another. She makes her way down the corridor; leave it to ol' Moca to remain completely undetected.

...Juuust a couuuuple steps more.

....And strike!

It's the perfect plan. She's about to land the side her cola cup, ice-cold, against the opening on her friend's back. No ordinary person would be able to detect her... she'd like to think.

But this person isn't ordinary, oh no.

It goes as Moca expected, the expected being something ridiculous. In two seconds, she hears the sound of a grin, and the superstar has somehow landed behind her; give her a moment to process, and she realises that her friend's somehow somersaulted from the chair over Moca's entire height, nabbing her cup right from her hand in the process.

Then, Moca feels an ice-cold sensation on the back of her neck. "Gotcha!" She hears.

Moca can't help but grin too; truly, this person can't be bested. "Ran, Ran~!" She amps up a wail. "Help me! I've been captured by the enemy!"

"Stay captured. It's what you deserve," she hears as Ran walks up beside her.

"Ahahahaha☆!" It's the laughter of an excited starship, full of unbound joy. "Nice try Moca, but I knew you'd do that."

Yeah, she saw that coming. And honestly? It's not surprising, considering who this is. 

Moca turns around, and looks the erudite eyes of Supernova Hina Hikawa head-on.

...There's a brief second of shared understanding. They both smile.

"Handshake?"

"Handshake!"

The routine's meant to be two finger guns popped off, then high-five with the left, high-five with the right, elbow bump, double fistbump, five seconds imitating an intense flurry of clashing fists like they're in a shounen manga (complete with repeated catchphrase yells), and then a final double high-five. Of course, Hina doesn't follow that routine the whole way through, and Moca has to reflexively respond to a surprise fistbump chucked in at the end. Her right hand's gonna ache for the next 3 days, now.

...Ran watches the two of them; probably exasperated, but she's smiling. THAT'S worth the two of them coming here, already. But hanging out with a friend of 4 years doesn't hurt either, does it? "...Do you two have to do that every single time you meet up?"

"Have some flair, Ran~. It's only once a month that we can, after all."

"WOOHOO☆! You're both here!" The two of them are immediately tackled into a hug by Hina, and Moca briefly wonders if their friend could beat Tomoe in an arm-wrestle through just sheer stellar energy. "It's one of the most boppin' times of the month! I've been waiting!"

"Hey, boss," Moca unleashes her newest invention. "I've got the goods again. This one's come straight from the recipe of a secret associate o' mine... an ol' knight, who's got sweet pastime in pastries... she's taught me the art of honey-glazed sugar cookies. I brought a sample, of course."

Hina immediately lets the sparkles flow in her irises, and lunges for it. "...Not bad, not bad. Guess you've got some loyalty to my mafia after all, then. How much's this one, kid?"

"Free o' charrge, boss. Cawnsider it my bribe."

"Nice!" The acting breaks, aw. "Hey, can we spend the rest of this meetup buying everything from the local sweet stores? Watching Moca goof like this is just jazzin'."

"...Really?" Ran scowls.

"Ahahaha! I'm kidding, I'm kidding☆!" She extends out a high five for Ran, one that's impossible not to return. You're a lifesaver, ol' Hina. This is just the atmosphere Ran needs right now. "C'mon, siddown here with me! We gotta talk."

So they do! Moca leans her back riiiight into the chair. Ah, that's good.

"...How have you been?" Ran starts, another good sign.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! I missed you guys!" Hina impatiently takes the opportunity to spew, giving them a second-hand thrill ride. "Things have been WHAZZIN' around SDA lately! I was allowed to use a different deck in a tourney for once! And there's, like, there was a parade where someone threw a knife at one of their balloons and deflated the entire thing, and it just looked like this flat pancake! Oh, and there was this one interaction that went really weird in this one duel where, ok there's like this card called _Guardian Eatos_, and the person I was dueling equipped her sword to her, and it's second thingy didn't even work, and that person was like, WARGH!"

"Ooooooooo, back up Hina," Moca cuts in. "Someone threw a knife at an SDA parade balloon in public?"

"Yeah, yeah. I didn't see that coming at all, for some reason☆."

"...It made local news, Moca."

"Wow~. That person's my hero."

"M-Moca!" Ran starts, terrified by Moca's oh-so-naughty statement.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh?" Hina's look turns teasing at Ran's fluster. "What's Ran so worried about?"

"Yeah, Ran~. Can't handle Moca's teenage rebellion?" They're both grinning at their friend, leaning menacingly over; they can't help it.

"...God," Ran sighs. "Don't rob a bank or something behind my back, you guys."

"Ahaha! This is why you two're so boppin'!" Hina says, rocking back in her chair; she paints a stark contrast from the rest of her academy. "Yeah, it was pretty entertaining. Chisato was, like, so peeved because of it... but I got to massage her back for relaxation afterwards☆, so I had a pretty good time."

Ah, yes. Hina breezes through conversation topics so quickly that you'd forget how close she is with, what? The most reputable and most terrifying person in the entirety of the dual-district, maybe? It's juicy.

...It's the one thing about Hina that Moca doesn't get- okay, the thing about Hina she doesn't get the most. Sure, Hina'll just deflect all the asshole students at the SDA, she always does that; they can't really damage her all that much, right? But this is an asshole student she willingly, deliberately bonds with. Look underneath the crazy popularity and lovely public reputation the SDA has, and you'll find alllll manner of corruption and crooked schemes running underneath... the amount of shady shit the Shirasagi family's done for profit is astounding. It's a wave of corruption that most people ignore, so that they can continue their tacit participation in the sport they love; and hey, they'll say, they did some pretty good things here and there, donated to some charities, so hey, they're not THAT bad, right? It's amazing how many lives the company can mess up with that oh-so-sweet veil. But Hina...

"How's she doing?" Ran asks.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmm," Hina pauses for a weirdly long time, popping a lollipop into her mouth. "...Yeah! She's doing alright for now, at least... well, I think. Anyway..." She switches the topic, something that isn't as rare.

...Hina doesn't stay away from Chisato, doesn't stay away from the head monster in a lair of her kind. Chisato's INFAMOUSLY known as the Dragon, a duelist so seemingly royal and polite that you'll forget she's going to annihilate you in an instant, with the 14 years of Duel Monsters experience she has under her belt. What a moniker. It's funny, almost; it's not like she's subtle with her hostility, her aggression, her coldness and her callousness towards just about every breathing person on the planet. It's almost like she's broadcasting it. But most of the public seems to miss the implications of that, probably because the impression they get of her is too striking; she's too charismatic and too iconic to be seen as the terrible person she is. She's like, the epitome of TV personality, the epitome of corruption, the epitome of all the different dumb worthless garbage traits SDA students have, combined into one body. Why does ol' Supernova socialise with Chisato instead of just peacing out? After all, she's ranked number 1 at the academy, and isn't really the type to get dragged down by anyone, so she actually has some leeway to ignore the Dragon like she does with every other asshole student. Moca'll never know the reason. Big mystery, huh?

...Maybe without people like Chisato... maybe without the SDA, even, Moca'd feel more motivated to duel.

"And, and! I beat them all, too. It was such a fun tourney!" Oh right, the conversation. Moca musters her attention cells again as Hina continues, just so Ran doesn't have to get overwhelmed. "Speaking of! Lemme see your deck, Ran!"

"A-again? Sure?"

"Yes!" Somehow, that selection of cards is fascinating to Hina almost every time; it's something that actually keeps her attention. She nabs the deck the second Ran gets it out and blares through each one. "Maaaaaaaaaaaan, this deck is so BOPPIN~! It's the only stuff I've seen that actually uses life point gain for things... ehehe..." She rushes through the Extra Deck too, and her eyes glisten at a couple of cards in particular, before she hands it all back to Ran. "I love love LOVE your cards, Ran!"

Awwwww, she's bluuuuuushing~. "...Thanks."

"Cute~."

"Z-zip it, Moca!"

"Cute, cute☆!" Hina nearly growls in excitement, rocketing up from the chair. "...Now I'm in the mood, honestly."

"For a duel? Again?" Ran says.

"Obviously." Hina's taken on a devilish grin. "I already spend enough time telling the academy that they ask too many dumb things. They're so weird about their reputation. I can only sneak away from all the boring business stuff to visit you like, once a month with the time I have, so let's do something interesting with it! Sitting around gets boring, y'know?"

Ah, the torment of fame. Moca wishes she could just rip aside corporate obstacles like Hina could. It'd make getting a job as an entertainment duelist feel a lot less stressful, no doubt.

"So!" Hina slams the table with both hands, holding the conversation by the reins. "Let's duel! I wanna duel one of you, and it's gonna be... um... hmmmmm..." 

She's pondering. She ponders some more. And then just a bit more, as if imitating the thinking emoji is a fun pastime. How does she make pondering look so... hyperspeed?

"...Hmmmm... oooo, Moca, Moca☆!"

Oho. "Little ol' me?" She responds.

"Yeah, yeah! I've fought Ran a few times already, but you're always so funny when I duel you. I wanna do it again!"

"Eh? You sure?" Moca says. "...Compared to me, Ran's level has been pushin' up lately. You might find her more interesting."

"I have?" Ran's probably heard it from the rest of Afterglow, too, but she still seems surprised.

"Yeah~. It's kind of surprising, even to me." Moca leans back and performs a pompous shrug, just for the look it gives. "Last week you and Tsugumi were constantly stumbling over each other, but you're both already like, pretty strong now."

"...Huh." Ran processes. "I... thought I was just getting more invested. Do you think I'm more skilled, too?"

"Of course. You haven't even lost to anyone outside of Afterglow recently. Trust the words of your super-cool chum~."

"Well, if she's gonna get better," Hina says, hands on hips, "then I shouldn't fight her just yet, right? She might get too demotivated if she loses to me right now."

"Hey."

"She's not wrong, though~," Moca admits. "I mean, look at it this way. Why not watch Hina from the sidelines, and see if you can keep up with what she does? Then you'll know."

"...Alright." Ran gives a resigned smile. "Just make sure you don't get instantly cleaned by her, Moca."

"Don't worry about that~. She always takes it easy on us, so I don't have to try too hard." That earns her a frown.

"Yeah, that's true! It'd be no fun if I bopped you instantly."

"Wow, you're honest~."

"Whatever, whatever!" Hina's already rushing off to the reception to book the arena. "Head in there already! I can't wait☆!"

"You heard the lady, Ran. Let's get moving."

They go in before Hina finishes booking, despite Ran's objections; it's not like the staff are gonna reject SDA's number 1, after all. Opening the barred double doors, sleek wood painted in those familiar white lines greets their feet. It might be Galaxy's only venue, but it's perfect; there's a projected screen at the top to show duelist information, not so small that you'd have to squint to look at it, and there's plenty of chairs on the right side. The arena itself is preeeeetty spacious, too. It obviously gets cleaned regularly, so even being made of plain wood doesn't detract from its sleekness. Galaxy is small, but it knows its stuff.

To the surprise of no one, it doesn't take long for Hina to rush in, allllll the way to the other side of the arena. What a hero; she's saved Moca the arduous pain of taking 30 steps just to get there.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon☆! Moca, get yourself ready! Ran, watch everything I summon, okay?"

"...Right, right." Ran acts aloof as she takes one of the countless seats, a few rows above ground level so she can get a bird's eye view, but there's that blaze in her eyes again; her interest in dueling could make just about anyone feel pumped. If Moca needed any motivation to help her friend improve, it's right there in those eyes. Those eyes practically symbolise passion.

So. "Hinaaaaaaa~," Moca whines. "Please take it easy on feeble little Moca, won't you?"

"Don't worry, don't worry!" Hina whips out a bunch of cards. "I've never used this deck before, anyway."

"Huh. That makes two of us," Moca says, whipping one of her own alternatives out. She's gotta be subtle, after all.

"Really? Woppin'! I got mine from a student who wanted to make me lose on purpose... it's got so many random cards in it."

Wow. Okay, at least Moca made this one herself. Still, Hina could probably win even with a suboptimal deck, so this won't be easy, huh?

"Well, this'll be interesting," Moca says, sounding the horn. She gets out her duel disk and chucks the deck inside; it's just the plain ol' kind. You know, grey podium, blue orb, plain blade. It wasn't all that expensive, and Moca needs as much money as she can for bread. It's not like a flashy disk wins you more games, y'know? "...Ready when you are, o' magnificent Supernova~."

"Alright. Make sure you don't lose instantly, ok☆?" Hina's smirk turns kind of... hot. Oh god, Moca forgot how wild her duel disk is; the podium's gold, the orb's the colour of her hair, and the neon, bright-blue blade that comes out is, well... it moves. It detaches from the disk and continually flies around Hina's body, like a companion helper in a video game. It'd be an absolute pain for anyone other than Hina to put cards on THAT spinning thing. It's like, the opposite of Moca's gig.

There's no denying how intimidating Hina looks though, when the comets shooting through her electric-yellow eyes feel like they're darkening the rest of their room. It's like the entire place has become one big night sky, so that she can shine as the biggest star within it. Is the jacket tied to her waist, like, billowing too? That's some nice drama.

Well, Moca'll do her best, sooooort of, at least for her friend's sake. She won't admit it out loud, but dueling? It's fun. As the duel disks connect to the projector and the screen lights up, both sides take 5 cards and **4000LP** into their hands. 

Let's forget about tomorrow for now, Ran. After all, tonight's a party. The air's full of dopamine.

Here we go, now.

"**DUEL☆!**"  
"**Duel~.**"

"Moca, Moca, you go first! I wanna see what you're using."

Wow, that's some pep. Guess she'll oblige. "Sure. _Moca's turn, then~_," she says, taking a look at the 5 cards she's drawn.

Hm. Interesting.

Moca looks at her ridiculously confident and egregiously powerful opponent, who's standing expectantly on the opposite side of the arena like she owns the place (she does, really). Hina's a duelist who... well, she'll take even a mediocrely built deck, draw like 7 cards from it in one turn, then summon 3 crazy things at once and just run you over without giving you room to breathe... if she wants to. So, what's the best strategy against a duelist so bright she may as well be an overpowered shounen protagonist?

Simple. Moca's strategy will be the best, most powerful thing ever. 

It'll be invincible, undefeatable. Hina will finally meet her match.

It'll be a move so incredibly amazing, so ridiculously good, that the jaws of all who watch will just drop open.

"...Okay, get ready, everyone~," she says. 

With a hop and a step, she slaps a card onto her duel disk. "I summon _Cloudian - Smoke Ball in attack position~_." A tiny, fluffy cloud pops onto the field with **200 ATK.** "...Then I end my turn," she says.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"..." The silence is pretty strong.

.

Yeah, Ran's jaw is dropped, alright.

"...Is that it?" Hina asks; not even frustrated, not even confused, just genuinely confirming to make sure.

"Yeah~. Nothing else."

"...Moca, what the fuck are you doing?" Ran says.

"Eh, not much. That's about all I could do," Moca responds flatly. "That's the best ol' Moca's got. Guess you're gonna clean up shop pretty easily, Hina."

"Hmmmm. Well, if you say so! _My turn!_" Hina enthusiastically draws a card. Her lack of perturbation is something Moca could aspire to, really.

6 cards in the Supernova's hand. Hina browses through them; it's possibly her first time even using them, but she's doubtless memorised all of their effects already.

"Hm. Okay, then!" Hina says. "I summon _Tuning Magician in attack position!_"

A friendly little pink haired fellow straight from a futuristic shoujo manga pops out onto the field with **0 ATK,** in a mini-whirlwind of stars. With a joyous smile, they start to levitate their staff, and each duelist's disk begins to glow alight.

"Oh right, _Tuning Magician's effect_," Hina says. "When this card's summoned, my opponent takes 400 of my life points from me."

A little current of green starlight energy trickles itself over to Moca's side, turning her LP to **4400** and Hina's to **3600.** "Oh, hey. Thanks, lil' buddy~," Moca says, eliciting a happy little smile and wave from the magician. What a nice and friendly decision from SDA's, what was it now? Top duelist?

Ran evidently isn't impressed, but she doesn't comment yet.

"Right, then!" Hina merrily skips around her side of the field, then trickshots two cards onto her blade as it flies by her front. "_I set the Pendulum Scale with Xiangsheng Magician and Chronograph Sorceror!_"

Oh jeez, Moca can't keep up with all these funky looking silhouettes sitting in Hina's Pendulum Zones. Does Hina even know what any of them are? The former has like, a bow and some ribbons, she's pretty. The latter's some, ominous, towering and crazy-fierce looking pal, whose form starts emanating holographs of ticking clocks as Hina throws an arm out; "_Chronograph Sorceror's_ pendulum effect," Hina says; "By destroying this card, I can take one _Timegazer Magician_ from my deck and set it in my Pendulum Zone!"

Oh, well, nevermind. Edgy sorceror peaces out, and some spiky-looking ninja magician takes their place. "With these two cards," Hina continues, "My Pendulum Scale ranges from **4-to-8!** That'll let me to Pendulum Summon monsters from my hand or face-up Extra Deck, if they're between levels 5 and 7!"

Ah. And Chronograph just destroyed and sent himself to Hina's Extra Deck, being a Pendulum Monster and all, so...

"_Let's swing that pendulum!_" Hina jumps, and snaps her fingers with her free right hand. The Extra Deck in her disk shines, and a card in her hand does too. "Come on out, _Chronograph Sorceror_ from my Extra Deck and _Dragonpit Magician_ from my hand!"

That gigantic circular portal to space opens above Hina, and monsters come flying out in barreling beams of light. There's two figures whose forms gradually shove off the glow; one's the **2000-ATK** edgy-looking sorceror, who probably wants revenge on Moca for dissing him in her head. The other's... not that sprightly. He's just a... well, he's not a gramps, but he might as well be with that **900 ATK.** Sorry, old man. Still, that's three monsters on Hina's side now, huh?

"...Moca, you're going to die like this," Ran says.

"Don't worry, don't worry~. I've got a plan, I promise."

"A plan that involves what, even?" Ooooh, she's irritated. "One tiny puffball cloud?"

"Maybe."

"Pay attention, sleepyhead!" Oh hey, Hina; the star's just leaning there with her arms behind her head. "I attack _Cloudian - Smoke Ball_ with _Chronograph Sorceror!_"

A whole sky-clotting army of double-ringed portals just pop out behind ol' Chrono's back, and literally all of them are armed with deadly purple spears, alight with malicious energy, They're all just absolutely ready to sail out en masse and pierce little Smoke Ball into pieces. Poor kid.

Sure enough, there they all go; one tiny smiling cloud looks an absolutely ridiculous attack head-on, and just gets obliterated by it. Moca can hear an infuriated Ran yell her name at her as a rainfall of explosions bury Moca's field. Pretty holographs, right? They even make Moca's black hoodie and white shirt billow a bit as she stands nonchalantly. It's the sort of attack Himari would probably yelp and fall over at, even if it's not real, but Moca's used to watching this spectacle.

There's smoke covering the arena, now. 

Perfect. Hina and Ran are gonna like what they see next.

"..." Silence. Then, the smoke clears. Moca's LP takes the hit to **2600,** but her friends are obviously paying more attention to something else... the card in her hand, brimming with a shady purple aura. "...Hehe."

"What?!" Ran yells. "What is that?"

"Oh? Are you surprised?" Moca smirks. "I activate _Tragoedia's_ effect~. When I take damage, I can special summon this card from my hand."

She slaps the totally inconspicuous and totally-not-horrifying-at-all monster card onto her disk. A gigantic abomination of a spider armed with spikes and a malicious glare, leaking red poison from head to toe, slowly emerges from a portal in front of her, towering abouuuut 3 times Moca's height with its size. Some people would say the image of an eldritch horror standing next to little bread gremlin Moca is disconcerting, but that's just craaaaaaaazy talk~, right folks?

"Eh?!" Hina's intrigued now; there's the stars in her eyes, a little bit. "What's that thing?"

"W-why does your deck have something like that?" Ran shakes.

"Oh~? It's my spider friend, is all. Nothing scary. Don't worry about it. Just think of it as like, a shounen villain or something~," Moca responds. "By the way, it's ATK depends on the amount of cards in my hand. Currently it's at **1800.**"

"Oh." Hina looks surprised, but then there's a small grin. Clearly entertained, she comments; "Well, Dragonpit and Tuning can't beat it then☆. I end my turn."

"...Wait, what? You're not going to Synchro Summon something with _Tuning Magician?_" Ooooh, nice catch, Ran. The little buddy IS a Tuner, after all.

"I could, but..." Hina gets out her Extra Deck quickly and skims through it. "There's nothing good I could use it for right now. This deck is pretty silly, after all."

"Oh my god," Ran murmurs, and facepalms. "...Are you two actually going to fight seriously, or are you just planning on acting like clowns?"

"Uh-oh~," Moca says, pretending to act shocked. "Hina, we've made Ran mad. What do we do?"

"I mean, you're being pretty lazy right now, Moca," Hina says. "Just give it your best shot! I can't do much with this deck, anyway."

"Hm. Okay then," Moca responds. "_My tuuuuurn~_." Now there's 4 cards in her hand, so Tragoedia hits **2400 ATK**... but like, that's not important. Ran's evidently ready to observe something a little more advanced than this tomfoolery.

...Guess Moca doesn't need to hold back THAT much, anymore.


	10. Companion

The demon's voice calls her. Who it belongs to, she doesn't know.

There's a rustic, ringing telephone, buzzing intermittently in front of her. Unable to think, she steps towards it, picks it up and holds it to her ear.

Then, the room turns black. She blinks in shock, and the phone's nowhere to be seen. She hears the sounds of whirring, of alchemy, of magic. She turns around.

The demon lounges on a wooden chair, her fingers dancing lightly on a flask. Sparks of the dark flow in cascading currents around her. Then, the apparatus simply disappears from her hand. Smirking, she majestically unleashes her wings, and hovers just above the ground. They're scaled, light-less, bathed in the dark-grey dusk; their surfaces are rough, their lengths are clawed.

Wrapped in elegant black hair, with violet eyes and a relaxed, confident smile on her face, she haunts Rinko.

"...Ah!"

The sound of a declared attack snaps her back to reality. She puts the telephone away.

She watches from above as the sun sets, a cluster of buildings at her back. This part of the Haneoka coastline is the entertainment and relaxation area of a port, nearly meeting with the delta of SPACE River. Decks of polished white and grey marble sit beside the waves, a fence of glass panes and metal tubes seeing off the sealine. There's a number of benched tables and a few plants at the side, whose leaves billow from the forces of winged, holographic monsters.

She thinks on the circumstances that led to this. It was festering for a while already... but it truly began last week. Last week, when she and her friend saw the wolves maned in the moonlight. Those duelists were, without a doubt, duelists... they wore their disks on their wrists, and talked out in the open about their interest. They had no fear for what the people around them thought; the opinions of others... didn't matter to them. They were immune to it. They were... brave. Brave like Rinko's never been before. And they clearly had a goal they could devote themselves to. On that night, Rinko met a pair of duelists who gave her a bit of hope for her future.

But at what cost?

From the upper deck, Rinko watches. She watches as her only friend, the one who was her guiding light, duels. She watches the opponent fight a battle they have no chance of winning. It's Ako's 16th duel, and it looks like it's going to be the 16th win in a row, too. Rinko knows that, because she's spectated these duels whenever she's not in school. She knows that, because they've been texting each other constantly since the beginning of the week. She knows that... despite the fact that she's never actually showed her face to Ako since then.

...When did the demon start calling to her?

She remembers. Ako called her brave, for wanting to attend a local tournament with her. Ako called her brave, for coming to the park to see her. Ako said that it was because of Rinko that she felt strong enough to keep dueling. Then they met Roselia on that fateful night, and...

...That's when it started. That's when everything changed.

She silences it again. But without the demon's presence, she's gripped by fear. What if Rinko said she didn't want to go? What if she said that Ako should've stayed home, said that Ako shouldn't be breaking curfew? The possibility that her actions could've led to her best friend running away from home... it's torturous. Her bravery was what inspired her friend... and it may have led to that very friend hiding away from the family who loved her.

And isn't she partly at fault, she thinks, for Ako's arguments with her parents and sister too? From their perspective, Ako was breaking curfew to duel with a person they'd practically never met. For all she knows, they might see Rinko as... a threat. She's terrified by that possibility.

It's been a cycle in her thoughts for the past 3 days. It's her fault, her conscious mind tries to torment. Because of her, Ako and Tomoe fell out. Because of her, Ako got into the worst argument of her life with the people she loved, and left home the next day. Because of her, the Udagawa family now cries for the return of their precious daughter. Because of her, her friend takes refuge in internet cafes in the depths of the night. Because of her, everything fell apart. Do the right thing, her mind says, and make reparations... apologize to the Udagawa family... and convince Ako to return home.

The duel's ended. The holograph fades. The opponent leaves. Now's the best time.

Go... do it... please do it! Redeem yourself...!

She stands, and walks. She takes one step forward, then another... if she takes one more, the stairs will plummet her down to the ground level. She can fall to the bottom, reach her hand out and ask Ako to return home. It's possible for her to do it. Then, Ako can reconcile with her family, and...

...And they'll cast Rinko away, the demon whispers.

She stops, just like with every previous attempt. The telephone rings, and unconscious thoughts rush forth; the Udagawa family does not welcome Rinko Shirokane. They haven't seen all the people Ako and Rinko have met, all the horrible individuals who care only for slaughter. That means the only person they have to blame for Ako's behaviour is Rinko, isn't it?

Suddenly, the possibility of Rinko losing her only friend fills her with dread. The possibility that the Udagawas will ask Ako to cut contact with her fills her with dread.

...No, no. Don't be selfish. She has to do this. Not to mention, this is a problem that can be fixed. If they suspect Rinko, wouldn't this be solved if she went to their house with Ako? She could apologise, in person, for her mistakes; Ako's family would feel relieved that they finally met Rinko face-to-face, and they'd know Rinko is someone they can trust. Then, they can continue being friends, and they'll be happy together...

...No, no. How? How would she convince them she's trustworthy? Tomoe is especially protective of her sister, isn't she?

Fear. Fear, fear, fear. She realises red has set its eyes on her. Tomoe is definitely running up and down the streets, searching for Ako. And she knows what Rinko looks like. What if she finds her? What if Rinko has to meet Tomoe, face-to-face? Would she do anything to Rinko if they met face-to-face? What kind of horrifying, wrathful, resentful and angered gaze will Rinko face head-on, for taking her sister away from her?

A shriek.

Rinko jumps, paralyzed before she can take even a single step down. The source of the shriek, a crow, has perched itself on the top of the banister, covered in rough shawls of feathers. The eye of blue on its left implies no hostility, but...

...The other eye is piercing, bloodshot. The crow's gaze turns violent, a red stare holding Rinko at the throat. She gasps in fear and recoils.

Ten seconds pass.

...Then, the crow flies away, leaving her alone in the sunset sky.

...

No, no no no no no. She can't, she can't! There's a bead of cold sweat. She can't do it. She can't go down those stairs. Her fear forbids it; the possibility of meeting Tomoe face-to-face forbids it.

"..." She steps away from the stairs. Once again, she failed. She's unable to do anything... it's her fault, she keeps telling herself, and she can't even do anything to reverse it. Isn't that pathetic of her? All because she fears the miniscule possibility of Tomoe's rage. Would Tomoe even be angry? After all, Ako says she's kind and caring. She's protective, but she isn't violent. Isn't Rinko just scared over nothing?

Her fist tightens, and shakes. The worst of her conscious thoughts begin to seep into her head; her thoughts want to condemn her. Faces of all kinds rush into her head, their forms twisted with fanged grins.

"You. You were with Ako before, were you not?"

She jumps, again, and yelps meekly; turning around, she meets...

...The moonlit wolves. Roselia.

The hidden empress spreads her silver wings before Rinko. Her eyes hypnotise with swirling amber, as if opening a hole in the person in front of her. By her side, there's the quiet stare of her mythril companion, face half-shadowed to hide from the last traces of the sun's light.

Unfortunately, Rinko has to communicate now. "U-um!" She starts, "H-hi... you're..."

"I see." The empress's eyes close briefly. "You've been watching her duel, too."

"Um." She's perceptive. "...Yes..."

There's a silence. Then, the duelist known as Yukina walks over to the edge of the upper deck. There's a yell, a hello, from down below; Ako's noticed Yukina's presence. Seemingly satisfied with just that brief communication, Yukina walks back into the deck's depths, as if signifying to Ako that they cannot meet. Not until Ako's task is complete.

Yukina takes a seat. Her eyes are trained on Rinko once more, a stare that fixes her to the spot. 

"...U... um..."

Yukina's voice lets out a hum, as if she's simply observing. Then, she asks: "What is your name?"

"Um!" Rinko jumps, but she doesn't back away. If anyone else was asking her, she'd probably shy off, at least without her friend by her side. But when it's Yukina, something keeps her. "...Rinko... Shirokane."

"I see."

The stare continues. Rinko tries to unmask the intention behind Yukina's eyes. Yukina was the one who invited Ako to take that challenge, as a test to join Roselia. Originally, it seemed like nothing was going to come of their meeting; she simply told Ako that her energy was better spent elsewhere. But then... she changed her mind. Now she's here, observing the duels Ako has too. What is her goal? Why do she and the wolf known as Sayo take an interest in Ako's skill? What do they need skill for?

...She wants to ask. But there's a bead of sweat dropping. She tells herself that it's not her business. She lies to herself, tells herself she's not interested.

"...Do I scare you?" Yukina asks.

"...!" Instinct kicks in, telling her to run. But she doesn't. "Yes... I-I mean, a little..."

"Why?"

...Why? It's a simple question. Yukina's amber shows no scrutinisation, no anger. Just simple curiosity. But it's not an easy one to answer. Rinko remains silent.

"..." Yukina doesn't follow up her question. She simply acknowledges the silence as her response.

Then, Sayo raises her voice. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask a question too."

...Her gaze is fierce. It's much colder; like Yukina's, it's firm, but there's also a subtle, indiscriminate hostility inside it... like that of an SDA student. "...Okay," Rinko says.

"Your friend Ako," she starts. "She's been dueling continuously over the past week, even during the middle of the day. Is she still attending school? And is she doing this with her parents' permission?"

"...!" Rinko clenches her teeth. "...She's..."

"That would signify a no," Yukina confirms, bridging the gap in their communication. Her response elicits a grim exhalation from Sayo.

"...Has... Ako not told you?" Rinko asks.

"No," Yukina responds. "When I called her earlier this week, she only told me about the opponents she fought, and swore that she would see her task through. I do not know of her family or housing situation."

"..." Rinko can't help but grip her arm. "...I'm sorry."

"Mm?" Yukina tilts her head. "Why?"

"...Because... I..."

...She can't finish it. She can't vocalise the guilt.

"Do you believe you're responsible for your friend's situation?"

"!" Rinko jumps. "I..."

"Ako told me," Yukina says, "that the 10th opponent she fought was a person who bullied the both of you. She confronted that person and beat him in a duel as a method of payback."

"...Yes. That's true." Rinko remembers; she watched the whole thing. Ako fearlessly approached the duelist who had attacked her just a few days back... and successfully provoked him into a duel, claiming he'd definitely be superior to a mere 'LARPer'. Her courage as she completely and utterly defeated him was... astounding, even for Ako. It was like an act of rebellion against the world. In that moment, Ako shined her brightest. "...She was... really brave."

"I see. When I see Ako, you are often with her, at least from afar. Are you two close?" 

"Um! Y-yes..."

Yukina silences the air itself, for a second. "How many people have you met like that before? People like her 10th opponent?"

"...Many," Rinko responds. "When me and Ako... went outside... it happened a lot."

"Then you two have frequently faced obstacles like him."

The answer flies out instantly. "Yes." A wind blows. Rinko begins to feel the whispers of a demon again. There's a feeling rising in her heart again... one turned red. 

...No, no. She has to suppress it, she has to; she doesn't have a right to that feeling right now. Not when she's the one endangering her friend.

...Wait. Is she? Because she knew, back then, that... Ako and her were both victims. Rinko... wasn't in the wrong. Is any part of this entire situation really her fault at all? Did she really make anything worse? Is it really her who's cursed, or is it someone else? The demon's voice is incited, questioning her logic.

Red threatens to rush.

"...She expresses herself in the face of danger, no matter what tries to suppress her," Yukina says. "Her skill, her inner strength, and her defiant attitude. That is what interests me about Ako Udagawa."

...Strength. Defiance. So that's why. It's as if Yukina had read right into her mind and found her curiosity. Are those traits related to Roselia's goal? The connection she feels to these duelists becomes stronger, it grows, the more she learns about them.

So she lets self-assertion guide her. "Um..." she starts. "...Can I ask... what you two formed Roselia for?"

She stands firm, even as Yukina's gaze tightens. Yukina turns her head to Sayo, and the two contemplate silently for a moment. Then, Yukina responds with a question of her own; "Rinko. Are you a duelist?"

"...! Y-yes." It vocalises itself faster than she expected.

Sayo looks uncertain, but Yukina continues. "Would you consider yourself skilled?"

"U-um!" She stutters. "I... I'm not sure if I'm on Roselia's level. I... duel online a lot with Ako, but... not very often... offline."

"You duel with Ako?"

"...Yes. We face each other a lot."

Amber inspects.

"I see. And why do you not duel offline?"

"...Because..." Rinko says. "...Of people like them. I'm afraid of somebody... getting hurt. Especially when... we're near people from the SDA."

Silence. Sayo mutters under her breath for a second.

...

The world itself seems to quieten.

...

...Yukina looks directly at Rinko. Then, she says it:

"Does it anger you?"

.

Something breaks.

The phone rings, once again.

Rinko's hand picks the phone up, without hesitation.

The world turns black, and the demon returns. The devil's temptation burns.

She hears the demon's words, flamed in fury, laced in love:

'Unleash it.'

.

"...Rinko." She's back on the deck. Yukina has stood up; she's handing over a slip of paper. "If you ever want to change the world, think of a cause that will prove your strength and skill to us."

"What? But-" Sayo tries to start.

...The paper holds a phone number, and directions to a location. It lies on the brink of SPACE River, just within the Hanasakigawa district.

"...This is..." Rinko's heartbeat accelerates.

"That's all." Yukina stands, and turns to her companion. "We're leaving. Ako's told me she's done for today." 

"...Understood." Sayo's distraught, but she follows her leader.

Step. Step, after step, after step. There's no hesitation, no instability, from the silver wolf. It's the rhythm of confidence.

The two walk through an automatic pair of doors. Yukina turns to Rinko one last time. "...So far, Roselia has 3 members. All of them have a goal they can devote themselves to." Her eyes are piercing, alluring. Her voice rips through floodgates with ease. "Your friend, too, has a goal."

The demon by Rinko's side grins. Her brow furrows, and her smile widens. Dusk wings, sharpened like blades at the edges, spread gloriously into the night. Her flowing black hair and violet eyes captivate Rinko.

"Rinko Shirokane. I believe you desire a life free of fear. If you want to break your shackles, find us."

The doors close. Rinko is left alone on the deck once more.

...

...Would she dare?

...

...As the stars begin to shine in the night, Rinko's phone buzzes.

There's a text from her only friend. She opens it immediately.

ako!!!!!:  
rinrin! did you watch my duels again today :D

...She cools herself. Rinko still feels guilt, but she doesn't want to be alone, not right now. And even if she can't return Ako home, she refuses to abandon her friend.

rinko:  
yeah! good job, ako ｷﾀ━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━!  
you did amazing

ako!!!!!:  
hehe!!! my demonic powers are ESPECIALLY strong tonight  
especially with you watching over me♡

...Her heart beats.

The demon whispers. If Ako joins Roselia, and Rinko doesn't, will Rinko still be able to see her? Will she be able to feel brave anymore?

She doesn't want to be alone again. Ako's... the only friend she has, and the only person she talks with who shares her interest. The world was terrifying, but Ako reached out to her. Ako was considerate of her, the entire time.

...Her resistance has been lowered. She finally begins to respond to the demon... but she still attempts to negotiate. Those thoughts are too heartless, too inconsiderate, she argues. She can't be reliant on Ako alone. There has to be a better solution for everyone involved.

She types.

rinko:  
im glad to hear that! thank you o(〃＾▽＾〃)o  
are you doing ok ako?

ako!!!!!:  
yeah!!! i have 3 meals a day and get to sleep on time  
im so excited though!!!! only 4 more wins until yukina lets me join roselia!!!  
shes SO cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! she talked to me the other day and praised me, too~  
shes like, a dark witch, watching over from above  
did you run into her actually? she was here just now too

rinko:  
yeah, i met her and sayo  
they have a really mysterious vibe, don't they ☆ﾟ°˖*?

ako!!!!!:  
YEAH!!!!!!!!! THEYRE SO COOL!!!!!!!  
i cant WAIT to be a member of roselia!!!! we're gonna be the coolest dueling group around!!!!  
i wonder who i should make my 20th opponent...  
im thinking of dueling 3 ppl on saturday, then dueling the last one on sunday  
itll be like a final boss fight!!! i need to find someone really strong and cool to face

A whirlwind of whispers. The demon's words draw her in. She tries to suppress the feeling, tries to banish the devil; Ako needs to return home. Neither of them should have any business here.

...Wait. Won't Ako be sad if she can't join Roselia? Roselia is the only group who's affirmed her. Roselia is the only group who's told her her identity has value, has worth. Yukina told Ako that her expression has meaning.

If Rinko took her back home, then...

The charismatic black-haired demon speaks; now she's the one negotiating. She tells Rinko the solution. 

...

...No, no, she can't, she can't. How dare she be so selfish?

But it's howling at her. The thought's intruded into her conscious, now; she can't get it out. She can't help but dwell on it... ruminate on whether it's possible.

There's a sound. Ako continues to message her.

ako!!!!!:  
hey, rinrin?  
thank you♡

Her mind returns to her. She types...

rinko:  
what for?

ako!!!!!:  
for being here  
if its ok can i talk for a bit?  
i mean, about... sadder stuff again

There's... so much silence. Texts have never felt so quiet.

rinko:  
its fine  
go ahead

ako!!!!!:  
thank you...  
to be honest im... scared  
i dont want to go back home. tomoe and mum and dad just scare me now  
i dont want to see them  
if i go back i wont have anything to do anymore, except go back to school  
but out here its a little scary too  
i kinda get worried about tomoe finding me, and its a lil cold sometimes

...

ako!!!!!:  
if it werent for you, i think id have stopped dueling by now  
im eternally grateful to my fellow necromancer!

...

Her grip on the phone is tightening. Her breath begins to shake.

rinko:  
its no problem  
im sorry i havent talked to you in person recently

ako!!!!!:  
its ok! being in the city around so many people all the time must be scary  
just... when youre there, even from afar, i feel so much braver  
i can feel brave knowing ive got my friend by my side

...

Rinko can picture it. Ako's so kind, so lovely; even in this situation, she won't be angry with anyone, won't get mad. She doesn't ever get mad at anyone. That's why she's probably... shaking, on the other side of this conversation right now. Rinko pictures Ako, pictures Ako smiling no matter how much everything hurts for her. No matter how much her family rejects her voice, no matter how much her school rejects her voice.

Rinko tries not to cry.

rinko:  
me too  
knowing you're here makes me feel braver too  
i dont think i wouldve gone to the tourney last week without you

ako!!!!!:  
:D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
lov u rinrin~!

...Silence, for a bit longer. Rinko is torn.

ako!!!!!:  
but if youre ever too scared, its ok to head home  
youve already supported me so much  
you dont need to stay away from home after school just because of me, ok?

Pain. Her blood freezes.

She turns, in a world of black, towards the demon. The offered solution repeats itself.

The confident gaze makes her realise.

No. No, no, no. She hates it. That can't be true.

She wishes. She wishes Ako was the only reason she came here.

...She has to type something.

rinko:  
thank you ako (＾＾)ｂ  
ill see how i feel tomorrow and on sunday

ako!!!!!:  
if you ever need some of the demon lord's cheer, just let me know!!!!  
i might be around this area over the weekend too

The conversation quietens. Rinko shakes. She realises, now. There's another reason she was so desperate to follow Ako around over the week. The charismatic, dusk-winged demon shows her a world she wishes she could have. It shows her a world she can have, if she chooses to be selfish.

Roselia.

She has to fight it, she has to. She's here because she needs to find a way to bring Ako back to her ordinary life. Nothing more. She shouldn't be thinking about herself right now, not in any capacity; she desperately pushes back against any of those thoughts.

...But as she wonders how she could let Ako keep dueling, how she could talk to her family, talk to Tomoe... she feels the remains of an amber gaze imprint in her heart, filling her with strength she never knew she could have. The demon inside surges with power. Violet red has already started running its course.

...

Messages herald.

ako!!!!!:  
OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
i figured it out!!!  
shes strong, silent, confident and cool, just like yukina!!!!!  
itll work PERFECTLY

The night sky beckons.

rinko:  
what do you mean :o?

ako!!!!!:  
mwahaha!!!!!!!!!! the demon lord's mind has worked wonders!  
i know EXACTLY who to duel as my 20th opponent!!!!!!!!!!

\---

Night's slowly approaching. The darker the windows get, the brighter Hina's eyes start to shine.

Good, good~. Ran's frowning a bit, but the promise of a little more professionalism is making her pay attention. She's been coaxed out of her shell with all that clownery they did, she's talking more thanks to all her snarking towards Moca, and now she's definitely going to focus on what'll happen next. It's the perfect combination of comedy and proper engagement, to keep her mind off of her dad. 

Right. Moca surveys the field of Galaxy Duel House's arena, real quick. Hina's sitting there with **3600 LP** and 1 card in her hand. There's that chump _Chronograph Sorceror_ with **2000 ATK,** old man _Dragonpit Magician_ with **900 ATK,** and lil' _Tuning Magician_ with **0 ATK** on her field. She's also got _Xiangsheng Magician_ and _Timegazer Magician_ on her Pendulum Zones, setting a Scale of **4-to-8.**

Meanwhile, Moca's just standing here with **2600LP**, 4 cards in her hand, a _Cloudian - Smoke Ball_ in her graveyard... and the big old **2400-ATK** _Tragoedia_ on her field. The totally-not-suspicious-or-creepy-looking-at-all spider friend. It's Moca's perfect sight gag.

Honestly? It's nice how jovial duels with Hina can feel sometimes, despite, y'know. Her being number 1 in the SDA.

"Raaaaaaan, make sure you're watching~," Moca waves. "Things'll get hectic thanks to ol' Supernova here."

"Yeah, I'm looking. Make your move already."

"C'mon, Moca☆! You don't wanna bore me, do you?"

Good. Moca's going to go just very slightly, just a little bit, off-the-rails. Nothing tooooo crazy, of course. "Okay~. I'll start playing a little better, Hina. Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust a slight bit."

Yup. Moca's not gonna do anything too convoluted, right?

Naaaaaaaaahhhh.

She chucks a card into her graveyard; "I activate the effect of _Tragoedia~_. By discarding one monster to my graveyard..." she says, then pointing to a certain lil' friend, "...I can take control of a monster on my opponent's field, as long as it's the same level."

Big Not-Scary-At-All-Spider flashes with murderous intent, and suddenly, one of Hina's monsters has their eyes turned red.

"Eh? Eh?" Hina's excited.

"What?!"

"I discarded another _Cloudian - Smoke Ball_, and that chum's level 1, so..." _Tuning Magician_ suddenly bursts into wisps, which travel to Moca's side of the field and rematerialise. "Your little buddy's mine now, Hina~."

"Eh?! That's such a weird effect! Your monster's interesting, Moca!"

"You're one to talk. Your Tuning Magician's done nothing but harm to you, silly~..." Moca smirks, and softly snaps her fingers. "Case in point. I tune my- well, YOUR level 1 _Tuning Magician_ with my level 10 _Tragoedia!_"

The entire arena is set ablaze.

"W-what the hell?!" She can hear Ran yell. Don't worry, it's nothing big.

Fortunately-holographic fire licks at the walls. As Hina and Moca enter the star-spangled space, it's as the entire floor has become the surface of the Sun. The monsters rise into a blinding stream; rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 10 stars dancing.

Moca twirls, and does a cute little chant. "Ender of all life, crusher of all dreams, find your next haven and rip it apart from the inside~. Begin your unstoppable onslaught, and make every person watching lose all hope upon witnessing your true form~."

"...Jesus, that's dark," Ran says.

"Eh, don't worry about it. It's just a cool dragon friend," Moca responds, idly chucking the monster in question onto her disk. "_Synchro Summon~. Level 11, Star Eater~!_"

The green beam of light fires into the Sun below... and the ground rumbles. 

Then, glimpse and you'll see it. An absolutely massive section of... something's body. Each part of the length is as large and as thick as several airplanes, practically obscuring whole sides of the arena at times. It slithers, in and out of the molting Sun... until... in the flames beside Moca, the head of a stupidly large dragon emerges. Two wings cover Moca's sides, more than an entire house would. The head of the dragon breathes stardust from several orifices. It roars, and, well... presumably, the roar is so loud that whoever designed this card's holograph chose to emphasise it by not actually giving it a sound. **3200 ATK** might be a good estimate, though.

"Oh, hey." Hina rests her hands on the back of her head. "That's pretty neat."

"...What IS that thing?!" Ran asks, gobsmacked.

"Oh, you know," Moca says, patting the monstrosity's side with her comparatively atom-sized hand. "My dragon friend. Doesn't every duelist have a dragon or two?"

"...Right," Ran sighs. "I forgot you're like this."

"That's why she's fun!" the Supernova says, staring down _Star Eater._ "...Is that all, though?"

"Wow," Moca pretends to exclaim. "I'm insulted. Of course not."

"You've got more?" Ran says.

"Yeah. This big lugjug isn't very cute after all, so I'll lighten the mood a bit," Moca says, holographic floor of molten lava literally blazing at her feet. She chucks another card onto her disk; "I summon _Cloudian - Turbulence in attack position_~."

In a little whirlwind, barely noticeable in the midst of _Star Eater's_ havoc, a dorky-looking tornado cumulates into being. As its **800 ATK** displays, an emblem shaped like a cloud pops up at its side.

"Eh?" Hina's eyes immediately dart from the gigantic Synchro Monster to the tiny object. "Whoa! What's that thing!? It looks boppin'!"

"It's a Fog Counter," Moca says. "Most Cloudians get 'em when you Normal Summon them onto the field."

"Ohhhh..." Hina says, looking at Turbulence's description on her disk. "So that's what it does☆..."

"Yeah. I activate Turbulence's effect~." The counter flies into tornado friend; then, a tiny light starts to slowly tumble out of its top. "By using that Fog Counter, I'm gonna summon Smoke Ball number 3 from my deck."

The light bumbles into the hellscape field, and turns into another, small tiny little friend. "Then, I activate the spell card _White Elephant's Gift_," Moca continues, and the baby buddy glows, becoming a small stream of light that flies into Moca's hand. "By sending a Normal Monster like Smoke Ball from the field to the graveyard, I can draw 2 more cards."

And so the stream becomes just that. 2 cards which.... oho.

"...I see..." Ran's paying attention now.

"And? What next?" Hina's jumping about.

"Simple! I'm gonna do it again."

"Huh?" Ran says. "That's... crazy. How? And how many resources are you planning on getting?"

"A lot, obviously," Moca responds. Time for yet another monster. "I'm gonna banish one of the Smoke Balls from my graveyard to special summon _Cloudian - Storm Dragon_~."

Thunderclouds dance in-between _Star Eater's_ wings, forming an actually-not-all-that-small storm of a friend. Their maw is kinda... well, it's gross. This one obviously didn't work on the cuteness factor, but it's got **1000 ATK,** at least. "I activate Storm Dragon's effect," she continues; "Once per turn, I can slap a Fog Counter on a monster on the field. Neat, right?"

"...Ah!" Ran says, eyes slowly widening as another little emblem drops besides Turbulence. "You're gonna..."

"Bingo, Ran~. I remove a counter from Turbulence to summon a Smoke Ball from my graveyard..." Another little tiny cloud pal pops out, and Moca slaps the second copy of a spell card onto the hard-light panel. "...And I'm gonna just activate another _White Elephant's Gift_~."

The cloud child becomes a stream of light once more, and Moca's selection of cards grows even bigger. "Aren't I cruel, Ran~?" She waffles. "I would sacrifice so many babies to win a duel... I'm so morally irredeemable~..."

"I don't care about that! You just pushed the number of cards in your hand back up to 3!"

"...I don't get it, though," Hina says, sitting on the Sun's surface. "Why haven't you used those clouds to summon anything big? They're not gonna beat my magicians like that."

"Ugh. Too much effort," Moca moans. "I'll just give them a little boost. I activate the field spell _Lemuria, The Forgotten City_~."

There's a holograph that's probably displaying some really cool background right now, but... yeah, _Star Eater's_ big ol' sun show is kind of obscuring it entirely. "Lemuria increases the ATK of all WATER-Attribute monsters I control by 200 points," Moca says.

...

There's a silence. Turbulence and Storm Dragon trickle up to **1000** and **1200 ATK,** respectively.

"...Just 200 points?" Ran glances at the card's description on the projector. "...You used the field spell for that?!"

"...Ahahahahaha☆!" Hina's laughing. "Good, good! Come on, Moca!"

"Right, right, that's enough drawing cards for one turn~..." Moca says. Then she shrugs. "_Cloudian - Turbulence_, attack _Dragonpit Magician_~."

Turbulence's form swirls; their mouth shifts into a blowing gesture, and a bout of heavy wind starts chucking itself at Gramps-in-the-making. He sighs, and tries to defend himself, but he's quickly thrown off his feet and shatters.

Hina's hair gets tousled by the light leftovers of the breeze as her LP takes a tiny hit down to **3500.** 100 damage? Blegh.

"Time for this freeloader to do some heavy lifting," Moca says. "_Star Eater_~. Attack _Chronograph Sorceror_, will ya?"

Behind miniature buffoon Moca, a terrifying monstrosity roars, shaking the heavens. Stardust coalesces inside what's hopefully its mouth... until a despairingly enormous laser throes out. If it wasn't a holograph, it'd probably be big enough to carve a gigantic line into the entire planet, visible from any satellite watching light-years above.

Against the near-incomprehensibly large attack, Chronograph's weapons don't stand a chance; they're disintegrated near-immediately. Hina just dances merrily, though, as the laser envelops her form; while her LP chucks down to **2300,** she's smiling and sifting her hands through the waves of energy, curiously pondering about what its made of. That's what Moca sees right up until the attack's devastation turns the whole place white.

...The glow fades. Ran's looking exasperated, still. Hina's standing on the other side, gazing idly at Moca. "Huh! That was pretty cool!"

"Not over yet, Hina~. _Cloudian - Storm Dragon_, head on over and attack directly."

The shifting mess of clouds lets out a slow, low-pitched groan, and stormclouds begin to gather over Hina. Then, lightning bolts start flurrying towards her, breaking the speed of sound; laughing and skipping, she deftly zips between each and every single one, like she's in a game of dodgeball. "Ahaha! This is kinda fun☆!"

...It's a good thing LP isn't able to evade things like Hina is. Make that **1100.**

"That's it for my turn~," Moca says, kicking back in her sun crib. "How'd I do?"

"You... did a lot of things that turn," Ran says. "I could barely keep up. Have you been training recently?"

"Me? Lazy slack-off Moca, training? What slander~," she responds.

"She has, she has☆." Whoops. Should've figured Supernova can tell. "Not bad, Moca!"

"...Only not bad? Hina, she's gonna beat you at this rate."

"Eh?" Hina looks like she's been told something completely nonsensical. "Nah, I doubt it."

"Oho~. Why don't you prove it to ol' Moca, then?"

"Yeah, sure. You've stepped it up a bit, so I'll do that too! _My turnnnnnnn!_" Hina whips out a card. "Hm... there's a lot of stuff here..."

"Please have mercy on me, Dueling Goddess~."

"Eh? Why would I? You already started getting serious."

Aw. She can't bluff to make Hina take it easy anymore, can she? Here's hoping she can land another hit...

"First! I activate the spell card _Allure of Darkness!_" A sinister holographic cube pops down from above, and she starts kicking it around her legs like she's a football player. "I can draw 2 cards, so long as I banish one DARK-Attribute monster from my hand afterwards!"

Hina's selection grows, and she takes a card and throws it into the cube; it blinks out of existence with the offering in hand. Rest in peace, random magician monster. "I'll use... this one next!" She continues. "I activate the spell card _Dark World Dealings!_ C'mon, Moca; we both get to draw a card and then discard one of our choice!"

"Oh? Okay~," she obliges, nabbing one out of her disk... and chucks it right into her graveyard. "Discarded the one I just drew."

"Ah!" Ran looks at the projector. "That's...!"

Bingo. _Glow-Up Bulb._ Ran would know how handy this card is.

"I'm gonna do the same!" Hina waves about the card she just drew herself, and slips it into her own graveyard. "That activates its effect! When_ Dandylion_ is sent to the graveyard, I can special summon two _Fluff Tokens in defense position!_"

Uh-oh. Two very inconspicuous looking **0 DEF** plant bulbs poof onto Hina's side of the field... Moca knows what's gonna happen with those...

"Hmmm... I want some more!" Hina demands. "I activate the spell card _Pot of Desires!_ By banishing the top 10 cards of my deck, I can draw two more cards!"

"Y-you're banishing a quarter of your deck?!" Ran's shock just grows with each passing move.

"It's fine, it's fine☆!" A sizeable chunk of Hina's entire arsenal disappears from the main slot in her disk... and she draws 2 cards in return for the cost. "Yeah, this'll be enough."

"Mm?" Moca tilts. "Enough for what~?"

"For what I wanna summon, obviously!" Hina points a hand to the heavens, and the- oh right, she's still got her Pendulum Scale up. "_Pendulum, swing!_ Bring back _Chronograph Sorceror_ and _Dragonpit Magician_ from my Extra Deck!"

Oh hey, there they are! It's the same two figures from Hina's last turn... the **2000 ATK** edgy dude and the old man. Old man's actually been summoned in defense position this time, and his DEF's **2700,** which is pretty high. Not bad, gramps.

...That aside, though... "Wow~," Moca observes, and slaps in a bit of flattery. "You've filled nearly your entire Monster Zone, Hina. That's 4 out of 5 slots, full o' monsters."

"I'm gonna add a 5th one too, silly! I activate _Tuning Magician's_ second effect!" Hina's duel disk sparkles.

...Oh, right. Using that lil' fellow for _Star Eater_ sent it back to Hina's graveyard...

"...Uh oh~."

"When there's two Magician cards in my Pendulum Zones," Hina explains, "I can special summon _Tuning Magician_ from the graveyard!"

The happy pink-haired friend flies back out from a little sparkling portal; their first effect is a detriment once more, restoring Moca's LP to **3000** and cutting Hina's even further down to **700.** But whatever Hina's gonna use it for, it's not gonna be pretty, huh?

...The pool of the Sun burning below pauses. Flickering flames seemingly stop, simply frozen in time. The red glow plastering the walls starts to fade, and _Star Eater_ roars in caution.

...Hina opens her eyes. "...Right, I'll need to step it up just a bit," she says. Her irises spark ever yellow, but the bolts are stifled; in certain freeze frames, they look almost like cracks in a skating rink. Still, Hina smiles, as she begins: "I tune my level 1 _Tuning Magician_ with my two level 1 _Fluff Tokens_ and my level 6 _Chronograph Sorceror!_"

A barely conscious wave of cold suggests itself into being, and unravels the entire field. In an instant, sheets and spears of ice begin to pierce through the floor, completely unperturbed by the burning of the Sun. The _Star Eater_ begins to howl as the light hitting the walls of the arena turns blue. Its gigantic form becomes trapped as the entire floor freezes around the subterraneous parts of its body. What was once a fiery lake has now become a sleek surface of snow and ice, aurora dancing around the ceiling in the sparkling night sky. As Ran and Moca witness the winter wonderland around them, that familiar green beam of light bursts out from Hina's side of the field, enveloping her monsters; rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 8 stars dancing.

The maiden's hair looks almost like metal. "O ancient dragon of cocytal cold, deity of the frozen world... a terrifying mythril wolf prowls this land. With her presence, my limbs become numb, and my heart becomes shot. That is why I call upon your aid. Lend me your frozen devastation, and close my eyes shut... relive the legend of your ruination and grant me the strength to encase all in neverending, ceaseless ice! Through your unparalleled might, I will forge a labyrinth no onlooker can breach, and I will reign as its queen!"

Answering her call, a gigantic prison of ice erupts from beneath the surface, completely obscuring Hina; it's as if a barrier has emerged in front of Ran and Moca. What it seals is something no cautious human being would dare to free. It's one of the most terrifying creatures in the world.

But Hina stands amongst many, and does just that. "_Synchro Summon! Level 9, Ultimate Dragon of the Ice Barrier! Trishula!_"

The frozen prison glows horrifically; then, it shatters into mountains. Inside is a towering monstrosity, an abomination so feared that it was locked away, lest its power extinct the entire world in an instant. Its crown and wings symbolise the very essence of ice itself. Three heads look solemnly down upon their surroundings, each arbitrating a different malice towards pain. Then, the rightmost head roars; it roars a requiem for those who wish to reconcile, to reconnect, pushing away any possibility deep into the callous cold.

The dragon descends by Hina's side; strangely, despite encasing the arena in ice, it doesn't feel hostile. It acts more like a guard, a protector; with its **2900 ATK,** it watches over Hina, ensuring she won't be brought to harm.

Hina's still smiling; the chaos in her eyes is returning. Now she's back to her bubbly self. "_Trishula's_ effect!" She yells enthusiastically. "When this card is Synchro Summoned, I can banish one card each from my opponent's field and graveyard, and one random card from their hand! I choose to banish _Star Eater_ from the field, and _Glow-Up Bulb_ from the graveyard!"

Oh, drat. Of course she wasn't gonna let Moca use the bulb.

Trishula's right head directs its stare towards the Eater, and the body moves. The queen of ice watches from above, making the massive beast cower as it struggles to free itself. The Eater no doubt outranks Trishula in size millions of times over, even as towering as Trishula is; but it doesn't matter. Everyone knows which figure is the more intimidating of the two.

Trishula lets out a deafening roar, chilling intention known to all, and each head blares. Frost coalesces in each mouth, until a devastating stream is fired out from all three. It surges through and envelops the entire field, until Moca can't see anything around her...

...And once her vision returns, there's a gigantic structure of ice by her side. It shatters; the Supernova has slain the monster who preys on the lights in the sky.

Awesome! Moca gets to just chill with her cloud pals on this cool rink, now- oh, right. There's a card in her hand being lost too, and the Bulb has disappeared from her graveyard.

"...Wow." Ran's pretty impressed. "So much for that, then."

"Don't get all overwhelmed just yet!" Hina yells. "Get ready, Moca! _Trishula_, attack _Cloudian - Turbulence!_"

Rapture. Trishula's maws yell in unison; as if its very voice was a death knell for the world, its message spawns an uncountable number of spears of frozen ice around it. Intent on encasing the entire world, they fire down, with as much frequency as droplets would come from the rain.

It's kind of funky, looking at a holograph of ice encasing you. That monster's wild.

And it's... kind of exhilarating, doing this. Moca wonders; how does her face look to her friends when she's dueling? Does it look confident? Casual? Collected? That's what she hopes; the adrenaline makes it a little hard to maintain that, sometimes.

Eventually, though, each form shatters; Moca's LP takes a strong hit down to **1100,** but Turbulence seems pretty casual about the attack it just took. "Most Cloudians can't be destroyed by battle~," Moca says. "So I'm afraid you'll just have to be content with that."

"Fine by me!" Hina nods, and claps once. "I'm gonna set one face-down, and that's my turn over! How was it?"

"...I've never seen one monster have so much power," Ran says. "Moca, you're gonna need something strong for this."

"Oh yeah, don't worry. I've got something ex-act-ly as good~," she responds. "_My turn_~."

...She's having fun. Hina's the only SDA student she knows who gets how to have a good time.

She remembers how they first met, 4 years ago. It was a day like any other, in a dueling facility piled in the midst of Haneoka Central City. The objective of the contest was simple; King-Of-The-Hill style. Keep the central spot for the longest period of time, and you'd win the prize.

It'd been going since the morning. For most of the day, the contestant at the top varied, but Ran had a small lead. Moca kept herself right behind, making sure she never hit 1st for too long... and stalling anyone other than Ran further back, of course. 

Then, the afternoon came; 3 hours after lunch, an unassuming ball of energy whirled her way into the venue with a huge grin on her face, blasting off into space. People welcomed her to join the fight for the hill; after all, there was only about 1 and a half hours left in the day, and Ran had already kept the top spot for nearly that amount of time. Chances were, this new entry would just be here to have a fun time.

But boy, did she have fun. Because the second she took the top spot, nobody had even a shot at taking her down. Even when Moca stepped up her game just a slight bit, she didn't stand a chance. Back then, Hina shined like no other, and she enjoyed every second of it... to the point that even the people around her enjoyed it, too. Everyone got a bit of her shine for themselves, and it just motivated them even more. Her energy was so unfailingly positive, so excited and invigorating, that nobody could feel bad about losing to her; it just made them play all the harder.

That was a year before Hina joined the Shirasagi Duel Academy.

"Hey, Moca," her stoic friend says. "Go already. It's your turn, you know."

"Yeah, come on!" Hina adds, putting a hand on her hip at one side for sass. "I'm running late already for SDA stuff. Not that it matters, but for all I know someone might try and pick me up."

Well, there goes the memories of the past. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........." Oh dear, Ran's frowning at her deliberately lengthened pondering. "Okay~, okay."

Moca looks at the 2 cards in her hand. Honestly, all things considered, she's got a pretty good chance of doing something big with the lineup she has.

...But. Her opponent is Hina Hikawa. There's practically no chance of her winning, at least not in this situation, is there?

She could humour the idea, if she really wanted to. But neither she nor Ran have ever won a game against Hina. In fact, Hina's win-rate is probably the closest thing to 100% there is. Even full-time duelists fear her.

I mean, sure, it couldn't hurt. But there'll be a value in moderating how much effort Moca puts in, right now. After all, this duel is meant as a study for Ran; why overwhelm her with information?

Right. Just 2, then. Let's put a limiter on things.

"...Okay~, Hina. I'm goiiiiing~."

"C'mon, c'mon!" Hina jumps impatiently, pouting. "Don't stand there all day! I'm gonna beat you next turn, after all!"

"Oh? Well, I'll have fun in the meantime, then~." She responds. 

Hina means what she said; even with just **700LP** left, she's got more than enough power to beat Moca. But let's if any neat tricks can be done under these circumstances, shall we?

"Here goes~. I activate Storm Dragon's effect and place a Fog Counter on Turbulence." The key that starts it all. "Then, I activate Turbulence's effect to summon a Smoke Ball from my graveyard." The key unlocks a door, which then becomes another key. "Then, I'm gonna activate my last _White Elephant's Gift_," Moca says, chucking the 3rd copy of the spell card down onto her blade.

"..." Ran's watching. Shouldn't overdo it.

More cards. Good. "Then, I activate the spell card _Cloudian Aerosol_~," she says.

A card's idly placed on her duel disk... and it floats right into the surface of the blade, disappearing from sight. A swirl of solid particles begins to dance around Turbulence. "By discarding a card from my hand," Moca explains, "I can place Fog Counters on a monster, equal to that monster's level."

Turbulence gets 4 of the emblems; its head really is, literally, in the clouds now. That's gonna be plenty.

"...Whoa... oh, this is lookin boooooooppin☆..."

It's conflicting. Should she reel it in, or should she just go wild? Hina kind of just makes her want to do the latter, but... nah. Moca exercises self-restraint at all times, right?

...Mayyyyyyyyyybe juuuuuust a little fun will be ok, though. Just a little. Not enough to make her shine, but enough to get just a bit of a thrill. The Supernova's energy is intoxicating.

Moca's hair billows just the slightest bit. Hopefully, her smile still looks laid-back enough. Her duel disk glows eerie. "I activate the effect of _The Lost Dragon's Frission, Destrudo_~."

Suddenly, a spectre... or at least, one would think it's a spectre, begins to rise over Storm Dragon. There's two sides to it, two faces; one implies a living, breathing creature, but the other is jagged, sharp bone.

"By paying half my life points," Moca explains. "I can special summon this monster from my graveyard."

It's like a ghost. Or is it like a physical being? It's hard for anyone to tell. It's incomprehensible, reprehensible. Ugly. Horrifying. Spooky! It takes **550LP** from Moca as its ghastly form moans.

"...Why did you do that?" Ran says... but then she notices. "Wait, that thing's a Tune-"

"I activate _Cloudian - Turbulence's_ effect..." Moca says. "...I'll remove two of my Fog Counters to summon my two Smoke Balls in the graveyard." Two more keys. Door after door after door opens. Where will they lead?

"Ohhhhhhhh, you're gonna do another Synchro Summon," Hina deduces. "C'mon, what's it gonna be?"

The floor quakes. There's two currents of aurora in the air.

Well. Guess it wouldn't hurt to bring that thing out, right?

Moca tries not to go mad with glee as she stretches her hands out in front of her. "..._Trishula!_"

There's a moment to process it.

"...Huh?!"

"...What?!" Ran yells.

"That's right~!" Moca says, throwing her arms out to each side. T-pose, baby! "I'm tuning my level 3 _Destrudo_ with my level 4 _Cloudian - Storm Dragon_ and my two level 1 _Cloudian - Smoke Balls!_"

Has the air gotten even colder? Or is that just an illusion? What isn't an illusion is the array of icicles brutally spiking themselves from around Moca's vicinity, pointed outwards. There's two aurora currents, dancing in the sky. As Ran and Hina traverse what should have been familiar territory to them, the green beam of light bursts out from Moca's side of the field, enveloping her monsters; rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 6 stars dancing.

She can't help but wonder how she looks right now. "O ancient dragon of cocytal cold, deity of the frozen world~... You know why I'm calling, don't you? Lend me your frozen devastation, and close their eyes shut... relive the legend of your ruination and grant me your strength, all that jazz. Let's just have a go at forging our own labyrinth, shall we? Let's give it up for Queen Moca~!"

The world is seeing double, double its endbringer. Answering her call, a gigantic prison of ice erupts from beneath the surface; it looks like a barrier, but that means nothing. There's nothing suspicious about it. "_Synchro Summon~. Level 9, Ultimate Dragon of the Ice Barrier, Trishula!_"

Mountains of ice crumble to the wayside again. The world cowers as, once again, the feared abomination threatens to extinct the entire world. Its crown and wings symbolise the very essence of ice itself. Three heads look solemnly down upon their surroundings. Do any of them roar? Don't worry about it.

The dragon descends by Moca's side. Armed with **2900 ATK,** it stares down its doppelganger from across the field.

"_Trishula's_ effect~," Moca sings. "Say goodbye to your own icy pal, Hina. That card in your hand, and _Tuning Magician_ in your graveyard too."

This time, Hina's on the receiving end of the all-encasing storm; the second Trishula's got a bit of a mean streak, apparently, because it doesn't waste a second in overpowering its counterpart. Cascades of ice rip through the entire arena.

The mist clears again, and the other Trishula has shattered; Hina seems to be massively enjoying the chaos, jumping on the spot. "Oh my GOD! I didn't see that coming at all! This is why you're fun, Moca..."

Wait. Is she smirking?

"...But you've also let me do something even funnier! I activate _Dot Scaper's_ effect!"

"Whoa. What?" Moca looks at her duel disk's display... there in the Banished Zone, the card that Hina lost from her hand is...

...Oh, great.

"When this card is banished, I can special summon it to the field☆! Isn't that weird?"

Another blockade, composed entirely of what seems to be distorted digital blocks. Sitting alongside the crouching _Dragonpit Magician_, a being Moca's never seen before has emerged... with **2100 DEF.**

"Hina, what is that thing?" Ran says. "I've never seen that card before."

"Ahaha! I lied a tiny bit; I put that card in this deck myself! Maya gave it to me, after all~."

...What? Is the Shirasagi Corporation developing new cards?

Ugh. At this rate, Hina'll have too many resources in the field. Moca's brain stops hitting the brakes, for a second; how can she run right through? She at least needs to deplete Hina's board.

...Ah. That's how.

"...Very well then, Hina. You've forced the great Moca's hand..." Moca holds another card to the air. "I banish _Cloudian - Storm Dragon_ from my graveyard to special summon another _Cloudian - Storm Dragon_~."

Storm clouds form a familiar face once more, mawing **1200 ATK.** "Then, I'm going to use my remaining two Fog Counters on Turbulence to bring back my little pals," she continues.

There they are. Trishula, Turbulence, Storm Dragon and two Smoke Balls. The last two members sit on the board with **800 DEF.**

"Those little buddies again... how many times're you gonna summon them, Moca?"

"...Whoa." Ran's a little more starstruck. "Moca, your entire Monster Zone's full now."

"Exactly. Now..." Moca clicks her fingers. "Question time~. What am I going to do, Ran?"

"...I don't know. Summon something big?"

"Warm, but not quite."

"Then what even-" Ran flips between looking at the board on the projector, and looking at the duel's information on her disk. "...Wait, hang on-"

The ground rumbles. The ice cracks at the edges.

"Time's up~," Moca says. "The answer was... summon something BIGGER. And also something cuter."

The edges of the winter landscape break into pieces; the clouds fly over. It may be night outside, but it's midday here now, with the sun shining over. Pieces of a lost, ancient civilisation rise at everyone's sides; their rigid white architecture suggests what was once a flourishing city of old, left beside with the passage of time, abandoned and forgotten. 

The floodgates burst, just the slightest bit; rivers and seas rush into the arena. Hina and Moca stand upon a floating podium of ice in the middle of a body of water.

"..." Ran's shocked. "...Well, at least I'm not sitting on a frozen chair anymore."

"I activate the effect of my field spell card _Lemuria, The Forgotten City_~," Moca says. "Once per turn, I can have the levels of all my WATER-attribute monsters on the field increase, by the number of them there are. That means everyone in my party levels up..." she pretends to read the effect on her disk. "5 times."

"Good, good☆! That's what I was expecting!" Hina sings.

Right. Time for something more fun; all these dragons and what-not are fine, but they don't suit Moca very well, do they? They're all dull and droll, they moan on and on about terror, they signify apocalypses and distance and all that; they're not cutesy and silly. They're not something that'll make her friends go 'wow, that's so Moca of you'. So she raises her hand: "Get ready for a Mocatastic surprise~. With my level 9 _Cloudian - Turbulence_ and my level 9 _Cloudian - Storm Dragon_, I establish the Overlay Network~."

A portal of black stardust swamps up the skies; defying the day around it, a galaxy bursts forth, displaying the dazzling night sky above. Two of Moca's monsters have their forms turned aglow, and they fly high up above, higher than anyone can see. Time for a special spectacle, a show for all her friends.

The galaxy spins and spins, enlarging. Moca uses her hands to fake antenna on her head. "Beep, boop! Calling on the outer space, the one everyone knows and loves~! Everyone loves looking to the stars, everyone loves thinking of the unknown... and everyone loves the funny-looking alien that watches them from the sky, the one they all know everything about. What's out there? What life will we come across today? No matter what we find, we know it'll be exciting, we know it'll be fun... so let's all have a blast, shall we~?"

A glowing cluster of light begins to shine at the center of the galaxy. It's time for everyone to have a smile on their face. It's time for everyone to be dazzled, surprised, maybe even exasperated by what they see... but ultimately, they can't help but be happy in the face of it.

"_Xyz Summon~, Rank 9._" Moca winks, with a hop in her step, and she throws two peace signs out. "Travel the stars, _**Number 9: Dyson Sphere~!**_"

A gigantic, spinning metal structure looms out from the portal, watching over everything from above. It's akin to a gigantic Beyblade, is one way to think about it; it's got a wider top formed from multiple steel planes, wires running through their length to fuel the machine. At the center on one side, there's a gigantic yellow ring of stardust, enclosing around the stars. Anyone familiar with the card knows; its design is based on a popular blueprint. Look it up! It'll be an interesting read. You'll definitely understand a lot more about it once you read it. Maybe you'll even become best buds with it, share a drink, snark under the sunset about its **2800 ATK**... Moca's guarantee.

"...Moca, what is that thing?" Ran asks, sighing.

"Oh? You haven't heard?" Moca and Hina start, practically in unison. Their combined voices just kill Ran's ears: "It's the Dyson Sphere, a hypothetical megastructure that completely encompasses a star and captures a large percentage of its power output. The concept is a thought experiment that attempts to explain how a spacefaring civilisation would meet its energy requirements once those requirements exceed what can be generated from the home planet's resources alone-"

"OKAY, okay!" Ran yells. More than anything, Moca's happy she brought her friend here tonight. "I get it! Enough!"

"Aw~. You broke its heart, Ran." Moca waffles. "Look at how sad it is about you not wanting to know..." She points at the structure, which can't express emotion.

"Uh-huh. Are you going to continue?"

"Oh, right. I need to clear up, after all," Moca responds. "Hina, you're saying goodbye to your frontline. _Trishula_, attack _Dragonpit Magician_, and _Dyson Sphere_, attack _Dot Scaper_~."

Chaos, absolute chaos. Trishula freezes the seas around Lemuria solid as its Rapture completely runs right through its opponent (hopefully for the last time); then, without skipping a beat, the alien megastructure... fires a gigantic laser right at Hina's other monster. Look, it's a device meant to capture stars, not magicians or pixellated abnormalities. Besides, a laser beam is easier for people to understand than... whatever a 'Dyson Sphere' does.

It's like a gigantic whirlpool of conflicting elements. The white blocks of the cities around Moca get frozen solid, then blasted by energy... an ancient, natural dragon of ice stands beside a technological invention only a genius could create. One's cool and strong, the other's wacky and strange, and they're clashing to the point of being exasperating to everyone watching; perfect for Moca's performance, right?

Except for the part where they'll disappear, of course. The duel's gotta end someday, after all.

The dust clears, the room settles. The duelists are left to process Moca's mess; a sky that displays every part of the day at once, a frozen sea of ice in a lost civilisation, an alien technology with an ancient dragon. Hina looks upon it all, and she's smiling. Hey, if Moca can impress her, then that's not too bad, right?

...Oh, right, Moca wasn't supposed to take things this far. Oh well, whatever; that's just the consequence of how much adrenaline Afterglow and Hina give her. No biggie. "That's my turn, Hina~. How'd I do?"

"Hmmmm☆....." Hina ponders. "Not bad! You didn't actually damage me, though. All my monsters were in _defense position_, after all."

"It's good enough. Have you got anything to respond with? You DID say you were gonna end it here."

"Hmmmm............... let's find out, shall we? I've gotta get back to the SDA, after all. _My turn!_" 

Hina draws one more card. It might be the last turn of this long and joyful evening, one that's distracted Moca's friend from the impending doom. "Oh. Ohhhh, I could totally do that... Oh! Right, then."

...What's she gonna do? Hina's the sort of person who could easily mount a comeback at any time. What poison is she gonna pick for Moca?

Of course, it has to be the most ridiculous thing possible.

"Say your prayers, Moca!" Hina twirls and throws a card to the air. "I activate the quick-play spell card _Wandering Eyes!_"

**50LP.** In an instant, before she's even processed it, she's down to her last limbs. Smoke has blinded her sight; was she attacked?

When it clears, the faded silhouettes of the magicians, that had been at Hina's sides this entire duel, evidence their disappearance. "This card immediately destroys all cards in the Pendulum Zones!" Hina says; then a card emerges, spinning on the tip of her index finger. "By destroying my Scales, _Wandering Eyes_ inflicted 500 damage to you, and let me add one Pendulum Monster from my deck to my hand! I chose another _Dragonpit Magician!_"

She just ramps up. Hina accelerates, beginning the unstoppable; "Then I activate the spell card _Pendulum Halt!_" More, and more. "When there's 3 or more face-up Pendulum Monsters in my Extra Deck, I can draw 2 cards!"

More, more, and more. She's sailing through the cosmos, flying through every light-year.

"...Yes! This is perfect☆!" Hina's flying, whimsical blade halts, standing as a vertical strip at her side. She kickflips it, and slides two cards right across it: "Let's try something new! _I'm setting the Pendulum Scale back up with Xiangke Magician and Dragonpit Magician!_"

Two new silhouettes emerge. Moca's eyes can barely keep up.

"The scale's **3-to-8!** _Pendulum, let's swing!_" A hand forms a star in the air; every part of the chaotic arena has taken a backseat, now, to the unfathomably powerful energy shining in Hina Hikawa. "Come on out, _Harmonizing Magician_ from my hand and _Dragonpit Magician_ from my Extra Deck!"

It's like Hina's arsenal simply never disappeared in the first place. Moca's entire side of the field suddenly starts to become smaller. Who could possibly shine brighter than that overwhelming light?

Blink, and there's so many things you'll miss. Moca and Ran can only watch. "_Harmonizing Magician's_ effect! When this monster's Pendulum Summoned, I can special summon a Magician monster from my deck! I choose another _Timegazer Magician!_"

Moca almost wants to just throw her hands up and surrender... but that's not very respectful. Hina's having a lot of fun, flying across the whole planet. Like a shooting star, whose magnificence people yearn for, try to grasp for in their hands.

At the very least... watching Hina's glow will distract Ran, from the approaching darkness of the night.

"I tune my level 4 _Harmonizing Magician_ with my level 3 _Timegazer Magician!_"

A pillar of flame erupts, like the piercing spear of a burning star. The concentrated light makes _Star Eater's_ show feel like it was a child's, in comparison. In the pillar, the stream of green rushes forth; rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 3 stars dancing.

Hina's jacket billows. Her left eye's become a match; a flick, and it'll leave trails of the heavens blazing on the Earth. "Red dragon of my soul, become a meteor that will travel to the ends of the world and beyond! Pass by every star, traverse through every wormhole, take in every element of your stardust surroundings, and relish in what sparks you! Seek every thrill you want life to offer, and become filled with the energy you desire!"

In the stream, an entity carrying the starscape in its flesh forms a body, an orb shining at the center.

"_Synchro Summon! Level 7, Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon!_"

Around the body, plate after plate of sleek armour, forged from components nobody could find on Earth, components the Supernova was the first to discover, conjoins and combines. Around the spacial core, what seemingly resembles a dragon builds into an unfamiliar world, armaments that could only barely be described as wings decorating each side. The dragon's left eye glows gold, making the other near-impossible to see; the eye illuminates a burning desire to crash into every planet it can find, an eager **2500 ATK** to its name.

"Meteorburst's effect~!" Hina yells. "When this card's summoned, I can special summon one of my Pendulum Zone monsters onto the field! Let's have a second _Dragonpit Magician_ here, shall we?"

She's rushing forward. Just like everyone else around this person, Moca's watching Hina's back, far far far away; the Supernova rushes through every galaxy, learning about and understanding things before anyone else ever could. She's always the first to know, the first to reach even taller heights than anyone else.

"With my two level 7 _Dragonpit Magicians_, I'm gonna kick up the Overlay Network!"

She's learnt it all, mastered it all. Following the green streams of light, black stardust now forms a portal at her side, buried into the ice beneath their feet, and the monsters are drawn in as streams of light. 

Hina crouches onto one knee, and closes her eyes, as if she's calling to someone. "...Dragon. Blue dragon of her soul, become a meteor alongside me that will travel to the ends of the world and beyond. Take my hand and pass every star with me, traverse through every wormhole; take in every element of your stardust surroundings, and relish in what sparks you! Cast aside your shackles and seek what life has to offer; become filled with the energy you desire!"

From the portal, a faded husk of a body, its skin worn, emerges. The orb at its center is encased.

"_Xyz Summon! Rank 7, Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon!_"

Around the body, plate after plate of sleek armour, forged from components nobody on Earth would willingly search for, components the Dragon seems forced to wear, conjoins and combines. Around the core's prison, a pristine image of a dragon builds into a cold, familiar world, its wings forged and prepared in advance. The dragon's right eye glows a faded, broken magenta, masking the other until it becomes impossible to see. **2700 ATK** is all that it wants the world to know.

But Hina has other plans.

"...Okay, so what's next- oh. Oh good lord," Moca resists the urge to drop her jaw; looking through the information on her disk, she's learnt all she needed to know.

Jesus, Hina.

"That's right☆! I activate the effect of _Xiangke Magician_ in my Pendulum Zone!" Hina's whirling, flying blade crackles with electricity, and one of the magician's silhouettes brightens with red lights. "Once per turn, I can use an Xyz Monster's Rank as a level for an Xyz Summon!"

Moca realises, now; the portal didn't disappear after Odd-Eyes Absolute was summoned. It's now swamped the entire platform of ice they stand on, instead.

"..." Hina takes a deep breath. "...Using my level 7 _Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon_ and my rank 7 _Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon_, I establish the Overlay Network!"

Higher, higher, higher and higher she goes. There's the sound of cracks; Moca and Ran look around them, and find the holographs of Lemuria's city beginning to shatter around them. The images of the sky above them are ripped asunder, revealing the arena's ceiling again. Save for the stage being a platform of ice in a body of water, every set-piece is torn down; only the monsters remain, now. The two standing on Hina's side gleam every colour of the rainbow as they enter the portal.

Lightning breaks the surroundings "...The day I embedded a sword in your heart, my world changed for the better. Dragon hidden deep in the dark cold depths, cast aside your mask, take the end of my blade, use it as your ladder and reach for the stars with me! With you behind me, I can find any haven I want, rip apart any obstacle that stands in our way... let's reach as far into the endless night sky as we can, together, and tear our enemies asunder with the vow of our rebellion!"

The portal breaks the ice into countless pieces; the sea fades, and the wooden floor of the arena is left below. The ground rumbles; sparks of dark lightning howl in uncountable numbers, daring to combine in front of Hina. Moca's monsters stare at the face of a power like no other.

"_Xyz Summon! Rank 7!_ Disobey the world's orders, _**Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon!**_"

Holographic effects display splits in the wooden floor; planks are torn asunder to make way for bolt after bolt of lightning surging into the heavens. As the entire field shudders, the dream's beast towers over the world, shadowing the entire Earth. Every limb is armed with weaponry unimaginable. Thunder roars between each blade of its wing. Anyone who attempts to silence this being will have their hands torn asunder by the massive, gleaming pair of fangs on its jaw. Pulsing in systems of readied red and belated blue, the combined power lets out an unstoppable declaration, veins and arteries surged towards **3000 ATK.**

"_Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon's_ effect☆!" Hina declares absolute, positive. "All level 7 or lower monsters my opponent controls are destroyed, and my opponent takes 1000 damage for each monster destroyed!"

The lightning in the wings blazes, and surges through every part of the room. Moca stands idly before the indefatigable strength she's witnessing, popping a lollipop into her mouth. With the two Smoke Balls and Trishula, that'd be 3000 damage. It's completely overkill; most likely, it shows just a glimpse of what Hina could have done from the very beginning. 

That's Hina for you. Moca looks at Hina's shining future, and smiles. She's happy she and Ran have such a good friend.

The entirety of Moca's field blows up; only the _Dyson Sphere_ remains. But its funky form slowly flickers out, as her LP hits **0.** That's fine, really. Its main job was to be as silly-looking and out-there as Moca appears, after all. It's no fighter, and she doesn't need to look like one either.

The dust clears; no matter how many times Moca sees it, she can't deny how wistful it is to look at, how endearing. She's lost the adrenaline that'd make most duelists cover their eyes and crouch in the face of a monster's attack, but it's still a beautiful and wonderful thing to see. Watching her friends shine is one of the things she loves the most about dueling.

The sunset disappears. The night has swallowed the sky.

"..." Moca claps. "Good game, my lovely star~."

"Woo! I knew it'd be fun if I fought you☆!" Hina's rushing over- oh god, she's barrelling for a high-five. Moca instinctually raises her right hand, and- oooooooh, that stings. Well, it'll ache, but she's smiling, alright.

"..." Ran hops down from the seats above, and joins their side. "...That was a crazy last turn, Hina. I couldn't keep up with it."

"That's fine, that's fine☆!" Hina starts tapping at Ran's duel disk. "You spectated all the moves on here, right? You can just look back at them later!"

"Right. Thanks." Ran smiles. It's warm here. It really was worth it, coming here. It's a once-in-a-month opportunity, after all.

But they're given no time to relax at the end of their trip.

It's cut right then and there. Hina's about to start up another sentence, but there's a knock at the arena's double doors. "Hello? Is Hina Hikawa in here?"

Hina's brow raises. 

"I apologise for coming in!" The doors open.

Moca scowls. 

She knows that uniform. It's primp, tidy and refined, nothing like Hina's; there's a student of the Shirasagi Duel Academy behind them now. Her braided white hair has seen a thousand winters, her sky-blue eyes have entered a new world. "Excuse me, have you- oh! There you are!"

"..."

"Hm... who're you, again? I think I saw you before." Hina ponders.

"Ah, forgive me for not introducing myself! My name is Eve Wakamiya. I've been sent here to find you by Chisato!" The student bows, and gives off a seemingly warm smile. She looks polite on the surface, which is rare for the academy. But no doubt, she's rotten like the rest of them beneath. Rotten, rotten, rotten, Moca thinks.

"Oh, right, right. I remember you now, you're the transfer!" Hina hops over. "Lemme guess, did they send you here to pick me up?"

"Yes!" An enthusiastic, routine response. "I apologize for interrupting your enjoyment, but the academy desperately needs your presence for a signing deal right now. I need to take you to Haneoka Tower as soon as possible."

"Pffffffffffffffffffffffbbbbbbbbbbbhhhhhhhhhhhttttt!" Hina's grumpy; god, what a lively response. "Alright, alright! I'll be out in a couple minutes, so just wait outside, okay?"

"Understood! Giving your friends a farewell is important, after all!" She bows once more, and heads out. She seems... unusually courteous.

Silence, for a couple of seconds. "...Do you know her?" Ran asks.

"I think! She joined the academy, like, a year ago, I think? Still kinda hard to remember everyone's faces." She scratches her head. "...Sorry, guys. Looks like I gotta go."

"It's chill. We had a blast, didn't we~?"

"Don't... worry about it. I had a lot of fun," Ran says... and then flushes again. "W-well. You know what I mean."

"Oh~? Admit it, Ran~~~," Moca says, poking her friend's cheek. "You were grinning throughout the whole duel, weeeeeeeeren't you? Cutie~."

"Cutie, cutie☆!" Hina laughs, causing Ran to groan and bury her blushing face in her hands.

"Soft and snarky Ran... my favorite~."

"Shut up!" She mumbles. "D-don't get carried away!"

"Ahahahaha☆!" Hina laughs. "...Thanks, you guys. I missed you."

Joy. There's the soft smile of an impending goodbye shared between them.

"...Yeah. Thanks, Hina," Ran responds.

"No problem☆. I'm just glad you didn't look sad the whole way through, Ran."

"...!" She's surprised. "What do you... mean?"

"You seem pretty down," Hina casually comments, as if reading a newspaper. "You were grinning a lot, but there's like, some weird misery behind it, right? It reminds me of-"

"It's fine." Ran says. "Don't worry about it."

Ah. Oh dear. She's withered back the second the light show has ended, huh?

"...Okay, then. Sorry, but I gotta go. All this SDA stuff is a real pain." She saunters on over to the doors, free and unbound... but then she stops. As she opens one, she turns her body back and looks towards Ran and Moca. Her joy's been marred, slightly. "Hey, guys. I might not be able to meet up with you next month. The Qualifier Cup'll be right around the corner, so I don't think SDA will let me run around the week before."

"...Ah." Ran murmurs.

"Hey, hey," Moca butts in. "We're gonna be entering the Cup too, y'know? We'll just see you in the tourney~."

"..." Hina's eyes brighten. "Right! I can just duel you in the stadium instead of here!" A fistpump! There's that cheer. "...Alright, guys, promise."

"Promise?" Ran says. "Promise what?"

"That Afterglow's gonna stick together!" Hina declares. "You guys are so fun. You two are such a bop to play with, and everyone else's fun to tease when I see them. It's like a little breakfast club for me! So, make sure you all enter the Cup together, okay? I wanna have some boppin' fights with you there!"

"...Yeah. I promise." Of course. It's the one promise Ran'd never back down on, no matter what.

"You got it, boss~," Moca chucks out.

"Good!" Hina starts to walk through the door. "And we'll still meet up in March, too! Don't forget it, keep boppin', all that, see ya☆!"

And it closes. Like an unstoppable meteor, she's crashed right into them, before hurtling past again. A shooting star, one they can only see for a brief moment, when the night sky is at its most beautiful.

"...See you later, Hina~," Moca whispers. 

...Now, let's see if she can't give her friend just a bit more life, first. "Hey, Ran. Did you enjoy tonight?"

"Yeah," she responds. Her expression looks neutral, but there's a fuel behind it. "She's, uh... energetic, as always. That's one way to put it, I think. And I... think I learned a lot from the duel, too."

"Oh? Such as~?"

"Hm..." Ran thinks, for a second. Her captivating eyes blaze in her passion. "I was observing what both of you were doing. You two both found combos, to draw a lot of cards and summon a lot of monsters."

"Mm, mm~."

"I also realised. Being able to read all the monster effects before strategizing is helpful, too."

"Bingo~." Moca gives a slanted thumbs-up. "Any card that's in a player's field, graveyard or Banished Zone is visible to everyone. Any card that they manually add to their hand through a card effect, too."

"Yeah," Ran nods. "It's hard to keep up with, but... it's a lot of helpful information."

"You having fun learning it?"

"Yeah. It's... interesting. I feel like my options become more clear, and things become more exciting, when I plan like that in advance. I'll try to imitate what you two did."

"Hehe~. If you're having a good time, then that's what counts," Moca responds, patting her friend on the back.

"Right. But, Moca..." Ran's gaze turns to analysis. "...I'm suspicious. Do you hold back when you duel the rest of Afterglow? You played stronger against Hina, compared to someone like Himari or Tomoe."

"Ah, crud." Moca puts her hands up. "The jig's up. Yeah, I hold back just a little bit when it comes to our other pals~."

"...Just a little bit?"

"Yeah~. What you saw me do against Hina... thaaat's about the extent of ol' Moca's capabilities," she claims.

"..." Ran's searching for a good wording. "...I think I know the reason. But can I ask why?"

"Sure. Picture it like this," Moca says. "If you were a complete newbie to the game, who couldn't do anything complex... and I just took advantage of that and beat you immediately, would you be having fun?"

"That's what I figured," Ran says. There's a soft look in her eyes... "You hold back while everyone is training, so that they don't miss out on the thrill in the meantime. Right?"

"Bingo~. My little Ran really is growing up."

"...Don't get empty-nest syndrome on me, now."

"Hehe. I'll try not to shed any dramatic tears, dearie."

The night sky looms.

"..." They don't talk, for a second. Ran obviously doesn't want this day to end. She knows what she has to go back to, once it does.

Guess it's on ol' Moca, again. "Hey, Ran," she says, swaggering on her prankster. "I'm gonna impersonate a bard who just composed a 3-hour rhapsody about aliens." She kicks up the good ol' air guitar. "OHHHHHHHHHH~, WHEN I SAW A UFO CRASH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-"

"T-too loud, too loud! People will hear!" Ran hurriedly protests. "Alright, fine, you gremlin. We're heading home."

"Alas~," she waxes... "The only tune the bards have now... is a requiem..." She fakes fainting to the floor.

"Oh my god, get up!" Ran yells, trying to suppress her laughter. "We need to get back! It's late!"

"Fiiiiine~... I guess I will~..."

Her friend eventually lugs her up from the ground. Walking away from the arena, they say goodbye to Galaxy's staff and head out into the night sky beyond; as the evening nears its end, the screen behind the clouds turns darker and darker. Stars now try to shine against a curtain of pitch-black. The two walk; now that their brief respite is over, Ran has no choice but to return home to her father.

"...Hey, Moca." Ran asks. "Do you have a preferred deck? You use 'alternatives' all the time."

"Hm." Quick, what's something that suits her image enough? "...Ghostricks."

"Really?"

"Maybe."

"...Are you lying?"

A moment's silence. Moca turns to her friend, and puts a finger over her own lip. "Who knows?"

Ran sighs; as they travel into the darkness, whether she wears a smile or a frown is known only to Ran herself. "...You're the same as always, huh? Well... that's fine, I guess."

...Happiness. It's enough for now.

All in a day's work, for Moca Aoba. Watching from above, from high up in space, she watches over her beloved friends, and pushes them forward in whatever way she can, towards their futures. When they're down, it's up to a blade of trickery and jest to lighten their hearts again. When they smile, everything's right with Moca's world; it's all she needs. This is her haven for now.

Moca begins to plan. She begins to plan, further and further, for what she'll need to do to support them. Any challenge they face, they'll face with alongside their irritating but irresistible friend, the fool who never fails to put a smile on their faces. Everyone knows exactly what she's like, exactly what kind of lovable buffoon she is. And that's the role Moca takes. It's a role she'll happily continue to take on, just like she always has, all these years. It's a role she'll fulfill as much as she can...

...Before her time runs out.


	11. Dreadnought

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! We're entering the final three chapters of Arc 1, now; there'll be 6 Arcs total, the way this fic is looking so far.
> 
> I'd like to use this chapter to make a couple of particular notes:
> 
> Firstly, I've updated the content warnings with a lot of further detail, and moved the pastebin to the fic's summary. The main addition I'd like to highlight is the potential for depictions of self-depreciation and other internal struggles from a First-Person point of view, at times. I'll make sure to note if a depiction is particularly intense!
> 
> Secondly, Chapter 12 is going to be twice as long as Chapter 11. Consider this a prelude.
> 
> Content warning for sparse use of imagery involving blood and injury.

As the battle nears, she has another dream. 

This one feels far more fanciful; it's as if the depths of her imagination devised it. Maybe the romanticism helps distract her from the chains. 

A soft, depressing sunset tints the field. On every part of the soil beneath, the grass seems green until you look at the withering tips. The sky verges on darkness, clouds engulfing the sparkling stars above; the sun manages to shine through, for now.

This place... looks like it could become a graveyard. The beauty and luster that it held has worn away over the course of 5 whole years. It's wide and open, and forests of trees surround it at each side, but it doesn't feel quite like a haven. Little daisies and roses sprout in scant areas throughout this place, but... at any time, a knight could fall, and leave only a sword as their gravestone. Once that sword becomes buried in the ground, the flora around it truly will wither and die... leaving nothing but bare dirt. The peace she looks upon here isn't something she can take for granted, ever.

She hears a call, one from her very soul. She turns around; there's a figure standing at the top of a hill behind her.

It's a lucid kind of dream, almost. She can't control her actions, but it's not as if she feels like someone else here. Rather, this place feels like the innermost world of Lisa Imai.

Lisa wastes no time responding to the call, dutifully traversing the hill. The figure appears like a towering, fully-armoured knight in a billowing cape at first; but the closer she gets, the more the figure's size seems to equal her own. When she reaches the top, the figure takes off their helmet, and she realises; she's gazing upon someone who looks just like her, wrapped inside those robes and dazzling metal plates.

"Master Diamond." Lisa's mouth opens.

"Knight Lapis!" The other Lisa gives her a dazzling smile. "I'm glad you came."

"Of course. How can I help?"

Diamond chuckles. Her mane of tousled caramel is in a better state than Lapis's. "...Black's an odd colour for you."

"E-eh? You think?" Lapis looks down to her clothing; the suit jacket looked a little rough, so she replaced it. This one's lightweight, cotton and slim-fit; it reaches all the way down to her ankles and all the way down her arms. And it hides more of her outfit.

"Ha~. Just an unusual choice, is all." Diamond's attire, contrastingly, feels like a look into another time period, albeit still veritably eye-catching. Her hair still looks luxuriously cared for, and those rainbow earrings have kept their gleam, too...

...But there's something odd about them. The colours are flickering.

"Diamond..." Lapis begins. "Did something happen to you?"

"That's what I called you here for," she responds. "Come with me."

They venture down the other side of the hill as the sun sets, brushing by cut after cut of sickly-yellow fern; surrounded by mountainsides, they eventually descend to a wide, flat and circular area, roughed at the edges in time-worn brick. In the middle, lights dance; Lapis looks before an astrological screen of crystal stars plastered across the ground. It's a pool of the past, hundreds upon hundreds of beautiful gleaming gems dancing around every corner. Look deep below, and the boundaries of the sparkling space within feel non-existent. Look far above, and the currents of each gem soar into the sky.

"...Wow." Lapis says, flooded with nostalgia. "It's as beautiful as ever."

"It is." Her lookalike weaves a prose; "The source of Master Diamond's strength, a river of beautiful crystals. The runescape where the bonds between every knight I know fill my sword with light! ...Yours especially, Lapis."

"Yeah. I love this place." Lapis's eyes dance joyfully across each and every gem. There's some newer lights here, such as the safety-bound Sapphire; she looks like she could have such a beautiful smile beneath that cold exterior, so Lapis ponders what she could do to forge a bond with her. Then there's ol' Crystal, the leader of a whole pack of gems; she cries easily, but she never stops trying to guide everyone, the cutie. Can't forget Alexandrite or Emerald, either... she could look through this place all day. 

And then, of course, there's her! No way Lapis would forget about her. Now, where is she... she'll probably be in the kaleidoscope's center... oh! There-

.

...There's sparks. Ominous ones.

"D-diamond?" Lapis shudders. "What is that?"

"...You've noticed it, then," Diamond observes. Her voice suddenly darkens. "Unfortunately, there's been a clash. Two gems have become incompatible."

"A clash? Involving Lazuli?"

"Yes. Your closest friend." Diamond's words feel crushed, mournful. "And it's not just any gem she's fighting, either. Take a look at the stream she's clashing with."

Lapis looks back to the kaleidoscope. In the scape of stars, Lazuli's stream of wistful, faded azure surges from its crystal, violently raging and fighting with...

...a stream of red. But... that's...

"...Garnet?" Lapis shudders.

"I'm sorry," Diamond says. "Try as I might, I can't find a way to reconcile them. That's why I called upon you."

"..." Lapis's gaze slowly turns to despair. The streams howl in anger and pain, the lightning crackles with rage; the knights are locked in a war. Lazuli's hidden, gleaming blade of amber is locking with Garnet's one of red and blue. "...Why? Why did this-"

No. She already realised, ever since the crow came. She knows why they're fighting.

"...That's why I couldn't find a solution," Diamond says. "Their vows with you are the biggest sources of my strength, Lapis. If they continue this, they'll end up damaging both themselves and the gems around them. Many of the interconnecting bonds here are at risk... not just yours."

It hurts. This... can't be happening. This has to be a nightmare. "Isn't there any way to stop them?" She asks.

"Unfortunately, their aims appear to be completely and utterly opposed to each other." Diamond weighs. Her expression as she looks upon the treasured memory trove is heartbreaking. She turns to face her other self; "Lapis."

"...What is it?" Lapis looks towards her counterpart, her gleaming soul.

"Unfortunately, the best way to resolve this would be to take one gem's side."

Her eyes widen.

"...W-what?" Her voice shakes. No... no, no, no. She can't. She can't. That would mean...

"If you prioritise just one of them... the aftermath may be neutered," Diamond states. "It would crush your bond with the other, but you would at least continue to have either Lazuli or Garnet. Destroying your ties with one gem, to keep the other; that is the best way to minimise the damage."

No. No, no, no, no, no no no no no no no no no no.

"...N-no!" Lapis yells. "I can't! They're everything to me!"

"..."

"I-I..." Lapis verges on tears. "...I-I can't... I'd never betray a friend. I don't want to shatter my bond with either of them! They both mean so, so much to me... I can't! I can't abandon them! I refuse to abandon Lazuli, and I refuse to abandon Garnet!"

...Diamond shakes her head. "I feel the same way. Both of them have given me incredible strength. I'd hate to ever draw my blade upon one of them."

The clouds loom over.

"But if you refuse to take a side, you may end up drifting away from both instead... and possibly even more. Your bonds are my bonds, Lapis. If you were to be cut off from your companions, my power would die... we'd both be in peril."

The requiem ultimatum has cut through her heart.

"I know this isn't an easy decision. But sooner or later, you may have to cross blades with one of your friends. I'm sorry."

"...It's ok." Lapis says. "This is my fault, after all. I should've never let it come to this. I just... I can't do this. I can't. There has to be another way..."

The storm in the kaleidoscope continues to rage. The sunset threatens to disappear.

"That's all I had to say, Lapis." Diamond smiles, and waves; the world starts to turn white. Lisa can only watch, as what she's been avoiding this whole time roars over her. "Good luck. I know this path will be hard, but I believe you'll make it through."

The world fades away. Diamond's voice echoes. "After all... nobody puts in... more effort... for their friends... than..."

Blank.

Lisa wakes. The first sensation is pain.

She gasps for the air, panting, breathing, as if the grim reaper has come for oxygen. 

...Ha. Ha. That dream... that was pretty corny of her, huh? What a romantic she is.

It's funny, she thinks. She's had nightmares already, but they're not normally so fantastical, so wildly like a medieval TV show. It's the consequence of associating each monster card in her deck with a friend, and just running away with it. It keeps those friends close to her heart, reminds her of the friends she wants to...

...pro... tect...

...Don't panic.

B-breathe. Focus. It's Sunday, likely the afternoon. It's the last day of January. She's sitting at the long, thin table in Roselia's base, cards strewn about near her hands. Lisa breathes. She shoots up from her seat, and something falls. There was a blanket covering her back. She probably passed out in the middle of deckbuilding.

...The blanket. She recognises the pattern. It's the blanket from Yukina's bedroom in this place. It's not quite warm, but the surface is smooth, comforting. Yukina probably put it on her.

There's the sound of paper, gently hitting the floor. 

Lisa breathes. She looks to her side, and finds a note.

She reads it.

...

'Sayo and I have headed to the Haneoka Coast Port, near SPACE river. We'll be watching Ako's 20th duel. It may occur later this evening, after you wake up.

I intend on having her become Roselia's 4th member. Now would be a good chance to watch your upcoming companion's dueling style.

-Y'

...

Lisa's fists shake. She tries to breathe. Her heart grows cold, it wails. There's a painful, nondescript ache powering through her chest. It's like flames have set her lungs on fire. The agony she ignored refuses to be hidden any longer; fantasy shatters, making way for the cold requiem of reality.

"...I... have to..."

She puts the paper to one side. She undoes the matting in her hair, finds her jacket and wraps herself inside. She doesn't know why, but she takes her duel disk too.

Run. As fast as you can.

She bursts out of the front door, into the shrine grounds, the night's taking over the sky, the stars are beginning to shine above, she's running, she's running, she's running, run, run, hurry! Hurry, Lisa, RUN! FASTER! Something... something... anything! There has to be something she can still do! There has to be another way!

\---

The rider runs, and runs, and runs. Her arms are set ablaze, recklessly gripping the pedals.

She's running across the dirt, the grass, across the stone, the cement. Across the lava, the ice, the fire and the stars, twice. Three times. Four times, and more. As many times as it takes, forever and forever and forever and forever forward. Her wheels leave their tracks wherever they go; they've been punctured, incinerated, ripped to hell and back. Her body's mangled, torn into shreds. But she just shrugs it off, and keeps driving.

She's in a forest. The surroundings are dark; she can barely even make out the ground in front of her. Trees only exist because they suggest themselves; otherwise, black encroaches at all sides. Motorcycles aren't suited to this terrain. They'll bump, hurl, crash... and tumble the rider onto the ground, crush her back against a tree, break her leg on the roots, bruise her arms against the stones on the rivers. Her body, her bike, they beg her to stop, they scream ceaselessly. Riding on this 'road' is going to tear her apart; no vehicle is designed for it, no vehicle is meant to handle it.

But she runs. She'll never, never stop. If her vehicle's damaged, she'll kick it until it whirrs again. She'll take the motorcycle anywhere she needs to, no matter how much it breaks, no matter how much she breaks. She'll take it anywhere, no matter how much she's set on fire, no matter how much the flames rip into her skin. She'll run until she finds what she's looking for, no matter what.

Run. Shut everything else off, and run.

Run, she wails, run, run, hurry... HURRY! Move faster, you failure of a sister! Faster, faster, faster... she has to be somewhere... somewhere... anywhere!

But nobody's there.

It's Sunday evening. The sky is slowly drowning in black; the stars shine, as if they're mocking Tomoe. She's found nothing over the past 5 days. The month ends in a few hours, and she has nothing to show for it.

She gasps, gasps for air. But Tomoe refuses to stop moving her legs. How long has it been now? She gazes up to the sky, desperate for an answer.

Tuesday. Her parents called their friends and asked if they'd seen anyone. She searched the second school was over. Nothing.

Wednesday. She searched in the morning before school started. She ended early before dueling lessons started, and went with Himari. Nothing.

Thursday. She and Himari searched both before and after school. Nothing.

Friday. The same. Nothing.

Saturday. She searched from day until night, sorting out any other duties she had on the go. Nothing.

Sunday morning. She left and searched immediately. Nothing.

Sunday evening. Still nothing.

...Tears. No, not now; not when Himari might find her crying. She's already found the time to shed them in private, anyway. She's travelled the entire length of SPACE River today; now she's searching down the coastline, around each and every road. It's all she can do, having looked through so many cafes and arenas already today. 

Her lungs burn. She's fighting for whatever air is willing to help her.

...Her vision's blurring. No, no... she can't... she can't faint now. This is the third time she's had to fight the urge tonight... but she won't ever forgive herself if she does... she even has Himari backing her up... she can't stop now... 

...Ako... Is... Not... Safe... Get... UP, Tomoe! Keep... moving...

...Her energy begins to flicker... she can feel her body... slowing... she's practically running on the spot... wavering, stumbling from side to side, she... she has to remain steady... keep going... please, keep... going...

...No use... her vision's... blacking out... 

...She's...

...

The rider collapses, flames overwhelming her. 

But the impact is soft. Non-existent, even. 

There's the feeling of a body. It's like she just gently fell into bed. She can hear an angel's voice.

She strains her nerves, tries to move.

"...Tomoe!"

It takes a moment to process. She manages to open her eyes; wrapped around her are the arms of an angel, covered in... a black jacket?

"Tomoe! Can you hear me?!"

Ah. That voice... and... Tomoe notices... a speck of caramel, almost chocolate hair. She knows who it belongs to... is she blessed? There's another rider, holding Tomoe in an embrace.

"...Lisa?" She murmurs.

"Oh, thank god! You scared me!" She can feel herself being lifted by the shoulder. "I almost had a heart attack. C'mon, let's get yourself sat down for a moment."

"...Ako..."

Silence. "...Y-you're not going to find her like this! Rest a bit, at least. For me~?"

It's soothing. The voice is lilted, charming. Tomoe could melt in it.

She can feel her back resting on something wooden. Before she realises it, her eyes are looking up at the night sky. Then, there's a bottle held over her. "C'mon, drink up."

"...Thanks... I can... take it myself..." She's able to move. Her arm frees itself from her prison of exhaustion; it manages to lift, and her mouth opens enough to take the water in. The flames begin to stabilise.

"Deep breaths, Tomoe. Take a bit more, then breathe in and out, okay?"

"Right..." In. Out. In... out. A little bit of consciousness. She can talk fine now, she can think a bit, but...

...She wishes she even had the energy to look at Lisa's face.

"Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Lisa." Tomoe breathes, in rhythm. Her lungs feel scarred, but they don't scream anymore. "If I didn't know any better, I'd assume I just went to heaven."

"Ahaha. I'll stick to keeping people alive on Earth, I think."

"...Heheh."

It's quiet, for a moment. Tomoe lets her body sink into the bench, and just looks at the stars.

"Searching for Ako, I guess?"

"Yeah."

"How's it been going?"

Tomoe manages to shake her head. "Anything on your end?" She croaks.

"..." Silence. "...No. Sorry. I promised I'd look, but I didn't find anything."

"That's fine. Thanks for helping out."

Silence. She can't see Lisa's face.

"...What about you~?"

"Eh?" Tomoe gawks.

"Are you doing ok?" Her hair's being stroked, she feels it; it's warm. Soothing.

"...Yeah. I'm fine."

"That was rhetorical, Tomoe; I've seen campfires with neater stylings than your hair. Between your big ol' padded parka and that, you look like a moldy pizza that got thrown in the oven. You're a mess."

"...Wow, brutal. Heh." She straightens her back, just a little bit. "I guess you're the last person I could hide it from, huh Lisa?"

"What can I say~?" The voice is therapeutic. "We don't look away when a friend's in trouble, do we?"

"Hah. If you did, I'd assume I was in another dimension."

Silence. "...Hah."

Lisa. 

She's always there for everyone when they need her the most. She's Tomoe's role model, in a way. If you wanna learn how to take care of the people around you, how to watch over them as much as you can? Lisa's the best teacher. She's devoted. She's been an inspiration to Tomoe since the day they met.

She can feel some energy return, thanks to her friend.

"...This is a funny way for us to meet up again, huh?" Tomoe says.

"Mm? What do you mean?"

"I mean, on Wednesday I more or less blew past you after I talked about Ako. This is basically our first hang-out session in a month, and it's started with you saving my ass."

"Ahaha~! What a reunion, eh?"

"It'll go down in the Udagawa history books." Tomoe says... well, hoarsely.

"It was long overdue, anyway~. One month is too long for my liking, when it's you." Pause. "...Hey. Why don't you take a break for tonight? You look wiped. And by that I mean you look like you've been slapped with a mop a few hundred times."

"Nah." Tomoe doesn't budge. "I'm Ako's big sister. I'll run until I'm completely spent."

"So you slumping motionless on a bench isn't being spent, huh~?"

Tomoe chuckles. "Of course not. I can probably muster like, two or three more muscles in here, can't I?"

There's a laugh. "I see, I see. That sounds like you~. How about Himari? Is she around?"

"Yeah, she's running through the places nearby. Wouldn't be surprised if she fell asleep though, right?"

"Yeah, yeah~... what about the others? Did you ever tell them about Ako?"

"..." Tomoe frowns. "No, I didn't. There's no way I'd do that."

Right. Afterglow. The group of dorks that mean everything to her.

"...Can't imagine how worried they are, though." Tomoe says. "I've messed up big time. Hell, I probably messed up the second I first told Tsugumi about my problems."

"Wouldn't hurt much to ask for their help now then, would it?"

"..." Tomoe sighs.

She thinks, for a second. It IS Lisa though, isn't it? Tomoe's with Afterglow ride-or-die, but sometimes she wonders if Lisa understands her better than anyone else. Hell, Lisa's probably better than Tomoe when it comes to keeping people together, and she's not a long-time Afterglower either; maybe that's why she feels so easy to talk to.

"...I have my reasons," she responds. "Promise you won't tell?"

Lisa's probably put a finger to her lips and winked; that move's iconic for her. "Not a sound~."

"Heh. Thanks." Tomoe breathes in, for a second. "...I want to stay with Afterglow, always. I wanna look out for all of them as much as I can. I wanna make sure Tsugumi isn't pushing herself, I want to make sure Ran feels safe, I want to make sure Himari isn't beating herself up... hell, sometimes I pray I can actually find a way to make Moca spill her beans. Her mouth's zipped shut like a vault. It's frustrating."

"Sounds like Moca~."

A small field of joy, in this empty night. "I want to be there for Afterglow, always. I love them. I can't bear the thought of them being crushed by anything in life. That's my worst nightmare." She closes her eyes, briefly. She can feel Lisa hold one of her hands in both palms as she continues. "Tomoe Udagawa's the big sis, you know? The protective one. When it comes to Ako or Afterglow, Tomoe's got to be strong and kind. She's got to be someone people can depend on. If she's always smiling, then anyone can feel free to talk to her. Anyone can feel free to confess their worries. Then, she can stick around and help them out as much as she wants. Sweet deal, isn't it?"

Lisa laughs; it's like a siren's lullaby, making Tomoe feel right back at home. "Yeah. I get it."

"...That's why I can't look sad to them," she says. "I can't crush them with my worries. I've already done that enough by disappearing every day, but I think it'd be worse if I told them. Especially when Ran's dealing with her dad." She breathes. "If they saw me completely down in the dumps, I don't think they'd be willing to rely on me. If they run themselves ragged helping me out, they'll feel too guilty to vent to me, you feel? That's when the big sister image crumbles, and I'll stop having an excuse to help them."

"...Yeah," Lisa's voice sounds... reminiscing, almost. "I'm kind of the same. I just can't fight the urge to lend a hand, whenever the chance comes. When my friends worry about me, I always feel like it's because I'm not doing enough to help them. Especially if the frown on me's visble; that's always just going to hurt them instead. And I don't want that at all."

Of course. Lisa would understand better than anyone; she and Tomoe have the same lot in life, don't they?

"Does that include Yukina?" Tomoe asks. "How's she doing lately?"

"..." Silence. Is Lisa staring at the stars too, right now? If only Tomoe had the energy to look at her face and see. If only. "...Well, it's going better than it was before, at least. Not that it's been easy."

"Must be tough. You've got one hell of a job as caretaker with her around, huh?"

"Ahaha~. Yeah, she's a little bit of a handful. But she's wonderful for it," Lisa responds. "...You didn't tell anyone in Afterglow her name, right?"

"Course not. Would I sell you out like that?" She snarks.

"Just checking, just checking~!" Lisa says. "...Hey, Tomoe. Do you think you'd get along with Yukina, if you two met?"

"Mm?" Strange question. Lisa's normally pretty secretive about her friend, after all. "Hmmm... what's she like?"

"I'd say... unsubtle. Charismatic, but also cute and dorky if you're lucky. She'll ace anything she's passionate about like dueling, but she'd mewl if you put a baking tray in front of her."

"The type that shrieks when oil sizzles in the frying pan, right?"

"Ahaha~! Yeah, you got it."

"Well, I'd probably have my fun teasing her then," Tomoe responds. "Sounds like the type I'd get a bit hotheaded against, but we'd get along."

"Hehe. That's good, then~."

"...Are you worried about her?"

"Hm?" Lisa questions. "You're gonna try and help me out, when you're the one slumped on the bench?"

"Yeah, why not? Chuck it at me," she says, grinning. "I have the cool talent of listening to people's worries even when my neck muscles're asleep."

"Wow, you're a secret genius~. Maybe Moca's met her match!" Laughter. "...Well... it's weird. Yukina's probably fine when it comes to her future, at least. She's passionate, heartcatching, motivating... there's no one who'd get a better career as a professional duelist than her. Some of my best memories come from learning the sport with her... just seeing how she used it to interact with everyone around her."

"She sounds strong."

"Yeah. You wouldn't believe it," Lisa boasts, almost in exasperation. "...But... I'm worried about her, always. It's not a happy thing to talk about, so I try not to bring her up around you guys much, but..." Deep breath. "She... doesn't really have anyone else she could call a friend, other than me. It's complicated, but she kind of lost most of them, a few years ago. She just... drifted away. I try to make her go out more sometimes, with the friend groups I've had, but she's never really interested. She barely ever talks to anyone, now. Even her parents."

Silence.

"I... just don't want her to be alone. When you've been friends with someone your whole life, it's crushing to see them become so isolated. She used to have other people she could bond with, but now... it's just me, basically~." There's probably that smile on Lisa's face right now, the one she always has. "I feel like I'm letting her wander into a forest alone, y'know? Just watching, trailing behind, unable to do anything about it."

"I see. You really do have your work cut out for you, huh?" Tomoe stretches. "...I feel you. There's nothing worse than seeing the people you've known your whole life just... slowly burn out. Other than that, though, I've got those concerns reversed with Ako."

"Eh? Really?"

"Yeah." Tomoe sighs. "She has trouble getting friends in school, but she's always so enthusiastic. Nothing gets her down forever, you know? I feel like no matter what, she'd never give up on being herself, even if the entire world hated her. She talks about how she runs into scary people outside sometimes, but even then, she keeps smiling; she just gets herself back up and keeps going, the whole way. You can't break or shake her. I've always been proud of her because of that." She wants to boast, but... it's too painful to do that now. "...Besides, she's got Afterglow, and the rest of her family too; she might find school hard sometimes, but that's why we pep her up when she needs it."

"She can't really see you guys much when you're at different schools though, can she?"

"Yeah, that’s true. But the Udagawa family's full of toughies, and she's no exception; Afterglow's got her back sometimes, and that's all she needs. She's even hardier than I am!" Tomoe manages to chuckle. "I... kind of ended up taking my days with her for granted, I guess. She always saw me as an inspiration, and I wanted to live up to that. So everything that's happening now, it's got me just... terrified. She's not safe. She's out in the wilderness right now. I already thought she was using dueling as an escape before, but when I told her I was worried about her, said she couldn't slack school just because of her classmates..."

...Breathe... this is the moment. The thing she wouldn't dare tell another soul. She can feel herself shake; she doesn't even want to look her friend in the face as she says it. This isn't easy... but Lisa's given her the okay. She has to take it, at this point.

"...It ended in a huge fight. I-it was awful. I didn't tell you and Himari this the other day, but..." She can feel her voice strain. "...Ako didn't even shout when we fought. I raised my voice a bit, Mom and Dad straight-up bellowed... but she didn't raise her volume at all when she argued back. She didn't get mad; all she did was cry."

...

Silence.

"Well. Not your proudest moment, huh?"

"Yeah... no kidding. That was probably the worst mistake I've ever made in my life. That's why I didn't tell anyone." She takes another breather, and continues. "And now, she's literally escaping just so she can keep dueling. Even if she takes care of herself out there, her future's going to tank academically. The more she focuses on the dueling, the more she'll just... plummet her grades, chances to make friends, just her whole life at school. I... don't want my sister to become a dropout. I get so scared, thinking about how dark her future'd be if she skipped her exams. I'm just..." She sighs. "Worried. I know it's not easy for her at school... and I know Mom and Dad weren't always being fair to her. But I feel like she's rushing into an abyss now without realising it, and I can't do anything about it."

"...So that's why." Lisa observes. "For me, just talking about careers or anything else in life after school daunts me. You're way more considerate than I am, to think about that stuff in advance."

"Aw, come on. I'm pathetic. I messed up the big sister role so bad that my sis ran from home. At least you've kept with Yukina this whole time, right?"

Silence. How does Lisa's face look right now, she wonders? They've been talking for ages, but Tomoe's dead head just doesn't wanna move and see her friend's expression. That's some exhaustion she's been hit by. 

"...Yeah, I guess. I just feel like I don't really have it all together. I promised I'd stick by her no matter what, but... she feels so far away, sometimes."

"You're doing better than you think, trust me." Tomoe manages to pat... well, it's the bench's backside, not Lisa's, but the thought counts, right? "Nobody would ever hate having you as their friend. I wish I could be even half as sticky as you are, honestly."

"...Thanks, Tomoe." Lisa's hands shake, and let go. She can feel her friend turn to look away. "I... I'm glad I could talk to you about it. T-this stuff... i-it isn't easy, is it?"

"Yeah." An idea. "...Why don't we watch each other's backs, then?"

"...H-huh?"

Tomoe shifts her legs onto the bench, and leans on her friend's back with her own. "It's simple. We both wanna smile so our friends can talk to us, right? We've got to keep our own stuff under wraps so we can watch over them. We're like sisters-in-arms, you and me!"

"...Ah... 

...ahahaha. Ahahahahaha... haha. You think?"

"Yeah!" No, she's certain. If there's one person she can trust with this, it's Lisa. "Think about it. So long as we support each other and hear each other out... we can keep ourselves happy enough to help everyone else. We can just belt everything out to each other when we're alone, then go back to guarding everyone we love afterwards, can't we?"

"...Belt everything out to you, huh..." Lisa murmurs. "...Yeah. That'd be nice."

"That settles it, then!" Tomoe finally stands up, looking at the sky. "Lisa, lean on my back for a moment."

"E-eh? Really?"

"C'mon, c'mon!" She casually writes in sing-song. "It'll make us look cool, won't it?"

"...Yeah, I guess it would~..."

She feels the surface of a jacket on her back. There we go!

The last traces of sunset are wiped out; the deathly night rings over, hollow black chilling all. But Tomoe and Lisa stand, their backs to each other, and they grasp each other's hands to share their strength. They can't see each other's faces, but they don't need to right now. Words can't express a bond like this. When Tomoe's with a fire-forged friend like Lisa, nothing'll stop her. Nothing could stop the two of them combined!

"Lisa. Let's make a vow."

A choke, for a second. "A... vow?"

"Yeah!" She jumps, trying to transfer her energy to her friend. "Let's promise. When we're feeling down, we'll talk to each other about it. If there's any pair that could understand each other, it's us. So let's join arms in supporting our friends, partner!"

"...Ahaha." A wistful, almost teared laugh. "Partner, huh~..."

Silence. Two heads try to look to the stars.

"...Yeah," Lisa whispers. "It doesn't sound so bad."

"Alright!" Tomoe closes her eyes. "Promise, then? Sisters-in-arms, to the end?"

"...Yeah. Promise."

They grip tight. Lisa's hands are shaking, probably because she's worried. But that's fine; they both have their problems. When they're around each other, they don't have to pretend to be ok.

"Right, then." Tomoe's got air in her lungs again, thanks to her friend. "I'm gonna keep searching. I'm going to find Ako tonight, I swear it." She detaches from Lisa's hands, and walks.

"...Right." She can hear footsteps behind her. Lisa still has her back even now, huh?

She really is blessed. Tomoe picks up her pace. Sure enough, Lisa does the same. They're searching for Ako together; Tomoe doesn't need to turn around and see Lisa's face to know that.

"Thanks, Lisa."

"...Mm."

Nobody can see colour in the sky now. The cold feels almost like a blizzard.

But she endures it, and starts running. Hang on just a bit longer, Afterglow. Tomoe needs to keep quiet for just a bit longer... until she finally finds Ako.

\---

Walls enclose all sides. They blot the sky, choke the ground further and further. In her field, the sunset's light only barely shines through.

But the night is a good distraction. 

Ran Mitake, passionate duelist of Afterglow and... daughter of the Mitake School of Flowers, sits on the lower deck of Haneoka Coast Port's entertainment and relaxation area. Despite the time, the bright-white tiles beneath her are illuminated by all the bright-white strip lights on the walls. Wooden tables are neatly arranged next to the sea, whose lapping waves provide a comforting ambience amidst the howls of the wind. Look near the right of your feet, and you'll see all the seawater hitting behind the glass-pane fence; thanks to the light, it's got a murky-green colour when it emerges from the night. It's hypnotising, almost; the colour is thick enough that you can't see anything inside. You could spend hours looking at all the different patterns of droplets spread on the glass after each wave hits... each wave rushing quietly against the shore... splashing at the port... and returning back into the sea... the cycle slowly repeats, over and over. She could fall asleep to this sound.

When she's alone, this is her favorite place to go. In the evening, this place doesn't look overstated; most of the surroundings, from all the buildings on the left, to the great wide sea on the right, are enveloped by the night. The strip lights feel like they're making a little spotlight around this area. It makes you feel like you can just live in this little circle and forget about everything else; it's a small piece of heaven for the people who live on Earth.

It's cold. Really, really cold. Ran's stuffed her neck in a zigzag-striped scarf with two different shades of red just to make sure she doesn't chatter her teeth all evening. Grey denim jacket, winter tights and black shorts complete it as usual... and since it's the only shirt that isn't in the wash right now, she's got a tee with a flurry of lavender petals on it. The night sky is pitch, pitch, pitch black, stars sparkling; it's that middle-ish part of the Winter evening where everything always gets cold and dark really early. February probably won't change that tomorrow, huh?

...Even her dueling title feels a bit overstated, at this point. Right now, you could just minus the 'Afterglow' part from 'passionate duelist' and there wouldn't be much of a difference. Tomoe and Himari have practically locked themselves away with whatever they're doing, and Ran still doesn't know a thing about it. 

Tomoe thinks she's so slick, doesn't she? Is it 'cool' to just waste yourself away just so you can always look after everyone else? Why doesn't she realise that if she let everyone else in Afterglow help her out, she probably wouldn't be so ragged all the time? She's even dragged Himari of all people into her ridiculous charade of secrecy.

...No. She knows why. She's a hypocrite. Ran wants to be mad, but she's far too scared to talk to anyone about herself. What is she supposed to say? That her dad's just going to take her away from Circle, and that there's nothing they can do about it, at all, because he's been like that for what, 5 years? It'd do nothing but depress everyone. Afterglow's never been a circle for pointless negativity. It's supposed to be the home they all share, same as always.

Maybe that's the kind of problem Tomoe has too, huh?

Urgh. Leave it to Ran to be so inconsiderate about her friends, she thinks. No wonder she says so little, even when she's right next to them all. No wonder she can barely raise her voice; no wonder she can't find even a single opening in the walls.

...With those two missing so often, it's just her, Moca and Tsugumi. Tsugumi's... wonderful, but she has a lot of work to do too, so she can't hang out with them all the time. And she's too kind to ever try and force an answer out of her friends; she might have an idea as to what Tomoe's dealing with (according to Moca), but... she's too kind. If an action looks like it'd be 'overbearing' to someone, Tsugumi won't do it without suggesting it or asking first, will she?

That just leaves her and Moca. She's not naive to everything Moca does for her, for everyone. And it's fun, being with her... just like it was on Friday. But Moca acts too slick for her own good too, to the point of it being... frustrating. 

It's strange, actually. Go a couple years back, and Moca WOULD actually get things off her chest if she needed to; she'd just do it in that wispy tone of hers, so that nothing felt too heavy to deal with. That was her way of being considerate. Nowadays, she doesn't say a word to Afterglow about herself; it's like she's locked every problem she has away. What does she think she is? She tries to hide it, but the grades on her tests don't lie; something's happening, and she's not telling. It's infuriating for literally everyone to watch. The only reason they don't get mad at her is because... well, why would anyone actually get mad at Moca? She spends so much time hanging around them that anyone would feel bad trying to shove her off. That clingy-ass gargoyle does so much for Afterglow that she can't even hide it properly.

Idiot.

Ran sighs. Tsugumi is... the only person in Afterglow she can really talk to normally, right now. The only person she can have a conversation with that... doesn't feel like it's putting on airs. Well, Tsugumi puts on airs, sure, but her doubts are obvious enough with them being life-long friends and all. That's exactly why Afterglow feels like home when she's around; they can just... talk openly, like normal.

But she can't rely on Tsugumi all the time, not with all the work she has. That's the same reason why Hina's a once-a-month thing. Normally, Lisa would probably descend at this time and offer a helping hand, but Himari says she's starting to get pretty busy too, so...

Another sigh. She wishes she could do something for her friends; it's so easy to see how much they care for everyone around them. What does Ran do, to return all that? Duel? Great.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

She doesn't want to think about it right now... and she definitely doesn't want to think about her 'actual' home, either. She doesn't have anyone to talk to these things about anyway, and she'd probably just feel guilty doing so. Besides, it's not until tomorrow that the trio of shorter-hairs in Afterglow enact their Tomoe Prison Break plan; right now, she's just alone in the dark. So Ran closes her eyes, lets the cold wind flow through her hair, and becomes absorbed by the sea. The sea that drowns every thought, drowns every plant. The waves crash quietly, in... and out... in... and out...

...In... and out...

"...!"

There's a voice. She's not paying much attention to it.

"...HEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! BEHOLD MY FORM!"

She jumps. That's MUCH louder. She whirls her head around, trying to snap out of her wooziness... oh, over there. There's someone at the top of the stairs, a few metres away.... a bit to her left, and a liiiitle bit up.... over there, yeah. 

Wait.

"...Ako?" She says.

"Yeah! I'm coming down!" There's a merry wave. "The necromancer descends!"

It's a comically exaggerated routine; Ako spins and twirls down each step, like she's practiced maneuvers just to hop on down here. Knowing her, she probably calls it "The Dark Lord's Entrance" or something similar.

...She hasn't seen Ako in like, what, half a month now? The last time was the video call they had at Circle.

Two orchid duelists meet in this dark night.

"Whup!" She sticks the landing; good on her! Then she rushes right over, and...

...

...She looks so different.

It's like looking at one end of a photo gallery, and then the other. Like there's just so many experiences you haven't seen, running in-between the pages you skipped.

"BEHOLD, the magnificent form of- whoa, Ran, you look like a mess!" Ako exclaims. "Hold on, you're fine with soda right? I'll get a drink for you!"

"Hey, wait-" Ran can barely respond; the burn was scalding enough as is. Does she look that messy? Is it the bags under her eyes? Urgh. She should've asked Himari for cosmetics.

...She watches as Ako heads to the vending machine on the deck. Wow. Just... what happened?

Ako's appearance has changed so much since Ran last saw her. Back at the video call, she still had her hair in those signature big pigtails at each side; she was pretty stubborn about her current getup too, with the red-tartan skirt, detached collar and tie... all the chains, too... it wasn't a very good winter outfit, but she loved it. That person called 'Rinrin' helped her make it, right? If she recalls correctly.

Now, there's a lot of differences. Her hair isn't in those drills anymore; they've been turned into a thick ponytail which hangs slightly off-center from her back. It's adorned with a single black ribbon at the base, and it nearly reaches down to her elbows. She didn't realise Ako's hair was that long. She's wearing a jacket lined with a bit of... some kind of grey fur at the collar; the jacket's black, and there's a big red star emblazoned on the back. There's a whole bunch of outlined white stars, and honestly weirdly located zip pockets, on the rest of the jacket too. It's cute, actually; she probably added all those pockets herself, didn't she? She removed all the chains, too, although there is a little mini-doll on her studded and lopsided belt; it's charm-sized, a chibi plushie of a person with long black hair and violet eyes, and a little smile on the face. 

Then there's some tights, ripped in a few places, a purple checkered skirt- well, two of them, hemmed with white and black stripes... and there's a black scarf on her neck, with white splotches splattered across it, too. Unsurprisingly, it looks like it's been deliberately roughed up a bit at the edges; guess she loves the 'billowing in the wind' look it gives her. Oh, and she has sketchers, too. They light up purple in the dark when she jumps. Of course they do.

"Ako's on the way!" She heads back with two cola cans in her hand, and sets one down in front of Ran; her expression's still the same jolly, pointy-canine grin it's always been, but something feels like it's changed. "Here you go, Ran!"

Maybe it's her eyes. There's crimson lapping through the insides of her irises.

"...Thanks," Ran says. "How are you?"

"Mwahahaha! The eternal witch is prospering!" She laughs. "Uh, that means I'm doing good! I've actually been dueling a whole bunch of people offline, lately."

"...Do you usually play online instead?" Ran asks. She knows Ako's a dueling fanatic, but she never really asked for any details... at least, any details that Tomoe didn't happily splurge to her.

"Yeah, yeah! I play online with Rinrin all the time, but..." She holds a dramatically outstretched hand in front of one eye. "...Now I've been levelling up! I've been grinding and completing quests involving LOTS of different duelists! My power is becoming..." Another pose. "...INFERNALLY unimaginable. Was that good?"

"Hehe," Ran can't help but giggle. Slowly, the two of them find gaps in the walls. "...Yeah, it was pretty cool."

"Yes! A compliment from Ran!" She fistpumps. It's good to see she hasn't changed, even if her appearance has. "BABUM! KABOOM! KA- oh, right! Gotta focus!" She breaks from her flourishes for a second, and looks Ran head-on. "Are you doing ok, Ran?"

"Eh? Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"Fufufu." Ako chuckles. "You can't hide from a fellow necromancer, Ran Mitake~."

Full name, huh? "What do you mean?"

"My eyes see through all walls!" She grins, and points a finger at Ran's forehead. "Through my magic, I can easily tell... that your frown's biiiiiig."

"I-I..." She shakes to indicate no. C'mon, she can't burden little Ako with her problems. Okay, so, she's only a year younger, whatever, but. She's tiny. Killing Ako's smile would be like taking a toy away from a puppy. "I'm fine. You don't need to poke around."

"Oh, sorry! I uh, didn't mean to be nosy." Ako breaks character again. "...But be aware that you have my dark aid, any time you need it!"

"...Heheh. That so?" She says.

"Yeah, yeah! Anyway, anyway, tell me what you've been doing lately! Tell me about your duels!"

"M-me? I don't mind, but... I mean, why?"

"Because, because! I just wanna hear about it! I love dueling!"

There's a little bit of warmth in this circle of light. Two orchids bloom. "Okay, then." She smiles softly, and starts...

Duels with Tomoe, duels with Himari, duels with Tsugumi. Ako asks about their decks, and what they do; Ran happily indulges her. There's a small, slowly excited grin, growing on both of their faces when they get into it. She brings up Moca pulling off plays she's never even seen before when they met up with Hina; Ako's eyes light up. Ran gets reminded of how excited she was, watching that duel in Galaxy herself. The grins grow. It shifts to Hina, next; what on earth does she use? Neither of them know if she has an actual preferred deck, but Ran says the SDA might have one she uses in tournaments, since Hina talks about getting to use 'other' decks sometimes. Then, then! They get excited, and think about whether they could hold up against Hina. Ako seems genuinely hyped at the prospect of trying to face the Supernova, despite how tall the prospect is. Then they shift to Moca's array of 'alternative decks', and...

"...Wait, that counts as targeting?" Ran asks, dumbfounded.

"Yeah! It's so weird. Some effects like Acid Cloud's target, even when they don't say it! But some other effects written like that DON'T target."

"Ahaha! What's up with that?" Duel Monsters has some MESSY rulings, sometimes.

"No idea, honestly! It's a mystery, even to my heightened powers. But, oh, there was this one time..."

...It all flies by. Laughter, joy... Ako actually reveals some pretty interesting knowledge, too. She might be small- wait, she's not THAT small, but... she's got a pretty avid interest in dueling, doesn't she?

"It changes to defense position after the Battle Phase if it fights? Awesome!" Ako yells.

"Yeah. Himari really likes that card... for some reason," Ran responds, snickering. "She acts like it's some swiss-army knife."

"That is pretty cool, though, you gotta admit!" Ako says; she's not even sitting around anymore. She's been hopping and jumping around the table for the past 20 minutes of their rambling. 

...Or should she say RAN-bling? Get it?

...No, that sucked. She's terrible at this.

"Hmm.... there's some cards that could abuse an effect like that, though..." Precious little Ako ponders. "Ahhh, it hurts my head!!! We've been talking about too many cards, Ran!"

"Ahahahaha!" Ran laughs, out loud. Wait, too loud, crap. "...I-I mean. Do you wanna slow down?"

"No way!" Oh god, she's so full of energy. "I haven't talked this much about dueling with someone since Rinrin! It's so fun! You're so cool, Ran!"

"M-me?"

"Yeah, yeah! Everyone says you're really good, too!"

"...Yeah, they do..." She's blushing a bit. Great, Ako of all people is making her feel like an embarrassed kid. "...Thanks."

"Hehe! No problem~!" It's just a genuine, non-dramatic response. Ako's smile is beaming. Ran can just feel the life surge back into her. And also the urge to high-five Ako at every opportunity. 

...She looks to the stars, for a second. If she always had people to talk to like Ako, maybe life wouldn't feel so hard. It's like everything in the world wants Ran to STOP dueling, sometimes. Screw your passion, it says. Screw what you love. Eat dirt, loser.

But screw the world! She tells herself, internally. Maybe Ako just inspires that in her. Maybe... maybe she can have this attitude, all the time, if she really wanted to. Didn't she go to Circle to defy her Dad in the first place, after all?

"Hey, Ran. You're doing that 'creased brow staring into space' thing again."

"A-ah! Sorry." It's like she's being chastised by a teacher. "...Great. Now I'm getting lost in the stars like Moca is, huh?"

"Talk to me about it!" Ako crashes down, and kicks her legs while she sits on the bench. "Don't turn into another slow-cooked blob like her, ok? My offer still stands!"

...God. What's Ran come to, talking to little Ako about her problems?

Actually, honestly? That's almost rude. Ako's so weirdly mature, and she completely gets Ran's love for dueling. It feels so easy to just go on and on about it with her, letting every second pass. It's so fun talking about the interest they share. So as long as Ran... words the complaining carefully, it shouldn't be too bad, right? Just nothing too depressing; she doesn't want to make Ako sad, and then wake up to find Tomoe looming over her bed ready to beat her up with a foam noodle.

"Okay. Don't tell, though."

"The contract is sealed! My lips... BAM! Are shut."

"Heheh." She chuckles. "...Do you ever feel like the world doesn't want you to duel, Ako?"

Ako's eyes widen for a second. Then she yawns, stretches, and slumps her head on the table. "Oh my god, TELL me about it."

"You too?"

"God, yeah! I mean, Devil, yeah!" She shoots back up. "Nobody at my school is honest about liking dueling. Plenty of them do it, but they always try to act tough about it. They think I'm some freak for being so openly into it, and it sucks."

"...Wow," Ran didn't realise. Does Ako have it tough over there? "Sorry. It'd be cool if you could enter a dueling school like Circle next year."

"GOD, yeah, I can't wait for that..." Ako sighs. Then she pouts; "It's just! URGH! None of them realise that games aren't for making fun of people! They let you make FRIENDS, you get to bond with people over interests, you can just spend time excitedly raving with each other, there's so many different things about it!" She poses. "Dueling... is the devil's art of COMMUNICATION, not a waste of time! ...Was that cool?"

"Yeah, it was." Ran responds. She means it. In fact, she's never met someone who could put it into words like that before.

...Ako's words. Because of them, everything starts making sense. "That's... exactly how I feel, sometimes," Ran continues. "There's just... something about facing another person, and... seeing everything the two of you do against each other. It's exhilarating."

"Right, right?" Ako jumps; she's more or less a bouncy ball right now. "And all the monsters and effects and everything, they're like BAAA------ BUM!" She's so invigorating to watch. "It's so fun! And I met Rinrin through it too, the best friend I've ever had~!"

Ran just smiles.

"Hm..." Ako thinks. "Maybe it's, like, all the competitiveness that makes my teachers hate it. They just end up saying 'don't get so upset over a loss.' They think it's some sport for big meanies or overexcited kids, with all the saltiness. And yeah, like, that happens sometimes, but people don't have to be that way! You just gotta be respectful, that's all! Everything else is like, the opposite; everyone has so much fun when they duel."

"Yeah. I couldn't word it any better," Ran says. "Thanks, Ako. You're cool."

"R-really?" Her eyes shine. "Hehe. Thanks- I mean, the abyssal witch is eternally grateful! ...You're one of the only people who's said that, recently."

Aw. Ran has to resist the urge to just ruffle Ako's hair. "...Really? That sucks. Do people just make fun of you because you're eccentric?"

"UGH, yeah," Ako slumps again. "We're the cool kids in the corner, aren't we, Ran? Even though so many people here duel, it feels like that sometimes- Oh! I just realised!"

"Eh? What's up?"

"This was supposed to be about you!" A pointer finger. "Tell the magical empress, Ran. It's probably not Circle, so... who dares intrude on your dueling domain?"

Ran sighs. "...My DAD."

"OOOurughhghghhghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." It's like she's been KOed in a video game. "That's the woooooooorst."

Her exaggeration emboldens Ran. "Right? He sucks. I hate him."

"Boo, boo, Ran's dad!" Is Ako... shivering, slightly? Or is she just buzzing with energy?

Screw it. Let's take some inspiration from that energy. "...Yeah. Yeah! He's like, everything you described. He thinks it's a BIG!!! GRRR!!! ANGRY!!! Thing." She can't help but scowl a bit, just... vent her anger through exaggerated noises like Ako does. This is therapeutic, almost. "He thinks every duel is like, oooooooh! Everyone hates each other when they fight, we all just SPIT on each other's faces constantly! Suit yourself! Me and my friends are gonna be smiling and having FUN over here! We're enjoying ourselves, you grump!"

"Ran's dad is a grump, a grump!"

"He's a grump!"

"He's a grump!"

"Grump! Grump! GRUMP!" They chant in unison.

Laughter. Urgh. That was embarrassing. Ran can't help but grin when Ako's is that wide, but... never again, god.

"Let's form an anti-grump alliance, Ran!" She holds out a hand. "I'll fight the grumpy students, and you fight your grumpy dad!"

"Alright, you're on." Handshake! ...Embarrassing! "Just don't get into fights at school, you fiend."

"Don't worry, don't worry! Most of the students I duel are from SDA, not my stinky school."

"Eh? Are they that bad?" Ran asks. "Moca insults the SDA a lot, but I don't run into them often."

"Oh, they're the WORST, trust me!" Ako looks like she's trying to be a wizened sage on the topic.

"...Heh. Right, then. They're grumps too!" Ran growls.

"Grumps! Grumps!" Ako yells.

Laughter, laughter. It's a bunch of jumbled, chaotic melodies of happiness. Even in this cold, deserted night, Ran and her fun little friend are sharing the warmth and joy right now.

....Is Ako thinking what she's thinking?

"...Hmmhmmhmm." Ako chuckles. She stands up, and poses, scarf billowing in the wind. "My fellow necromancer! We're bonded in heart and soul. And as it just so happens, I've been looking for a strong opponent!"

"Oh? Have you?" Ran smiles.

"Indeed! My dark powers were searching for a suitable final boss... and you were deemed as worthy!" She points. Dramatically. "My blazing ally, scion of the abyss, let us wage a battle like no else! Our monsters will clash, like... KRA-KOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"...Yeah, I'd love to. Wait," Ran starts. "We can duel here, right?"

"Yeah! I checked, it's legal." Of course she did. 

...There's THAT smile growing again. The blood in her rushes, fuels. "Alright, then. You're on, necromancer."

"YES! Ohhhhhh, this is gonna be so good!"

The very ground surges with excitement. Ran rides the waves; as they hit the glass, she and Ako venture onto the sidewalk, white tiles beneath their feet. There's plenty of space between the wall on their left and the tables on their right... and there's nothing to block them, nothing to wall them out whatsoever. Perfect for wreaking some havoc with their monsters, huh?

Ako gallantly skips towards the other side, and looks Ran face-to-face; they smile, knowing they're strengthened by each other's solidarity.

...Right. Ran's grateful to Ako, for brightening up the night. So let's give her a duel to remember, and go all out. Ako might not be that experienced, for all she knows; but no doubt she'll enjoy it. This duel could be end up being neck-to-neck, she thinks.

Ran closes her eyes. Then...

Open. Roar. "Blade of rose, blaze!" Ran commands; from her seemingly innocuous, silver-plated duel disk, a magnificent armament blooms. She lets the fire in her eyes burn, and challenges her opponent head-on. 

Ako smiles, calmly and confidently, in response; she's got her own disk out. Every metal surface on the thing is black. Four fangs decorate the podium. The violet orb in the middle isn't circular; it's shaped more like the indent of a blade.

Heh. Bring it, Ran dares to declare.

...

...Ako has closed her eyes. Her expression doesn't change a bit.

Suddenly, every gust of wind has been completely silenced.

Rebellion begins to rage.

...From the podium on Ako's left wrist, a blade begins to grow. Continuously, its otherworldly form emerges, emerges, emerges. It grows beyond all others, until... at Ako's side, there's the entire wing of an angel, as long as her entire width, standing tall. The disk's blade shines with nothing but an overwhelming white light; that colour characterises every centimetre of it, every single part of the blade... that is, every single part of the wing.

Then, Ako opens them; they're not the eyes of a naive child. The crimson within shows a power so overwhelming that the gates to the sky would crumble before it.

It bursts. From her back, two wings grow. They carry the dying lights of countless stars within their ethereal, glowing, intense dark orchid. It's an orchid that makes Ran's eyes balk.

...They're massive. They cowl, briefly, before stretching out, creating gigantic billowing gusts on each side of Ako. They're wide enough to stretch out across the sea to Ako's right, to reach the buildings on Ako's left. From top to bottom, they're several times Ako's height. Metres might not even be a measurement. Most people don't realise how long a field is, until they travel its whole distance.

They finish emerging, and flash; their pulsing, rippling outlines reveal feathers each as large as Ran herself, towering over the entire bay.

Heaven's Bane has ascended from the abyss.

"...Alright, then..." There's a bead of sweat on Ran's face. She knows the wings are cosmetic, but... l-leave it to Ako to have something like that, huh? 

Ako's aura carries something Ran can't quite discern yet. What is it? She doesn't know. Suddenly, she feels like she can't let her guard down for even a second. She tries to keep up with the pace at which Ako's cards fly into her hand; they each draw 5. Their disks display **4000LP.**

"...Let's begin our battle, Ran Mitake!"

"Right!"

The world shakes.

"**DUEL!**"  
"**DUEL!**"

"_I'll pull the first turn into my dark grasp, if you don't mind!_" Ako cuts right through. The fallen angel navigates her hand; her eyes search, dart between each card. Ran can only guess what she's thinking. There's something being formulated; decisions are being made, snap.

Then, she's ready. What is she going to do? Ran's going to pay close attention; Hina and Moca's duel proved just how hectic things can get, sometimes.

"Fufufu," Ako laughs. "This'll do just fine. This is your first trial, Ran!" She arms the wing with a pair of cards, making the light blink for a second. "I set two cards face-down, and end my turn!"

"...Eh?" 

Ran's surprised. She figured Ako'd be doing something a lot more bombastic. Was she just too intimidated by the wings?

"...If you say so. _My turn, Ako!_" Right. Let's look at the situation calmly. She's got 6 cards, now. Getting the second turn means that Ran can immediately go on the aggro with causing life point damage; all she needs to do is get past Ako's face-downs, and she has plenty of tools in this hand that can accomplish that. 

Let's slow down like Moca does. Should she take care of the face-downs first? If Ako's like Tomoe, then her spells might be the sort that activate when they're destroyed...

No need to remove them immediately, then. She's got multiple options if need be. Let's go! "...I summon _Aromage Jasmine in attack position!_"

From the depths of the night, the peaceful whirl of white petals emerges, tips illuminated by the strip lights. On the tiles, the little **100ATK** magician returns.

Good. Now it's time to build momentum; "Then, I activate the field spell _Aroma Garden!_" Ran says, arming her rose with her key card. 

The holographic plants emerge at the corners of the port; they're hard to see, but fireflies flicker in the night, hinting their existence. Honey silently walks through the air. Winter leaves fly through. "I activate Garden's effect," Ran declares; "Once per turn, when I control an Aroma monster, I can gain 500 life points!"

"Then, it's time for my powers to activate too!" Ako cuts in.

Wait, what? "Eh?"

Electricity crackles.

The ground's... shaking. There's a power in the air that makes Ran hold her breath. 

"Mwahaha! I meant it when I claimed we were both necromancers, my friend. I already see your plan." Ako... is smirking. "Your intention is to use healing to activate the powers of your allies. Once you have a life point advantage, Jasmine will bring forth more mighty monsters, thus concentrating your strength, no?"

She can feel a bead of sweat on her face. But she shakes it off. "...Yeah. What about it?"

Suddenly, a veil of green and blue lightning has begun to yell around Ako. A hand swiftly reveals a face-down; "I'm afraid I won't let you do that, Ran! I unleash my continuous trap card _Aegis of Gaia!_ When this card is activated, my dark form instantly gains 3000 life points!"

Wait, what?! "3000?! You're kidding!" Ran shouts, eyes wide open.

But she's not. Ako's cheerful expression is somehow far fiercer than Ran would expect; through the shaking, her ponytail billows alongside her scarf as her LP skyrockets all the way high, high, high up to **7000.** That's going to stop Ran from using Jasmine's second Normal Summon-

Wait. Ran looks at the orb on her duel disk, and reads Aegis's effect.

Knew it. Ako's been too reckless; there's a weakness. "Sorry, but your move's going to backfire!" Ran yells. Time for a counterattack! She slams the card down; "I activate the quick-play spell _Twin Twisters!_ I'll discard one card from my hand, allowing me to destroy both of your backrow cards!"

The crackling lightning around Ako's side of the field faces a threat, now; another force of nature. Tornados rush in. "_Aegis of Gaia_ might increase your life points by 3000, Ako..." Ran says, "...but once it leaves the field, you take 3000 damage, losing the advantage it gives you instantly! This skirmish is mine!"

Heh. Ran lets herself smile; that was a good move on her part. Ako's face looks calm, jolly almost, but her aegis is about to crumble. Winds rush right through her barrier, and then-

Blindsided.

Rays of the rainbow swarm; before Ran even realises it, the tornados have been completely and utterly torn apart by countless numbers of brilliant beams of light, surging from the ground around Ako's location. The floor beneath her is shaking in fear.

"W-what?!" Ran's shuddering.

The dust clears. Her opponent is visible once more, and...

...No...

The aegis is gone, but... Ako's raging with power. There's a thick aura whispering around her, almost like an enlarged silhouette, swirling. Her clothes carry the wind, her eyes shine a deep brilliant crimson. A demon so small has never looked so naturally and utterly towering.

"...Mwahahahaha!" She laughs; normally it'd be cute, but right now it's spine-chilling. "You've walked right into my bait, Ran. I responded to your _Twin Twisters_ with my other terrifying trap... the trap card known as _Rainbow Life!_" 

"_Rainbow Life?!_" Ran whips her head down to her duel disk, and desperately looks at the card's effect-

No. No, no way.

Ako tosses a card into her graveyard; "At the cost of a mere discard, any damage I take for the rest of the turn becomes healing instead! That means that, instead of Aegis causing 3000 damage... it'll make me gain ANOTHER 3000 life points, instead!"

No...

No... that's... just...

"...Y-you can't be serious..." Ran takes a step back.

But it's real. The winds howl; Ako's gigantic wings roar, surging with newfound energy. Against the pitch-black of the night, her form rips every shadow apart, tears every star down from its pompous place in the sky, dragging them down into the dirt. Her winged blade shines with power unfathomable, power unstoppable, as her LP increases... 

...to...

...

"**...T... Ten... thousand...**" Ran manages.

The energy settles; Ako simply stands tall once again. Her calm, joyful smile looks no different from how it was at the start of this duel, but Ran views her completely differently now; this is no joke. Every system in her body is shaking in panic.

"Stunned, are you?" 

She's snapped out of it. 

"Make your move; you have a turn to complete after all. I await your strategy, my friend!"

...

"...R-right..." Ran looks at her hand, and tries not to panic. "..._Aromage Jasmine_ gains 500 ATK and DEF from _Aroma Garden's_ effect. Jasmine's effect activates, allowing me to draw one card."

Ran hits **4500LP,** Jasmine hits **600ATK,** and she now has another card in the hand, but... god... this is insane, that number is insane; Ako has more than DOUBLE her LP. How is she supposed to gain a life point advantage against that?! She can't summon anything else now, because Jasmine needs that advantage in order for Ran to gain a second Normal Summon. No, not just that; Jasmine can't even attack Ako right now! Because _Rainbow Life's_ effect means that she'd just heal for 600 more, instead!

How? How did Ako do that with just two cards?

...In, and out... in, out! K-keep it together! Ran gets her breath back, barely. She's... just going to have to wait until her next turn, then. She's got to change strategy, and fast! "I-I set two cards face-down! That's it for now!" She places the cards down, and the holographs of their backs appear in front of her; hopefully that'll do.

Hopefully.

"Very well. A wise choice, Ran Mitake; I commend you. _But now it's my turn!_" Ako's arm has no hesitation; it draws a card from her devilish disk in one clean swipe.

Ran really, really hopes it'll be enough. That Aegis combo... yeah, it's just two cards, after all. It might just be a neat trick Ako knows. Maybe her own backrow will be enough to deal with Ako's next turn, she thinks.

She couldn't possibly be any wronger.

"This is where it begins now, my companion," Ako states, her voice booming. "Prepare to face the full unbridled might of Demon Lord Ako!"

The next moves blur so fast that Ran can barely remember them.

"I activate the spell card _Trade-In!_ My dark visage will discard a level 8 monster to draw 2 cards! I discard _Darklord Superbia!_"

No hesitation, complete confidence.

"I activate another hex, _Allure of Darkness!_ I'll draw 2 cards... and banish _Darklord Nasten_ from my hand!"

"I activate another _Trade-In!_ I discard _Darklord Zerato_ to draw 2 cards!"

More cards, and more... it's... what is this? Is this what she saw Moca and Hina do? No, it's crazier...

"Yes! Now this is what I need; this is MY magic! I activate the spell card _Banishment of the Darklords!_ I'll be calling my most unholy form from my deck to my hand!" Ako's left eye swirls light, and her right screams dark. Her body glows as the card bursts into runes at her command, and a new one flies into her grasp. She burns the image of this new card right into her opponent; "Take a good look at this monster's visage, Ran! I'll rip it right into your soul!"

...Purple. Wings. Wait, what is she-

Ran shakes her head, for a second. What is Ako doing? The amount of cards in her hand isn't increasing, and those plays... why is she discarding so many monster cards? That's a waste of her resources... isn't it?

"And now, I'll unleash her first power!" Ako declares. Her fangs light up in the night with her grin; crimson declares all as worthy of its presence, but none can brave standing near it. "By discarding her and _Darklord Rebellion_ to my graveyard, I'll draw yet another 2 cards!"

...The graveyard. The graveyard, graveyard. Ran's eyes fix down to her disk; rushing through the information display...

...No. She had it wrong, all along. Those discards. Ako isn't building up her hand... she's building up her graveyard!

The waves freely rage, but their sound is gone; gone, gone, gone, before the Heaven's Bane. It's not that Ako suppresses them with her audacity, her chaos; no, she freely lets them rage with all due respect. But they simply have no, no power at all, compared to her. "Now, rebellion will rise!" Ako stands tall, regally raising her arm straight to one side. It swipes a card right onto her ruinous blade; "I cast the spell _Darklord Contact!_ This magic allows me to bring forth a Darklord from my graveyard _in defense position_... arise from your home, _Darklord Superbia_; join hands with me, and unleash our power upon this silent world!"

It all falls into place. Ran watches ruin build before her.

She calls, inscriptions of light dancing around her body. The monster emerging from the graveyard in response has no human form; it refuses to be bound by the constraints of normality. Over years and years, the callous guillotine of image tore at its body, until it gained its will of **2400 DEF.** It's a chalice that contains the reckoning, a rallying cry for those whose voices were frozen silent beneath the abyss. Now, it returns. Unfurling its faded blood-red wings, Superbia stands in full defiance.

"_Darklord Superbia's_ powers, UNLEASH!"

A noise is all it takes; there's no lights, no camera. Superbia roars, and the world loses all volume before it. Now, now, they come. The fallen angels come. The reckoning is coming, coming for all who chose to silence her. This is her righteous stride.

"When this loyal minion is special summoned from the graveyard," Ako gladly explains, "...I can bring forth the bearer of rebellion into the world. Now's the time!"

...

Suddenly, it feels hard to even breathe.

She could reave through mountains. Ako's expression isn't changed; it's still a joyous, delightful smile. But behind the same demonic grin she wears in her daily life, there's an aura here, one that draws every pair of eyes laid upon it in.

The ground shakes.

"W-whoa!" Ran has to remember; she doesn't need to adjust her footing. But there's cold, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. The fallen angel didn't force her to cower, she didn't coerce her; no, it's simply the sheer, genuine identity she has that awes all who see her.

Haneoka shivers. It's like the ground begs to be split. It's as if the Earth itself is shaking... as if it's been made a prison against its will. It wants justice.

Even amidst the lights, Ako's crimson eyes darken all when they open. Her wings pulse with wave after wave of inner strength, every decoration on her outfit flowing freely in the air, unencumbered by the heralding of the rebellion they command.

Ako tears the bars apart. 

"O fallen angel, she who signifies vivacity and tenacity, she who shares my very being. Our eyes are ravaged, our hands are broken, murdered when the skies cast us down. _But if we cannot reach heaven, we shall make a home out of hell._ Blood becomes blades, terror forms from tears... our identities wreathe the abyssal light only the worthy fail to fear!"

Cracks rage through the tiles, enveloping all. Cracks cut purple through every callous star, trapping their dying light in the Demon Lord's wings.

"We feel no malice, feed no violence. Form our contract, and expose the Gods as the oppressors they are!"

...Then, suddenly, it stops. The shaking quietens, for the Earth is freed. The cracks fade, for the stars are shattered. 

Ran stares in astonishment at the air.

"I join hands with the Graveyard's Godslayer, _**Darklord Ixchel!**_"

A giant's lightning strikes. Orchid opens the planet, and vision turns white.


	12. Vow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally one 25k-word chapter, but I've since split it into two!
> 
> CONTENT WARNING - This chapter contains, alongside the other warnings, multiple depictions of the following throughout:  
\- Strong violent symbolism/imagery/metaphor, including that of blood, fatal injury and feelings of death. The physical sensations of these are described in at least moderate detail.  
\- Intense self-hate and self-depreciation, some of which occurs from a first-person perspective.

The wolves descend.

The upper deck of Haneoka Coast Port is painted in darkness; only the very edge, right near the glass-paned fence, is exposed to a bright spotlight. Yukina stays back from that light, for now... as her upcoming member takes on one last opponent. Ako Udagawa, the 4th blade she needs, the 4th blade to act as the key.

It was unexpected. But truly, Yukina's enemy is gigantic. Its influence harms all. Maybe, in retrospect, that's why finding members hasn't proved challenging to her.

Good. She only has a month. She'll need those members as soon as humanly possible, if she's to accomplish her goal.

"Who's there?" Sayo's voice rings; in her words, callous arrows fly, striking anything that could be called an 'enemy'.

Yukina turns back on her right, and finds someone at the lightless wall of a building; indeed, even a 5th blade is beginning to suggest itself.

"...It's... me."

Dusk. There's a figure, almost completely enveloped by shadow; she hides from the sight of all around her. Her eyes are made invisible by the black of her hair. Only mistrusting mythril could detect a presence so silent.

She looks unassuming to most. A buttoned, black blouse that wraps in at the waist, sleeves comfortably reaching down to the wrists. In the collar, the lengthened ends of a small white ribbon still in the lack of a breeze. The long purple skirt does the same, and it holds a small, treasured figure; a miniature plushie of a girl with red eyes and twin-tailed drills for hair. Indeed, nothing about this presence implies menace or hatred.

But blink. Blink, and they're there.

Wings. Rough, scaled, clawed.

In those afterimages, you'll only see a suggestion of their size; one of them dares to extend out from the shade, out from the corner of the building, threatening the terrifying world outside. That section is presumably about a third of the wing's size, but it's as large as the figure's width in of itself. At least, that's the most accurate guess one can make; after all, it's impossible to see the full form of the wing in this darkness. That, in itself, can cause fear.

There's a demon lurking in the shadows.

"Are you here to watch Ako, too?" Yukina asks.

"...Yes. Because... she'll come."

"She?" Sayo asks.

"It's been building, behind her..." The demon says. "...And soon, it'll collapse. There's something... that I have to do."

Silence. But Yukina must know. "And what would that be?" She asks, cutting cold through the air. "Will it be something that prevents Ako from joining Roselia?"

Violet. It wanders, wavers, contemplates, at the hostile stare of ambitious amber. But it might be reckless... or dangerous, even, to interpret its expression as fear.

"...No." That's the final answer.

Then the demon is not her enemy. "Good. And what about you? Have you made your decision yet?"

Silence. There's no response for now; violet eyes merely turn to face the front of the deck, softly gazing through billowing hair. As the wind picks up, they're focused on the duel below.

"I see." Yukina takes a seat at the bench, ready to spectate as well. Sayo watches from the shadows with her.

There's the sound of flapping. Yukina turns to face the fence; there, now perched at the edge, is a crow, wrapped in rough shawls of pitch-black feathers.

Red. The eye of red is bloodshot in rage. The crow fixes its gaze towards her... ascertaining what it has found. It stands in silence, threatening Yukina. It threatens destruction, threatens to blaze all around it down with its anger.

How weak and foolish of it.

She contemplates. Heaven's Bane... pushing at the tear between her and her family could have massive, disastrous consequences.

But Yukina must. There is no room for emotion to blunt her blade. She will, without any uncertainty, bring that duelist to her side. Some things must break, if her gigantic enemy is to be shattered.

...Though she wonders. Even if emotion has no place, can the same be said for safety? For responsibility? 

The maiden in her mind with silver hair, in that field of frozen grass. A cut has gone through her body, through her chest and up to the side of her neck... but there's movement; a twitch, a breath. It's because Yukina didn't go for the throat.

There's a new injury on her, too; there's a cut at her forehead from another battle. The wound stings, but she doesn't cry this time. She simply manages to open her amber eyes, and stares at Yukina from the ground... as if she's found a sliver of commonality, if only for this moment. She asks; if it does not elicit tears, should you let it bleed?

Personally, Yukina would say yes. Such an injury could never bother her; this is the path she's chosen for herself. 

But Roselia is more than one person. As the group's leader, it's a question she must ask in the context of her every companion. That's the least even someone as monstrous as her can do.

...She doesn't know the answer. But that's the only doubt she has.

Ako will join Roselia, no matter what.

\---

It gets exhausting, fast.

Sometimes, she wonders what it'd be like to not eat food for 5 days straight. Would it be more painful than this, or less?

Because GOD! She's dead, oh she's gone. Himari can feel her soul leeeeave her body from all this running. Urgh, why can't Afterglow's leader have any physical stamina?

Oh, wait. Nooooo, of course not. As if physical stamina is the only thing that's mercilessly beating up poor, hapless Himari right now; everything is a mess! And her biggest mess up, in one way or another, is running right behind her now.

"H-Himari!" Tsugumi says, keeping her pace steady. "If you're feeling worn out, it's okay for us to stop!"

"Ugghhghhhrrgrggrhhh!! Hf... hf... I'M FINE!" She yells, in-between desperate pants for air. "My last... break was... 2 minutes ago! Urggh..."

How. On. Earth. Does Tsugumi do it? She's just... she's just jogging, at a reasonable pace, completely unfaze- well, she's a bit sweaty and tired, but she looks like she could go for another hour! How does she pull it off-

"W-whooooaoaaaaaa-!"

"H-Himari!" Oh, great, Himari nearly slipped on thin air again; Tsugumi's holding her sides to keep her footing stable. She's gotta wonder; did she mess up because she didn't tell Tsugumi at first? Or did she mess up because she eventually DID once Tsugumi put a few pieces together?

"Uuuuuuuuu.... Tsugu, I'm so spent..." Screw it, she's not in the mood for this. She's miserable! Fortunately, there's a bench nearby, amidst this garbled mess of roads and pavements and lamposts and blocks and trees and... everything, so she just hurls herself onto it. "Tomoe's running marathons for Ako, but I'm just... it's so hard..."

"Ahaha... well, I don't think any of us have as tough a body as she does," Tsugumi responds, posting some cheer. "I think it's really nice that you've been doing so much to help, Himari."

"Y-you think?" Himari didn't TOTALLY blow this one up? Please say yes!

"Yeah! Thanks, leader."

".....Ooooooooooooooo..." That means everything to her. Himari's... doing all she can! "Tsuguuuu.... thank you..."

"Whenever you need it!" Tsugumi hops down to the side of the bench. There's a little, timid smile on her face that she's wearing despite this whole mess, the poor thing. She also looks.... very comfy... right now...

"Tsugu... hic! Can I hug you right now?"

"Hehe, I figured! Sure."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Himari yells and starts crying as she lunges her arms around and helps herself right to her friend's lap, partly because her friend is an angel, but also because everything is a disaster. "Tsugu... it's not fair. Everything is horrible... where's Ako at?"

"There, there. We've all got your back, leader!" Tsugumi's... oh god, her arms are so light. Himari could just melt away. They've all been completely wiped, emotionally, by everything Ran and Tomoe're dealing with, but Tsugumi still keeps the smile going for as long as her friends need it...

"...Thankh youf..." She manages to muffle out. She's crying, crying, crying real hard, alright, even harder than usual. And nobody can even laugh about it, because it's not over something trivial. This just absolutely sucks. It hurts. "...Tsugu, you're... hic! So good at this..."

"I... think it's probably from the 5 times you've done this today," Tsugumi says.

"R-right! Well, no need for more than 5!" Himari tries to shove off the doom and sit up; good posture for the leader! "Let's have a strategy meeting, Tsugu! Running around is... getting us nowhere. We gotta have a clue to find where Ako is!"

"Right!" Tsugumi cheers. "I'm... uh. Where do we start? Tomoe's already checked a whole bunch of dueling-related places, multiple times over. We might need to try something else."

"Oh, right." Great, her head's blocked again. "Ugh. This isn't easy, is it? I wish Lisa was here to help."

"Yeah... um, Himari. I know I said it before, but... sorry. I was going to ask Tomoe what the problem was on Monday, but I got worried, and I couldn't find her, so... I just ended up bothering you instead."

"Oh my god, it's fine! You've been a lifesaver, Tsugu," Himari responds. "I hate to say it, but I probably would've spilled the details eventually anyway... I promised Tomoe I wouldn't, but!" She flails her fists on the bench's arm; "She's! Just! Being! So! Stiff! About it- OW! I'm never doing that again..."

"A-are you okay?!" Tsugumi briefly makes sure there aren't any bruises on her hands. "Yeah, I get that... I think I've been worried about her whenever I had the time, this week. But I couldn't figure out a way to help until you told me what the problem was yesterday." Tsugumi grows a bit wistful. "...Poor Ako..."

"God, I know. It's so cruel... Ako's such a little cutie. She shouldn't be out there all alone. It's just..." She wipes a tear. "Ugh. It's not fair. Why is this happening, even?"

"I don't know..." Tsugumi thinks. "You said she got into an argument with Tomoe, right?"

"Yeah, and her parents too. I thought it would've blown over before the end of the month, but here we are. I just..." She wipes another tear. Suppressing sadness is hard; she can feel the pep in her voice just die out from trying to do so. "...It's not fair, Tsugumi. Whatever the problem is, Ako shouldn't feel pressured to stay out there. It's so cold at night nowadays... I just hope she's sleeping okay, like at an internet cafe or something. It's awful."

"Yeah, it really is horrible..." Tsugumi's been infected by her sorrow, unfortunately. "It was related to school, wasn't it? She didn't have many friends and she kept skipping; that's what Tomoe told you and Lisa, right?"

"Yeah. I wonder if that's all, though..." Himari thinks. "Do you think she was being bullied by the other students? That might've been it... I got bullied all the time before my Circle year started too, so I feel that."

"Ako? Bullied? But she's really- oh. Yeah, I can... actually see that. Some people aren't very nice."

"Yeah, and it sucks! She's always having a good time and helping everyone out." She sighs. "I really hope it wasn't bullying, 'cause that'd be the worst. When that happens, it feels like something you can't do anything about... especially if the teachers think it isn't a problem. Little Ako doesn't deserve that. Honestly Tsugu, every time I hung out with her I just wanted to ruffle her hair. She's a darling. I hope she's ok."

"C-chin up, Himari!" Tsugumi's doing what she does best. "We're having a strategy meeting, after all!"

"Argh, I don't know how we could find her though! Everything is a disaster!" Himari flails her limbs. "God, I'm so sorry I'M the one you have to do this with, Tsugumi. I can't do anything right."

"T-that's not true, Himari! You're always helping us out."

"Agh... thanks. Lisa said that too, but..." Himari sighs. "It's like a BATTLE in the center of the mind for me, y'know? One Himari's like, a paladin and she's saying I do my job, and the other's a berserker who sneaks into my ear and tells me I'm pathetic. I think the latter's winning right now."

"Th... that sounds rough."

"It's just... I love you guys so much." Himari kicks back, hoping she'll look cool and casual enough to not seem like she's miserable. Tomoe does that all the time, after all. "You guys always do so much for me and each other; you're always consoling me when I cry, checking up on Ran... Moca has like a whole bunch of therapy tactics, and Tomoe literally can't stop helping people out. What do I do? Blow everything up and cry all the time?"

"Th-that's not true! You..." Tsugumi hesitates. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know how to describe it, but I really do think you help a lot, Himari!"

"...Really? Because I feel like all I'm doing... is just whining... while everyone else's doing their best..." She grumbles.

"Yeah, really! And besides," Tsugumi continues. "If you try to imitate Tomoe, you'll... well, just look at how she's doing right now."

"...That's true."

"A-and!" God, love you Tsugu. "You shouldn't feel forced to always help out. You'll always be our friend, no matter what! And, um! You don't have to wear yourself out like this, if it's that hard. Anything at all helps, and... it's nice, having you always trying to support us. It wouldn't be the same without you, leader!"

Tsugu. Angel. God, y'know what? Himari may be messing up big time, but Tomoe's just as much a screw-up as she is right now, so it cancels out. Sort of. "URGH, right. Sorry about that; I'll whip myself back into shape! And I'll forgive myself for spilling the Ako secret to you, since Tomoe's just that big a doodoohead." 

"That's good! Tomoe, huh..." Tsugumi's wistful; it's so sad. Normally, she'd just be like, living life right now, doing work, having aroma-scented baths... but now her face is like this, and it hurts. "I'm really worried about her. Tomoe looks like she hasn't slept in days."

"God, yeah. I wish she'd let us worry about her in FRONT of her, though. What gives?" Himari asks. "I mean, I get it. Telling Afterglow about it would just kill the mood for every meeting, but... it doesn't feel right. I don't think Tomoe should be clamming herself up just so everyone can keep partying."

"Y-you think so?" Tsugumi says. "I... honestly, sometimes I think I'd do the same in her situation. There's nothing worse than telling people a problem they can't do anything about."

"Yeah, but like! Clamming up doesn't help with that either!" Himari protests, which Tsugumi just mewls at. It's so hard to figure out a way around this, but... even IF they can't do anything, it helps to feel supported, right? That's how Himari feels most of the time around her friends; she just yells her stuff out and everyone listens. They might get irritated, or sigh, or snark, but they'll still make cakes for her, massage her (Moca), give her food (Moca again) or try and pep talk her back up. That's why she feels like calling herself Afterglow's leader is an ok thing to do...

...But...

"Urgh, I get what you mean, though... sometimes venting makes me feel like a burden. Honestly, even I have times where I don't say I'm sad; I don't wanna complain if it'd just make everyone grouchy."

"Hehe. It still shows on your face even when you don't say it, Himari." Damnit. "But that's why I don't either sometimes. If you say something too negative to a friend group, the whole thing can become a downward spiral, I think."

"Yeah, yeah, that's it! I can't stand it when one vent just leads into another, and another." Himari sighs, for what feels like the 800th time recently. Well, at least it's good to talk about this with Tsugumi instead of bottling it up, huh?

"...Wait, I just vented again! About not wanting to vent! Tsugumi, you deserve better than me..."

"It's ok! It didn't burden me to listen. I think it helped me understand, honestly..." Her friend looks to the stars, which insist on shining in the pitch-black sky. "...I asked Tomoe a lot if she wanted to talk... but I never tried to force it, for that reason. I think especially, something as awful as Ako going missing could easily make everyone feel... well, too miserable to even move. That's probably why Tomoe didn't say anything, either."

"Yeah..." There's just no winning sometimes, is there? "And that's why I said ok when Tomoe asked me not to tell anyone else... even though I didn't end up following through. At least I haven't leaked it to Ran or Moca, still."

"Leaked it to who now~?"

"Didn't you hear me? Leaked it to-"

.

Pause.

...Holy crap, what?!

"Wargh!!!!" She jumps, because who? What? She and Tsugumi look around, but there's... no one there?

"Up here~." Oh, of course; they look up, and Moca's leaning on the top of the meters-tall brick wall behind them, her shadowed presence illuminated by the nearby lampost.

...She's like a ninja sometimes. If ninjas had dumb mascot-costume grins on their faces, that is.

"M-Moca!"

"Moca!!! You fiend- I mean!" Himari shakes her head into gear. "W-were you listening to any of that?"

"Mm? Listening to what?" Moca drawls. "Oh, right~. The words you guys were saying. Uhhhhhhhhh.... hmmmmmm..."

"Oh my god, don't drag out your fake thinking!"

"That joke never gets a laugh, huh?" Moca shrugs, and hops down to their side; despite the fall, she completely sticks the landing. That's surprisingly acrobatic of her! "Don't worry. I just heard that you're hiding something from me, is all~."

"A-ack!" Great timing, Himari. "Don't you have any sense of privacy?"

"Mmm?" She tilts her head. "What was that? Did I just hear you bring up Papa Mitake to Ran impromptu again?"

"Don't... remind me of my failures..." Moca knows where to strike, huh? Himari slumps to the bench.

"There, there~. You two look, uh. Dead, is one way to put it. Even Tsugu's looking beat; that can't be good."

"M-me? I'm fine! Don't worry about me..."

"Okay~. Your lil' cupcake necklace is on the wrong way around, though."

Tsugumi jumps at that, and she swiftly corrects the mistake; aw, that's sweet. Himari did give that one to her, after all. 

"So, what're you guys doing?" Moca asks. "Himari running around the place is unheard of, y'know?"

"N-none of your business!" Himari puts her guard up; she's not failing Tomoe twice! She immediately shoots her gaze to the sky. "Wow, the stars suuuuure look pretty today, don't they!"

"Really?" Moca turns and looks. "I don't think they're that good. Those things aren't all they're cracked up to be... anyway, seen Tomoe around?"

"No, we've been- Ah! I mean!" Oh god, poor Tsugumi's a terrible liar. 

Himari to the rescue then! "We've been running a marathon, as shocking as you might think that is!"

"Ohhhh? Is that why you lost both your scrunchies again, Himahima?"

"How dare you. Stop talking, now."

"Aw~. Sounds like it's been a rough day." She gives that lazy smile as she pats Himari on the head. Fiend.

"Ahaha... Himari has gotten pretty worn out by all the running."

"Oho? Then, why not take a Moca specialty... your favorite brand of star sweets!"

"Oh my god!" She squeals. "That's the packet from the illustrious Yamabuki Bakery-Toyama Confectionary collaboration that only occurs once a month! Moca, you didn't!"

"Yup, yup~. I went and brought it for my favorite pal Himahima. Dine as you please!" She makes a little idle smile and chucks the packet over to Himari.

"Absolutely! Moca, you're my savior! Digging-in time!"

"Ah! Himari, wait!" 

Sorry, Tsugu; these babies never wait! Oh, they taste so good...

"Is Moca's delivery service up to par?"

"..." Very well. "...You are FORGIVEN for your past sins, Moca Aoba. For now."

"Good, good," Moca says... she's been smirking at a panicked Tsugumi for some reason. Then she aims her pointy teeth right at Himari; "Now... why don't you guys tell me what's going on with Tomoe?"

"E-ehm?" Himari stops stuffing herself with those beauties for a second, wiping the sugar from her mouth. "W-what do you mean? We haven't been looking for Tomoe at all!"

"So you two ARE looking for her, then~."

"Ack!" How'd she guess? "W-why's it matter to you right now, you gremlin?"

"Sorry, you guys, but I'm on a special detective case right now." Moca's idly twirling her house keys in one hand. "And unfortunately, the time limit's shorter than I thought; realised that, when ol' Tomoe raced past me last evening without even noticing me."

"W-well..." Tsugumi's sweating.

"Well, too bad! We're on our own secret mission, and we'll keep running around until we accomplish it!"

"Oh~?" Moca fakes surprise. "But if you run around after eating that many sweets, you're gonna hurl, right?"

.

Oh crap!

"...Mmmmmmmmmmoooooooooooooooooooooooocaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa." She's simmering, oh she's simmering.

"What a shame~," Moca says. "With poor Himarine out for the count, and Ran off to who-knows-where, Tsugumi's the only one who could make sure our monster-truck mom doesn't burn herself out... and she's douuubtless done so much work already today. If only there was an incredibly cool and attractive bread-loving casanova who could come to the rescue and-"

"MmoooooooooooooocAAAAA!!" Despite Tsugumi's protests, she grips her 'friend's' shirt and tugs back and forth with all her might, hoping it recranialises this monstrosity. "You gave me those sweets on purpose, didn't you!"

"Oopsy daisy. I guess I didn't think about how it'd completely incapacitate you from searching for our friend. My bad~!"

"Why. Why on earth, you fiend."

"Well, who knows." Moca shrugs. "Whatever the case, seems like Tsugumi's gonna be allllllllllllllllllllll alone in helping Tomoe now... unless, of course, there was another friend here who could help. Another pal... who you could give the deets on regarding Ako."

"H-huh?!" Tsugumi's in shock. "How did you know it involved Ako-" She snaps her mouth shut.

...Oh.

"Mwehehe~. Because you just told me, Tsugu."

Great. They've both been made fools.

"...Moca..." Tsugumi asks, concerned. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yeah, yeah. Like I said, we might have less time than I realised." Moca draws both of them into a lazy hug. "You two look... well, shattered is putting it nicely. Why not head on to Himari's home for a sleepover, turn the heater on and play Monopoly together or something, while your handy and reliable Moca takes the reins and braves the cold night for you?"

As if on cue, there's a chilling gust piercing the air.

"Well, we don't really have a choice, do we!" Urgh, Himari messed up big time. But her back's sore as hell, and she's out of bottled water... it feels relieving, almost, having the chance to let Moca help out. "Alright, alright, you win!"

"A-are you sure, Himari?"

"My hunger will be my bane, Tsugumi... I'm sorry."

"It's ok! If you want, I can still-"

"Tsugu, someone's gotta make sure Himari gets back home safely. Why not be her gallant knight?"

Even a blizzard would be impressed by this weather. It's as if the entire world is about to freeze over.

"A-ah! Right. Sorry, Moca."

"Wow~. You're apologizing for my antics?"

Argh, fine! Himari makes her decision. Time to get herself and Tsugumi some rest. "Alright, alright! But you're treating me to lunch tomorrow, Moca! And you've gotta promise you'll get Tomoe back home as soon as possible!"

The sky couldn't become any darker, now. The stars feel like they're laughing in the distance. 

"Of course. You can always count on me~," she says. 

...Then her eyes focus, and she leans in. "Now. Tell your loveable little Moca what's threatening our red-haired friend."

\---

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

She broke a vow.

They're running through the city around Haneoka Coast Port, in the pitch-black night. 

She broke it.

The lamposts are flickering. There's just enough light for them to find their way around... for now.

You broke your promise.

She's gritting as she watches Tomoe's back; her teeth are crushing in on themselves, but she doesn't care. 

You've broken it.

"Huff...!" The red-haired rider, the one whose kindness is infinite, keeps running. She's jogging at a slower pace than she was before, so that she doesn't concern her friend. It hurts. "Still with me... Lisa?" She stops by the corner of a block, red brick to her back. "Thanks for... sticking with me. Even though it's been half an hour already."

Broken.

"A... aha~! No problem... let's keep at it, shall we?" Lisa responds, as best she can.

Broken.

"Yeah! Lemme just catch my breath... ok! Operation Ako Rescue, continue!" Tomoe hypes. The pain of her sister's absence has wracked her body, but she still blusters. She still encourages herself. And she still encourages Lisa... completely unaware that she's been lied to.

You lied. 

You lied, you lied, you lied.

As Lisa watches the back of one of her closest friends, she tries as hard, as hard as she can, to keep her face smiling, to keep her breathing regular... to ignore the bleeding self-hatred screaming inside of her.

You lied to her.

The thoughts beg to overwhelm her, they rage. She desperately suppresses any tears trying to become visible on her face. 

But they scrape within. 

You promised, Lisa. 

You promised. 

You promised you'd tell her if you found Ako. But you didn't say a thing.

You know where she is. You could have told her.

But you lied.

You LIED to her. You lied to her, even though you know. You know where Ako's been for the past three days... YOU LIED TO HER!

You've broken it, you've BROKEN IT! Traitor, she thinks to herself. Traitor, traitor, you disgusting traitor!

TRAITOR!

...

B-breathe. Breathe, breathe... she has to breathe.

...

"Lisa?"

It's not Tomoe's voice. It's a voice in her head.

As she runs with one of her closest friends, she recollects; her memories transform the sky to bright-blue and white, verdant summer leaves dancing through the air. There's no darkness, no horrid stars in the afternoon sky. It's a day where the grass in the field wasn't withering; it was green the whole way through. She's remembering a day in her childhood... one with the closest friend she has.

"Lisa?"

Yukina's voice.

"Lisa? Are... you ok?"

She remembers, clearly. She remembers Yukina's expression, the softer days they had. She remembers; the little Lisa is wearing pigtails, hiding her tears behind them.

Little Lisa's crying a bit; it's precious, almost. But her friend pushes her hair aside, and tries to wipe the tears.

"...Yukina... hic!"

"What's wrong?" Sweet, innocent child Yukina; she's openly expressing distress and concern for Lisa. She's not hiding the panic on her face, as she thinks about how to cheer Lisa up. She was precious.

"...It's... my friend got hurt." Lisa shakes her head a bit, and looks at Yukina's caring gaze. "She tripped over when we were walking, and her knee got really, really red. She said it hurt a lot. I got really scared."

"...Oh." Yukina doesn't know how to respond. So she just gives Lisa a hug with her miniature arms. "Sorry."

"I-it's ok. I... I'm just sad." She gladly returns it. 

A few seconds, and Yukina lets go, standing beside her on the playground. 

"...I don't like it when you're sad, Lisa."

"Sorry."

"That's... not what I mean." She looks up as Yukina speaks; "I mean. It's not your fault. I mean, let's be happy."

"O-ok," Lisa says. "But... I'm sad."

"Then," Yukina's glare turns strong, determined. "Let's make you happier."

"...Huh?"

"If you're sad, let's stop the thing that makes you sad. What do we do?"

"Oh. Right." Lisa shakes her head, and thinks. Her friend makes a good point; if she's sad, she should find a way to be happier. "I'm sad because my friend got hurt. I don't like it when that happens."

"Then..." Yukina says. "Let's try and protect each other. Protect our friends."

"...Eh?" Lisa asks. "Protect?"

"If they're... gonna trip over, we can just catch them." Yukina nods. "If they're gonna eat something gross, we can tell them it's gross. If they can't stop it themselves, we can just help them stop it."

"...Yeah. Yeah!" Lisa wipes her tears. "And if something sad does happen, we can help them be happier!"

"Yeah."

Her friend is unsure, but she doesn't hesitate in speaking her mind to Lisa. That's what makes her so amazing; and that upfront fortitude would only grow with time. Her friend shines.

Lisa wants her friends to shine. They're all so nice. "...Yukina. I'm gonna become a knight!"

"A knight?" Yukina's confused. "There aren't castles here."

"No, I mean! I'll protect people, and help them!" She smiles, and turns to her closest friend; "That means you too, Yukina. I'm going to watch over you."

"Y-you will?" Yukina's surprised, but... she's happy. She was so happy, that day, to see Lisa want to protect her. It was invigorating. "...Promise?"

Of course! Her friends are awesome, and it's so nice seeing them smile, her child self thinks. Everyone's smiles are so nice! And if Lisa helps them take down all those obstacles, they can smile as much as they feel like it!

So she says... "Promise!" She grabs little Yukina's hands. "I'll watch over you forEVER and ever~!"

"...Yeah." Yukina smiles. "And..."

The dream fades to white.

"I'll... watch over... you... too..."

Darkness.

Innocence breaks.

'Traitor.'

The pitch-black chains return. The current Lisa is trapped, the rainbow earrings are at threat. On either side of the wall she's stuck in, a treasured friend stands. If she escapes from the divide and steps towards one, the chains will close behind her back, and she'll never be able to reach the other again.

Unacceptable.

Lisa would never forgive herself if she abandoned a friend. Never.

...

She's back in cold, cold reality.

Lisa breathes. The sky is pitch-black, Tomoe is running in front of her. Lisa runs too; her lungs are burning from this, but she doesn't care. She'll sweat and pant as much as she needs to. The physical exhaustion she feels right now means nothing, it means absolutely nothing... because the pain of breaking a promise kills Lisa more than anything else ever can. It's a death sentence.

"Ah! Lisa, watch out for the litter!" Her friend's alluring red hair roars proud, striking through the night. She's discarded the parka at this point, leaving just a white tank top and jeans.

"Oh! Thanks!"

Breathe, Lisa... please, breathe. You have other vows to uphold too. Even if the pain of breaking this one tears you apart, limb from limb, you absolutely can NOT stop here. 

She swears; if she breaks another vow, she'll tear herself to pieces.

But traitor, her mind burns into her. You broke it, it says. You broke the light that could bring them happiness, and now they'll fall into misery. It's all your fault, it insists. It's her fault her friends have clashed, she thinks. Her past 5 years have just been failure after failure. Even through all those years, her presence was powerless to heal the wound that ripped into Yukina... and because of that, it's come to this. Her beloved Tomoe's become a casualty because she couldn't help Yukina find a brighter path to walk down.

She wants to argue against it, but it's overwhelming. She can't see an explanation that doesn't put her at fault; it just doesn't seem possible. Every spectre from past to present returns to torment her. Every limb feels like it could lose all energy instantly, if she stopped moving; every limb feels like it could collapse from despair...

No. Keep. Running.

If she collapsed here, she'd never forgive herself. Her friends need her help.

"Not here... let's head a bit further down the coast!"

...But that's the problem. Her friends need her help.

There's two. And they conflict. In fact, that's the very reason why she's already broken a promise. The vows, they clash, they throe; Lisa can hardly follow one without threatening the other. No matter which way she walks, no matter what way she moves... if she even moves at all, they'll hurt. Even if she doesn't move one bit, they'll hurt. No matter what she does or doesn't do, a vow is threatened, and her soul is ruptured, slashed and hacked away.

She thrashes, thrashes against the chains. Her right hand bleeds from a wound of red and blue, but the sword that caused it isn't broken yet. Neither bond has shattered yet Her earrings still try to gleam; there's still time to find a way. So Lisa raises her blade with her free hand, and cuts the chains apart with all the desperate fury of a cornered lion. 

But the chains keep coming; no matter how much Lisa yells, no matter how much she slashes them, they keep growing. The wall of chains seems destined to form, no matter what she does. 

No, no, no. There has to be a way. Lisa Imai does not break a vow... Lisa Imai does not break a vow-

You broke it.

IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT SHE'S BROKEN ONE ALREADY! She has to at least keep the rest! She wouldn't, ever, dare to break another! Think, Lisa, think! What can you do?

She enters a labyrinth. Faces pass away, lights flicker.

"Oh, Lisa! There's a bunch of dueling venues in here! Let's split up and head through them!" Her admirable, kind-hearted friend musters a plan.

"...Got it!"

Think. Focus, and think. Lisa's mind races; she's darting between the shops on the left of the mall's aisle at her friend's request, asking about Ako's location, but it's pointless. After all, she already knows where Ako is.

What can she do? What can she do?

It's an ultimatum. The two sides are in complete opposition.

She swore she'd stick by Yukina side, no matter what it took.

She told Tomoe she'd help find Ako.

She pieces everything she's learnt together. Ako disappeared because she wanted to duel, cleaved through opponent after opponent just for the chance to join Roselia; she wanted to duel, to the point where she became a runaway from the home that curfewed her. Whatever the reason behind it is, one thing is certain; Ako will keep running away if it means she can keep dueling.

...If Lisa helps Ako join Roselia, Ako will continue to stay away from home. Her family will wail in terror and despair, becoming haunted by thoughts of their missing daughter. Tomoe's grief will become far, far worse than it already is, and it'll drown her.

Lisa can't accept that. She won't ever, EVER accept that. Tomoe's such a kindhearted, lovable person. Tomoe's been her friend for 4 years. Tomoe has helped her out when she wore herself too far down, Tomoe understands the struggles she deals with. Tomoe keeps that bright smile on to help Lisa out, no matter what pain she's going through herself. Afterglow is like a second family to Lisa, a joyful bunch that always works their hardest to support the people they love no matter what. They're an inspiration to everyone who sees them. Lisa wants to do whatever she can to help keep them afloat. And she especially wants to do whatever she can to share Tomoe's burden.

...But if Lisa helps her bring Ako home, Ako will be banned from dueling, and won't be able to join Roselia. Lisa will have sabotaged Yukina's goals... the goals she swore to support until the day her friend smiled again. 

Lisa can't accept that. She won't ever, EVER accept that. Yukina is someone she's known her entire life. Yukina is one of the most wonderful people she's ever known. Even when crushed by pain, Yukina shines so bright. And when she's crushed by pain, she can't think about the beautiful, unraptured past; she can't think about all the memories she's given to Lisa. Even if Yukina can't value those memories anymore, Lisa has to. Even if Yukina's actions start to hurt others, Lisa has to do everything she can to help Yukina, so that she can lift the pain as soon as possible, and finally relive the days of old again. Yukina... has to be able to feel joy again. Lisa can not stray from her goal.

Ultimatum, ultimatum. It kills.

...She tries to push herself. Even if it means tearing Ako apart from the family who loves her, Lisa has to help Yukina. She said she'd do whatever it takes, no matter how cruel, until the day her friend smiles again. She has to tear Ako apart from her beloved Tomoe. She has to.

But she can't. That'd be callous.

But she has to. 

But she can't.

But she has to.

But she can't.

But she has to.

But she can't.

But she has to.

But she can't.

But she has to.

But she can't.

But she has to.

But she can't.

...She can't, she can't, she can't, she can't! She can't break her vow to Tomoe, and she can't break her vow to Yukina! She's not breaking ANOTHER vow! Nobody will rely on her anymore if she does!

...But... it's impossible. There's no, no way to keep them both.

She's pathetic, she howls. She swore, less than a week ago, that she'd do anything it takes to help Yukina. She swore that, knowing how far Yukina might go in order to see Roselia's goal to fruition. Was that a lie, Lisa? Are you so weak and pathetic that you can't even dedicate yourself to practice for half a week, to help the friend you treasure more than anyone else finally feel happiness again? Are you?

...No, no! She wails. She swore, less than a week ago, that she'd do whatever she can to help Tomoe find Ako. She swore that, knowing how much Tomoe could fall apart both physically and emotionally if this continued. Was that a lie, Lisa? Are you so disgusting and heartless that you'd rip an innocent child away from her family, and plummet her future into uncertainty for the sake of Yukina's goal? ARE YOU?

...No, no! She screams. Are her fifteen years by Yukina's side worth NOTHING to her?! She's... stayed with Yukina all this time... if she threw her away now, she'd be throwing away everything she holds dear! Yukina is one of the reasons she's the person she is today! Yukina's her beloved friend! She won't ever, EVER abandon her! If staying by Yukina's side requires dirtying her own hands, then she has to!

...No, no! But-

Blood.

It's overwhelming.

Lisa chokes and gasps for air. The chains hack away mercilessly at her; they're murderous, monstrous. Agony is rushing forth. Her left arm is drenched in her blood; it desperately tries to move, but the blade falls from her hand. The kaleidoscope cries, tears flood from its eyes.

But she still fights it. She won't ever accept being unable to help a friend, let alone throwing one away; she'll tear this wall down with her bare hands if she has to. How? How can she cut these chains apart? HOW?

...

"...Right, I'll ask elsewhere then! Thank you for your help!" Lisa puts on a sunny smile, merrily waving at the receptionist before hurrying back out into the mall.

It's quiet. There were a scant few customers here before, but now it's so late that there's barely any at all. The shops are starting to close down. The strip lights on the ceiling are dimming.

"Lisa!" Precious Tomoe races back. "Did you find anything?"

No. Nothing at all. No answer whatsoever, nothing that could keep both sides intact. 

"Sorry..." she responds jovially. "Nobody I asked saw her. It's strange; you'd think 'big purple drills for hair' would be a marker, huh?"

"Damnit!" Lisa jumps at the response; Tomoe's face falls into agony, and she can feel a scythe rip into her heart. "I... sorry, that was sudden. I know I can't give up yet..."

Mask it, her instincts override. Mask the pain. Tomoe can't know a thing. If she does, she'll see through the lies.

She gives a dazzling smile, and pats Tomoe's back; "Hang in there. It's awful, but we haven't lost hope yet. There's still time to bring Ako home before February begins, isn't there~?"

"..." A deep breath. "...Right. Thanks, Lisa. I think I would've given up a lot sooner if you weren't here."

...

...Didn't Lisa promise, just half an hour ago, that she'd tell Tomoe if something was bothering her? So much for that. One promise to Tomoe broken, and another never kept. What a failure she is. If she was worth anything, she would've resolved this with both sides better off for it. 

Hah. She's pathetic, isn't she? She hasn't helped her friends at all. Not Yukina, not Tomoe, not anyone.

Something pours into Lisa's blood.

"Ahaha~. Glad to hear it, partner. I'll be right by your side." She offers a high five to Tomoe. "Let's keep going."

She has to fight it. There... there has to be a way.

But there isn't.

"Right!" Tomoe's showing a spirit that doesn't deserve to be damaged. "Let's keep going, Lisa! I won't give up yet. Especially not with you by my side."

"Ahaha~! After you, partner!" She says. A bed of needles would be comforting to sleep against.

They pick up the pace again, and run through the mall. They enter a long, wide corridor; on the left and on the right, gigantic windows of glass make up the entire wall. The dim, flickering lights on the ceiling reveal a staircase on the left; it leads to a balcony on the other side of the corridor, far and far away.

It's so, so long; Lisa could run for a minute, down across the paved marble, and she still wouldn't reach the other side.

"Whoa, this place is HUGE!" Tomoe briefly stops, and looks out the window on the right. "Hey Lisa, take a look; you can see the entire relaxation area of the Coast Port from here."

"...Huh, you're right. Bit hard to see, but it's really pretty, isn't it?" Lisa says-

Wait.

Isn't that where Yukina is? Isn't that where Ako's doing her final duel? 

Oh. Yeah, it is.

"Heh. Guess all the running around's given us a nice view, at least." Tomoe stretches. "I'll catch my breath for a second. This corridor's gonna take a while to run down, after all. Might as well enjoy the sight."

"...Sure! Take as long as you need, Tomoe." Lisa sings.

...

"...Hey, Lisa?" Tomoe asks.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"...Thanks. You know what? You're probably the sweetest person I kno-"

A giant's lightning strikes. Orchid opens the planet.

"WHOA!" Tomoe yells.

...

...That purple thunderbolt. It's not a real phenomenon. It's... a... holograph.

No. No, no, no, NO, NO, NO!

"...Lisa." Tomoe says. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah." Lisa makes a hearty grin in response. "There's a duel down there, isn't there?"

"...Right." Tomoe nods. "Might as well follow any clue we have. Let's check it out!"

Let's check it out. Let's check it out, huh?

...Time's run out for Lisa. The requiem plays. She's faced with making a choice; choose a side, or feel your powerlessness seep into your skin. Feel how powerless you are to help anyone through their pain.

Tomoe's running down the corridor. She follows. Seconds slow to a crawl.

The place is only dimly lit by the lights on the ceiling. Lisa watches Tomoe's back.

...

...Yukina.

She made a vow to Yukina.

If Tomoe gets there and finds Ako, her vow with Yukina will break.

She can't be allowed to get there.

...

Lisa faces the ultimatum.

There's no way... to keep her promises with both Yukina and Tomoe. It's impossible. She already realised that, the day the crow came.

Pathetic. She's a pathetic excuse for a 'knight', she thinks. She can't hold any promise at all. The way this is going, she'll break every last one of them.

She's a failure.

"...Ack!" The mask slips. Lisa fails to hide a choke for the air.

"Mm?" Of course, Tomoe notices immediately; she stops, and... she's running back... "You ok, partner?"

"Y-yeah!" Cold sweat. Lisa erases it from her brow. "L-let's keep going!"

"Alright then. But remember, you can belt out anything you want to me, okay?"

...

...She notices. Something is pouring into her blood.

Tomoe would stop. For her sake. Tomoe would stop searching for Ako, if she was worried about Lisa.

"...Got it~! Thanks, Tomoe."

Her friend nods, and starts running again, running down the corridor. Running towards Ako.

Lisa follows. The corridor's end isn't quite there yet.

...

...She's conscious, now. She's terrified by herself, because there's something worming into her brain.

A plan.

Her blood's colour darkens. It's a pool of black that reflects all light as red, disgusting red. It's repulsive; any demon or angel would look upon it, and be struck by horror.

...

...It whispers into her mind.

The crow isn't here right now. It's not looking at Lisa.

...There's no way, no way at all to keep both of her vows.

...But...

...There's a way to keep both of her friends.

...

...It's funny.

It's funny. She once said that Tomoe's the sort of person who should have someone watching her back. And she does now. 

In fact, her back is wide open.

She lies and tells herself it's funny, desperately trying to avoid dwelling on the thoughts pouring into her. They're disgusting. They're less thoughts, and more abominations. Lisa should tear herself apart for thinking about this. 

But it rushes through her mind regardless:

Tomoe's kind and caring. She'll go out of her way to help any friend in trouble.

Tomoe's a bit excitable underneath. If her blood is rushing enough, she can easily be distracted by something exhilarating. Distracted by, say, a duel.

You can't force someone into a duel. But you can always deceive someone into thinking a duel is necessary.

Lisa has plenty of experience in dueling.

And if Lisa appeared to need help, Tomoe would rush in for her sake. 

Because Lisa is Tomoe's partner.

...S-she tells herself no, god no. She tells herself she doesn't have the heart for this, doesn't have the heart to break her promise to Tomoe. She doesn't have the heart to betray Tomoe. She claims she doesn't have the heart to be so murderously callous.

But it doesn't work.

Because Lisa Imai is not the sort of person who abandons those she holds dear. Supporting others is the reason why she keeps moving forward. 

So... it'll be fine... if she crushes her vow into pieces...

...and shatters it against the floor... 

...won't it? 

Because... if she deceives Tomoe here, she can continue being friends with Tomoe... even if she keeps following Yukina too. She can continue watching over Tomoe. She can continue being someone Afterglow can trust. Dorky ol' Tomoe, fluffy crusader Himari, bread gremlin Moca, endlessly energetic Tsugumi, cute passionate Ran... she'll be able to continue being their big sis Lisa, their strong and kind Lisa, even if she wants to support Yukina... so long as her treachery is never known.

And if it lets her keep looking after her friends... then that's all that matters.

She just needs to make sure she won't be caught. 

...

She really is horrible. 

"Sorry." She whispers.

She rushes ahead. 

"Wh-what the?!" She hears Tomoe call out.

Lisa runs faster than she ever knew she could. She hits up the stairs on the left, leaping up several metal steps at a time. She reaches up to the balcony on the other side of the corridor... and jumps right down from it, from that height. She sticks the landing with a confidence she never knew she had, her eyes drowned in shadow.

She blocks the path. With this flashy show, she'll lull Tomoe right to sleep.

"W-whoa... Lisa, what's going on?" Tomoe asks; she's just seen her partner take a several-foot leap down to the ground. Perfect; it's dramatic enough that someone as excitable as her will easily be lured in.

Lisa gets up from her knees, and stares towards her partner. She fakes her joyous, determined smile... but adds a drop of sweat too, to look convincing.

"Tomoe. I actually do have something I want to talk to you about."

"!" Tomoe's eyes brighten. Perfect. "Of course. Lay it on me; I'll hear you out!"

It's funny. Lisa used to be the one running in this dark, dark forest. But she's started to become a little more familiar with the forest's layout... she's becoming one with the darkness itself. And now, Tomoe is the rider lost inside.

A pointed finger. "I want to have a duel with you, Tomoe!"

"...Huh?! W... why now?" 

"Because," Lisa reads, "we're partners! And we're partners who don't communicate much through words... so I want another way to connect with you! I want another way to show you that I care for you, Tomoe!"

"...A duel, huh..."

...

...

Perfect.

Tomoe ran with the flow, just as predicted. Ako's been pushed away from her mind. The duel disk is on her wrist.

Lisa crushes the vow beneath her feet. 

She screams, but she keeps her mask smiling. "Yeah. A duel, to solidify our bond!" She declares, and places her own disk on her bleeding left hand. The sword and shield emerge, protecting Lisa.

The pain is like nothing else. It's torn apart; it breaks into millions and millions and millions and millions of gleaming crystal shards. They fill the entire red sky like the fragments of a shattered window. From the stars above, down to the surface of the water below, broken shards of better days softly rain into the abyss below Lisa. 

It burns, it burns, it burns, it burns, it burns. It's like they're deliberately falling, as slowly as they possibly can, to taunt her, to torment her. They'll forever burn into Lisa's eyes, casting her to hell for being the failure she is. She's no knight, she's no ally; she can only see herself as a terrifying monster. She stands in mournful agony through the rain of memories, precious memories. 

"Got it, Lisa." Tomoe says. "Let's have a quick skirmish, head to head! ...And after that, we'll check if Ako's at the port, right?"

"...Yeah. I'll be right behind you, partner~." Lisa draws her cards. The **4000LP** she wants is displaying on her disk. And Tomoe's disk shows it too. Did you know that Tomoe's disk is the standard model, except with an added fire effect on the blade? It's subtle but flaming sweet... just like her.

It screeches. Every piece Lisa looks at feels like it's piercing into her heart. It's all falling apart. She's taken a blade, and plunged it right into her precious promise... she's taken that risk, just so the bonds can stay. But that's fine; it's fine, so long as she closes Tomoe's eyes, so long as Tomoe doesn't know.

If Tomoe doesn't see this shattered vow... 

...if Tomoe doesn't realise that Lisa knows where Ako is...

...then it's fine.

"**...DUEL!**"  
"**DUEL!**"


	13. Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is NOT a new chapter, for those who've read this fic previously; I decided to split what was originally Chapter 12 into two halves, instead. The next chapter will be the last one of Arc 1!
> 
> CONTENT WARNING - This chapter contains, alongside the other warnings, multiple depictions of the following throughout:  
\- Strong violent symbolism/imagery/metaphor, including that of blood, fatal injury and feelings of death. The physical sensations of these are described in at least moderate detail.

Rebellion has roared forth. The world is ill-prepared for its might. 

Ran's vision returns, and...

She could be focused on a lot of things. Ako's... **10000LP,** compared to her **4500.** The two face-downs and the one, vulnerable **600 ATK** _Aromage Jasmine_ she has on her field, or the **2400 DEF** _Darklord Superbia_ on Ako's side. All of the cards in Ako's graveyard.

But she gazes upon the Graveyard's Godslayer, and... well.

"...Whoa."

_**Darklord Ixchel.**_ A figure several times Ako's height towers over her, an awe-striking shadow in front of the Demon Lord's pulsing, star-imprisoning appendages. She's wrapped in four beautiful, black-feathered wings; in between the gaps, you can see glimpses of her visage. She's gaudy, yet commanding. Gauntlets of gold and robes of black streak her body. Her jetted purple hair carries countless glorious blades... but at the same time, it looks beautiful, comfortable. It could joyfully welcome the affectionate touch of a demon, and easily tear apart any hostile dragon.

Ako's hair stops billowing as the incantation finishes... and she opens her eyes.

An eye of crimson opens between the black wings. Ran is frozen to the spot, her breath caught in her throat as Ixchel stares her down through the feathered shroud.

Her smile unchangingly proud, Ako walks. She's holding the can of soda she had earlier; she walks to the side and heads towards a recycling bin, as her monster's alluring gaze captures Ran. Ako politely discards the can into the bin, and begins walking back.

...Then, Ran sees a grin between Ixchel's feathers. It's warm, inviting, welcoming; it identifies her as a companion, an ally. She can hear two sets of enthusiastic laughter. One comes from the merrily posing Ako, and the other comes from her monster; they've descended to a glorious arena, one they'll happily grace with their presence. It's a rallying cry for those whose appearances were frozen silent beneath the abyss.

Ixchel reveals her full form. Ran can only stare in admiration as she beholds a fallen angel, a glorious being who overcame the divine odds and carved her own path through the callous stars with **2500 ATK.** Now, one can see the fierce, spiked halo of crimson adorning her head. Ixchel relaxes seemingly on thin air; her body reclines against her flowing wings, her face looking towards the side of the field. But she keeps her eye trained on Ran, wearing a charismatic smile the whole time.

The message she sends is clear. If you are my ally, I welcome you. But if you choose to bare your fangs...

...You'll face my wrath.

But Ran challenges it, challenges this absolutely ridiculous situation, wiping the sweat from her brow. Enough standing with her jaw agape; it's just not in her nature to back down.

She has to stop Ixchel. At this rate, she'll attack Jasmine... and run right through. "I-I activate the Trap Card _Shadow Spell!_" She declares; a face-down reveals itself. "This card reduces a monster's ATK and prevents them from attacking!"

From the card's image, chain after chain flies out. They rush at a blistering speed towards the fallen angel's location, intent on suppressing her.

But it's fruitless. "Mwahaha!" Ako covers one eye with her hand. "You'd dare to try and chain Ixchel down? I'm afraid that's not possible!"

The Godslayer moves nary a muscle as the bindings approach... that is, until she makes a pointed grin. Suddenly, they wail as they clang against thin air, their progression completely strangled. They struggle and shiver as Ixchel moves a hand... and her form begins to glow.

"Fallen angels don't know suppression, Ran Mitake!" Ako throws her arm out, and Ixchel's aura flares. "I activate _Darklord Ixchel's_ effect! Once per turn, I can shuffle a Darklord spell or trap card from my graveyard back into my deck, by paying 1000 life points... and Ixchel will unleash that card's magic onto the world!"

"W-what?!" Ran balks. "She can activate spell and trap cards that're in the graveyard?!"

"That's correct!" A single sword of pure, gleaming yellow light emerges in Ako's hands, and her LP falls to the slightly less ridiculous **9000.** She grins, swirling it through the air to show it off... before making its form dissipate. "Ixchel, demonstrate the power... of your _Darklord Rebellion!_ At the cost of returning _Darklord Superbia_ to the graveyard, I'll destroy your _Shadow Spell!_" 

The flag-bearing chalice disappears, but its red wings remain. Then, they shine, shine the same colour as Ako's winged blade... and they fly as a single form into Ixchel's hands. Four gigantic swords of pure light, carved with loving engravings and spiked hilts, emerge from Superbia's tribute; beautiful, regal swords that cut through the facetious stars, two in Ixchel's hands and two floating below.

...This isn't looking good. "I-I chain the continuous trap card _Humid Winds!_" Ran yells. "Once per turn, I can gain 500 life points if my opponent's in the lead!"

The fallen angel cleaves through all. Ixchel's swords swipe in a gigantic cross-slash, instantly cutting apart every sturdy chain into brittle pieces.

...From the winds, Ran's life points increase to **5000,** trying to climb the mountain. _Aromage Jasmine_ flutters by her side, and a new card forms in her hand.

"Fufufu," Ako chuckles, and Ixchel reclines by her side, the swords bursting into wisps. "Not bad, my friend. You chose to activate Jasmine's effect now... knowing she will soon fall."

It feels like an insult, almost; but she knows Ako means that genuinely. Ako's treating her with respect. To Ixchel, a rose always deserves room to bloom.

The Demon Lord's eyes glint, her wings surge. "...Ixchel, attack _Aromage Jasmine!_ Rage the road to rebellion with Heathen's Haven In Heaven!"

Ixchel smirks at the little mage, and shuts her eyes. Immediately, her form shoots up to the sky; when did the moon rise? Her aura colours the satellite behind her purple, paints the whole sky pink... and ten endlessly complex circles of runes, made entirely of orchid light, burst into being... all of them are pointed at Jasmine.

They fire.

Hundreds upon hundreds of gigantic rays shoot from the runes down to the deck, engulfing the entire ground in destruction. Ran has to raise an arm to cover her head as the wind powers through her hair, before the fury overwhelms her. And just when the world quietens, and she thinks it's over; she lowers her guard... and finds one, final massive orchid laser aimed towards her.

The domino flurry of ginormous explosions, each the size of a building in itself, engulfs her.

"Argh!" Her jacket billows in the chaos, as she falls to one knee briefly. Eventually, she's able to stand up again... Jasmine is gone. Her LP is already falling to 3100...!

No. She can't let Ako widen the gap between their life points any further! She pants, and swipes her hand out; the fireflies still dance in the night. "_Aroma Garden's_ effect! When an Aroma monster I control is destroyed, I gain 1000 life points!"

**4100.** Normally, this'd be a safe amount to have. And Ran feels anything but safe right now.

"The rose expresses resilience... just like the other one I know," Ako boasts. Three fingers point out from her hand as she makes another commanding swipe; "Then, I shall end my turn! ...This is gonna be so cool!"

Breathing room.

...She feels like she was just stuck into a washing machine. Tumbling out soaked, Ran bewilderedly stares at the scene; there's Ako. She's gallivanting as usual, posing and grinning like the little fiend she is. And yet she just dropped the equivalent of 15 bombshells on Ran in what, 10 minutes? She's the same, but her aura couldn't feel any more commanding. Ran wasn't taking her seriously at all, was she?

Her adrenaline feels... through the roof. It's strange; does staring down such an intimidating opponent make most people feel like this? She feels like the natural reaction is to run and peace out... but her mind couldn't be any more awe-struck, any more energized, right now. It's the same kind of energy she gets from watching Hina.

"R-right. _My turn, Ako!_" She's shaking, but she still draws a new card without hesitation.

That being said, GOD, what should she do?! She feels like her entire being's going to combust from the vibrations rushing through every bone in her body. She can barely think straight. How does her face look right now, she wonders? Probably not as muted as she usually makes it.

...Right. Right, let's try and formulate s-something.

Right, right. Breathe in, breathe out! Ok, it's not working that well; the adrenaline is crazy. Just try and focus, Ran. Ako's only monster on the field right now is _Darklord Ixchel._ T-that means, she'll be on stable footing again if she defeats Ixchel, right? She seems like Ako's boss monster, after all.

Right, then! Ran's got the perfect solution for that. "I-I summon _Lonefire Blossom in attack position!_" The card in her hand shoots fireworks as she adorns it onto her blade.

It's a small bulb, one that simply sprouts alone in the dark night with an insignificant **500 ATK.** But this tiny, seemingly insignificant plant can bloom into something incredible. "Blossom, light up the night in your language! _Lonefire Blossom's_ effect; I tribute this monster in order to special summon another Plant-Type monster from my deck!"

The flora erupts, and out surges a flurry of wonderful red petals, storming in a whirlwind. The heavy armory of Ran's deck emerges; the figure always watching over her. _Aromage Bergamot_ graces the field once again with **2400 ATK.**

"A mighty contender!" Ako says. "Now, what will you use to make it overcome my demonic visage?"

Bergamot's eyes glow green in the light of the fireflies. "_Aroma Garden's_ effect! I gain 500 life points, and Bergamot gains a 500-point boost to his stats!" Ran declares, shooting her LP a little higher up to **4600;** it's a long way to the top. "_Aromage Bergamot's_ effect activates when I gain life points, boosting his stats by another 1000!"

No matter the kind of garden, a master can weave any message from the flowers. The fireflies glow, and his aura grows... bringing him all the way up to **3900 ATK.**

That's plenty! "..._Aromage Bergamot_, attack _Darklord Ixchel!_"

Her fighting spirit blares. Bergamot honours the pupil's energy... and his normally silent expression turns fierce. Wisps spiral around him, coalescing into a ball that will fire out barrage after barrage of burning red light. He raises his hand, and they fire; a maelstrom of petals flies towards Ixchel.

Ixchel seems content to watch. She doesn't even summon her own attacks in return, as if she simply doesn't need to in the first place. There's nothing but a silent, spectating smile on her face as she learns about her opponent's passions.

...Wait. Ran reads the text on Ixchel's card; Ixchel's effect is a _Quick Effect_, isn't it? That means Ako can activate it during Ran's turn, not just her own. And there's some Darklord spell cards in the graveyard, too, so she could use one of them right now. Why doesn't Ako reinforce her field?

She can only ponder, and wonder if she's missing something, as Ixchel's form dissipates from the rush of petals. Ako's life points take what would be a notable hit to any ordinary duelist... a hit that, to Ako, means much less. Her enormous wings cowl around her, and shield her from the debris; the attack only chunks her enormous reservoir down to **7600LP.**

"An excellent offense!" Ako grandstands... and then her face melts a bit. "That was AWESOME, Ran! I've never seen Bergamot's mighty barrage for myself... one of the masters of the flowering tongue wields a... um... hm. It's cool, is what I mean!"

"R-right." Thanks, that's some refreshing cheer in this situation.

...Well, Ran's only... you know, 3000 whole life points away from her at this point. Compared to the monstrous difference earlier, she could at least say she has a shot in the dark of getting the advantage back now, right? It'll be hard for even Heaven's Bane to dent a boosted Bergamot...

...No ruminating in fear. Ran doesn't back down from a challenge, not even one like this. "I set one card face-down and end my turn! Your boss monster's down; let's see what else you've got." 

"...MWAhahahaha!" Ako laughs.

Wings roar.

"Ixchel? Down? Are you certain, Ran?"

"What?! What do you mean?" She feels almost obligated to ask.

"Surely you noticed earlier, my friend. To the Darklords, the desolate and familiar graveyard is home sweet home. No matter how many times you send them there, they'll ALWAYS come back!"

"O-oh yeah?" Ran smiles. "Why don't you prove it, then?"

"...Hmhmhmhm..." Ako's irises glint, lapping in crimson. "...MwaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

It's captivating.

"...Very well, then. _The Demon Lord makes her next move!_" Ako begins. "I have no intention of holding back. I hope you won't regret that provocation, Ran Mitake!"

"Bring it!" The flower grows.

"I start by activating the spell card _Pot of Extravagance!_" Another card placed down without hesitation. "By banishing six random cards from my Extra Deck, I can draw 2 cards!"

"Wait, s-seriously?!" It's not the first time she's seen such a move (thanks, Hina), but still... isn't that a waste? 

Wait, is it? Does Ako even use her Extra Deck for anything else?

"Yes! This'll do just fine. My partners, assemble!" Ako commands. "I activate the spell card _Monster Reborn_, special summoning _Darklord Ixchel_ back from the graveyard!"

...Oh no. She's regretting her provocation immediately.

The spell card turns into a gleaming, almost alive sword, wrapped in fur; Ako levitates it, and makes it slash right through the air. "Blood becomes blades," she chants, "terror forms from tears... our identities wreathe the abyssal light only the worthy fail to fear!"

A pitch-black portal, lightless even to the night sky, warps through the landscape... and from the darkness, the towering figure appears once more. As she floats through the gate with **2500 ATK,** she wears the same smile she had the previous turn, as if she knew she was never truly leaving. Ran can feel the loving daggers being stared into her skin.

"I hope you're prepared, fellow necromancer!" Orbs of light dance around Ako, and her clothes begin to billow in the wind. "I pay 1000 life points to shuffle a Darklord Spell from my graveyard back into my deck! Ixchel, wield the power of my _Darklord Contact_; be granted the ability to return _Darklord Superbia to the field in defense position!_"

Ako's still got **6600LP** left, despite her massive spending. Ixchel's eyes gleam white, and she snaps her fingers; in an instant, familiar inscriptions of light dance around her body instead of Ako's. It's a snap that signals the breaking of heaven's silence.

"Oh, crap." Ran says.

The flag-bearer returns with **2400 DEF,** and wastes no time in calling its brethren. "_Darklord Superbia's_ effect! Allow me to introduce another of my demonic minions to you!" 

The chalice roars, rallying the world into action. Ako straightens her finger tips... and her hand swipes ferociously through the air. "_Darklord Zerato_, answer my call; join hands with me, and unleash our power upon this spiteful world!"

The vivacity and passion in her movement is deemed worthy. Space itself seems to rupture; a blink, and- 

Oh, jesus.

In a millisecond, another gigantic form's crushed the ground beneath his feet. Standing before Ran, a towering warrior, with a serrated blade matching his height, stares upon his opponent. He has the full un-feathered wings of a demon, a glorious mane of armour. They used to have a holy colour, until the Gods tore his heart away and dyed his collar in blood. But he didn't stay down; no, he stood up in the pits of hell, took arms in **2800 ATK** with his newfound friends and tore through heaven's sanctuary, until he finally got his heart back. His skill is a rallying cry for those whose passion was frozen silent beneath the abyss.

"Welcome to my realm, my minion!" Ako delights. "Zerato's effect! By discarding _Darklord Amdusc_ from my hand to the graveyard, I can let this demonic templar can destroy all monsters my opponent controls!"

"What?! You're kidding me!" Ran yells.

Zerato nods, and lifts his gargantuan blade with impossible ease; with one, swift, shockingly graceful slice, he swings...

...through the air.

Space itself has been cut horizontally in two. Each half slides in opposing directions... until Bergamot's form breaks. The world recoils.

Ran's jaw only wants to drop, but she doesn't have the time; "_A-Aroma Garden's_ effect!" The lights dance. "Bergamot's destruction grants me 1000 life points!"

**5600LP** on Ran's side. In any ordinary duel, this number would be a huge advantage.

But not to Ako. Ako's about to completely wreck it.

The Demon Lord's eyes flare. Wings beat, decorum flies. Crimson couldn't possibly shine any brighter, could it? The blood feels like a connecting river. She yells; "My fallen angels, engage in combat directly with Ran Mitake!"

Ixchel's grin becomes a smirk. Floating in the air beside her, there's a gigantic two-hander of a weapon; the hilt makes way for an infernal, Orchid Edge-

-A blink. Ran gasps, and whips her head towards... where Zerato was.

Behind you.

"...!" Her breath races through time as she turns her entire body around on instinct; her expression takes the form of the lion... as she stares down the serrated blade, pointed at her. Zerato is challenging her.

...You call that a blade? Bring it.

Fireflies, fireflies. Ran's eyes turn from orchid to green, they glow. Her duel disk shines. Every plant in the corner shines, and fireflies swirl in storms around her wrist. The blade of gleaming rose transforms, it grows; now, she's holding a cutlass, green in its shining light... green with admiration, almost green with envy. Ako truly is a strong duelist.

"Go on, then," Ran yells; her voice shakes, but her hand grips the blade tight. "Do your worst, Demon Lord!"

Zerato nods in respect. Then, before Ran even takes a step forward, he blinks forward, and heaves his blade of fallen steel. A gigantic swipe immediately clashes with Ran's blade, and she's nearly sent rocketing back.

But she smashes the ground with her heel; to hell with you! 

CLANG!

Ran rushes forward, sword in hand; blades clash with unimaginable weight. Swing after swing smashes its way through the Haneoka Coast. She takes leap after leap through the docks with Zerato as their resolves throw themselves at each other; tempests fly out every time sparks are made. Ran can feel her blood rush to her heart.

"Ack!"

But eventually, Zerato feints, baiting Ran's lunge... and makes one massive swipe; Ran's blade can't take the force, and she stumbles back from the sheer intensity of the attack. 

Then, she sees the serrated steel crush the ground she stands on. She crouches in defense... and her LP is struck down to **2800.** She's lost half of her massive pool in just one, clean hit.

"It's too late for regrets, Ran Mitake!" She hears Ako yell. "Your trial isn't over yet!"

"...!" She grits her teeth through the loudest breath she's ever made; Ako's voice was a cue. She fearlessly turns around and swings her blade.

CLANG!

Ixchel's Orchid Edge is pinning her to the ground. She desperately grips the hilt of the fireflies as strong as she can; but compared to the effort she puts in, Ixchel isn't even swinging. In fact, the edge is unleashing flurry after flurry of merciless attacks, without anyone wielding it...

...as Ixchel flies above. The sky is drowned in pink.

Ran can only struggle against the blade as a gigantic, twisting laser takes its glorious time in raining hell down upon her.

"...Gah!"

The edge itself is enough to disarm Ran from her blade, sending her flying. She can only float helplessly through the air, as the coursing energy devastates her location. 

The entire ground would rip apart at such an attack.

Temporarily, white.

...

...She breathes. 

She stands... barely.

**300LP.**

The mountain truly, truly is tall. Ako stands at an advantage impossible to overcome.

"Fufufu! Truly impressive, my fellow necromancer," Ako says. "Those two attacks would have felled any ordinary duelist in an instant. But through sheer might, you continue to stand!"

...

It truly is tall.

That's why... it feels so thrilling, trying to scale it. It sends chills down her spine. She sees the light at the top, knows it's impossible to reach, and still wants to lunge for it. It's as if just the feeling, the sensation of getting closer to it, just the feeling of the possibility that she could actually reach it, was enticing enough to make her scale the barren rock as much as she humanly could.

It's a feeling she wouldn't be experiencing without Ako.

The haze clears, a bit. Ran still courses, brims to her very being with irresistible excitement... but now she's going to channel that. That blood-pumping feeling, the one like nothing else... is going to become a strategy.

"...Yeah, that's right," she responds. "Don't you dare count me out yet, Demon Lord."

Ako grins, covering an eye with her free hand. "I would never! You are a worthy opponent, Ran Mitake." She swipes another weapon onto her winged blade. "I set one card face-down. At the End Phase, Zerato is destroyed if he used his effect. Farewell for now, my treasured minion!"

The warrior bows... and shatters. Any opportunity to engage in the sport he loves most, he cherishes.

"And with that, I'll-"

"Not yet!" Ran yells. Her hair begins to flutter. "Your turn isn't over yet, Ako!"

"Eh?" Curiosity; innocent at first, but soon excited. "Oho. Do you have something else to say, my friend?"

"That's right," Ran says; breezes of two kinds blow diagonally at each side, enveloping her. "I activate the continuous trap card _Blessed Winds!_"

The sensation of sunnier days, the happier times with her friends, serves to invigorate. Her duel with Ako reminds her of the fun she had with everyone. "I choose one of its following effects to activate this turn," she states. "I shuffle _Aromage Jasmine_ from my graveyard back into my deck, and gain 500 life points!"

The sensation of rainier days, the sadder times with her friends, serves to motivate. Maybe even someone like Ran can find a way to help those she loves. "But that's not all," she continues. "I activate the effect of _Humid Winds_, and gain another 500 life points!"

Two continuous trap cards, each a timeline in of themselves. Remembrance and repentance. Memory lanes intersect beneath Ran's feet, vivid winds of life. She returns back up to **1300LP.**

"So I see." Ako observes... then, a dazzling, precious smile. The one she always has. "Go for it, Ran! The floor..." Pose. "...Is YOURS!"

"..._Yeah. It's my turn, Ako!_" Ran draws a card. 

...Right. This is her time, now! No matter how strong her opponent is, Afterglow doesn't back down from a challenge, ever! She'll show Ako just how much energy she-

Dueling itself shudders.

A crow shrieks.

"WHOA!" Ako jumps on the spot.

It's a spine-chilling shriek, pausing the bout. Both duelists whip their heads up to their left, up to the upper deck of the port, near the night-swamped buildings.

It's an obnoxious sound. Ran searches for the source:

"...Who's there-"

.

"A-ah." 

Sound. Make sound. 

"A-ah..."

...

...

...

Ran can't speak.

...

...

...

Ran can't move.

...

...

...

Thought. Form a thought.

...W...w...

...Wolf...

Ran makes the mistake of laying eyes upon the wolf. Her breath's captured.

Amber eyes.

There's a single spot of light, in the upper deck drowned in shadow; light like rays, carrying a celestial down to the Earth. And in that single spot of light...

...She meets a wolf who changes everything.

Long, silver hair, far more resplendent than any metal, or any gem. Every thread is a blade, every last one. Each strand takes the wind as its captive, blowing freely in its midst as it pleases. Even if the moon left the sky, it would let silver reflect its light out of respect. When that hair flows, every person who calls themselves a duelist is trapped inside without fail.

A worn black jacket, with an upturned, pointed collar that covers the cheeks. It somehow looks in perfect condition, despite reflecting battle upon battle in its ancient memories; the wolf looks the same age as Ran, but it feels like she bears the experience of a wartorn veteran. The way the jacket covers her and her wrinkled black blouse, it feels almost like the robe of a banished empress.

There's a duel disk. This person is a duelist, like her. Her disk is sleek, simple; the orb shines a brilliant, bright light, a white that would make the callous sentinels of heaven tremble in fear and envy, and the podium lines with metallic, poisonous purple, casting a labyrinth of reflections you could lose yourself in forever. There's no ornamentation, no special design; it's barely different from the standard model, but it says all it needs to.

...And... Amber. Amber eyes. 

They're a honey that sucks Ran in, a pool so thick and deep that she could dive into them and never get back out. A pool drowned in a kind of understanding Ran doesn't know... one she almost wants to jump right into. It's deeper and darker than even the sea behind Ran's back.

They're an arrow that pierces into her soul; the lone wolf's eyes can draw anyone in, and peer right into the drives behind their blades.

...Just... who... is... this... person?

Next to the duelist, there's a shrieking crow, howling in rage. But the duelist couldn't care less for it; she merely flicks it in the chest, causing it to stumble and fall off the railing. Its cacophony is interrupted as it distressedly regains its balance mid-air, and it flees... 

...Leaving only the wolf, who preys upon the lower deck without anything to stop her.

"OH MY GOD!" Ako yells, breaking Ran from the spell. "SHE'S HERE! Yukina, down here!"

Yukina. That's her name.

Amber's cold and captivating gaze turns away from her, and briefly towards the irises of Crimson. Ran feels like she can breathe, for a second-

But it's taken, the second those eyes find her again. The wolf affixes Ran to the spot, her hair caressing the gales. Her expression is a permanent, ambient frown, one so full of regaled determination that it paints every part of the world in its colour.

"Isn't she just the COOLEST person in the world, Ran?!" Ako spews. "She's just so, SO COOL! She's like a songstress that could floor any venue! And... she told me I'm cool, too!"

Why? Why can't Ran breathe when she sees this person? What is it that's rooting her?

...Oh. She lets out an enamoured sigh.

It's confidence.

Ran's gaze begs to focus. Between the upper and lower decks, two duelists stare into each other's eyes. Orchid sees, in the colour of Amber... an aura that commands like no other, understands like no other. Amber knows everything about what it loves; every piece of its passion has been crystallised into its form through millenia. It'll speak on any subject it knows without a hint of hesitation, without a hint of dishonesty; it's forward, direct, never-faltering.

The confidence this duelist carries... is something Ran wishes she could have.

...Then, what about the reverse? What does Amber make of Orchid?

She can feel her heartbeat spin as she waits for an answer.

...

...

...Nothing.

...

...N-nothing?

The duelist called Yukina merely closes her eyes, and sighs. Her brow relaxes, and she turns towards Ako; "...She's not worth considering. Continue the duel, Ako. Finish her."

...

"R-right! I'll make you proud, Yukina!" Ako salutes, and gets right back to posing. "Let us continue, my necromantic friend!"

...

...Not a word?

...

...Ako, the Heaven's Bane, admires her. That means she's strong, incredibly strong. And she said Ran 'wasn't worth considering.' As if that's all she cared about, as if that's all that mattered to her, at all. Nothing else.

...

...

...Adrenaline.

Orchid raptures.

Who the fuck does this person think she is?

Who is this asshole, to just wander into the spotlight like she owns the place, exchange like 5 words with someone, and then watch the duel without any interest? Does she not care?

"Um... Ran?"

The passionate look in her eyes tells Ran that she's not just any duelist. She's one with a drive. So where the hell is that passion in her actions, then? Where is it?! She's standing over, looking down upon the lower deck, without saying a word...

...It's as if she KNOWS what the result's going to be. Ako's of interest to her, because Ako's strong. But Ran? Apparently, she's not skilled. And if she doesn't have skill, she doesn't interest Yukina. This 'Yukina' doesn't care about anything else.

...THIS is the person Ran got so CAPTIVATED by? This is the person Ran was staring, mouth agape at, for what felt like an eternity? She swore she could see a love and energy for dueling like no other, in those eyes. She STILL feels like she can sees it, but that HAS to be wrong, that has to be. What a joke!

"...!" She grits her teeth...

...Adrenaline. Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, more and more! It's like every cell in her body wants to do everything it can, to snag Yukina by her collar and draw her right in. Every cell in her body shivers in excitement at the prospect of making a play in Duel Monsters passionate enough to enrapture such a stuck-up duelist.

Ran's blood rushes. It surges. She can feel her face turn to anger. She's NOT going to take this lying down. Not EVER.

A blade draws itself from her voice. "...HEY, YOU!" She shouts. 

It's a volume she never knew she could have. She can hear Ako yelp, but Yukina doesn't even look her way.

"I SAID, pay attention to me, you ice popsicle dumbass!"

THERE we go; now she reacts. She's surprised, almost; yeah, Ran knows the shit she's saying is probably dumb too. But she's going to spit it out if it kills her, because this person is just THAT awful. Her self-contradictory presence is the most infuriating, obnoxious, frustrating thing in the entire world!

The wolf isn't saying a word. Then, Ran'll just have to give her a piece of her mind!

"...Is strength all you care about?!" She roars. "Are you the type of duelist who only cares about who wins and who loses?!" 

"R-Ran! No need to fight! Calm down!" Ako's gesturing frantically from across the port.

"Oh, no," Ran lashes, crashing the concert. "There IS a need. I'm not going to tolerate being blanked by an ogre who couldn't care less about anything other than skill!"

She doesn't even know if what she's saying is true. She's just blaring it at the duelist with barely more than a synapse dedicated, because this Yukina isn't worth giving ANYTHING more than that amount of thought to! Because if this duelist cares about passion, cares about excitement, then she should show it!

She dares the wolf to reveal her blazing heart. "Well, you know what? Fine. I don't care one bit. If you're just going to stand there like a dead TV channel and watch," Ran yells, "Then go right ahead. I'll show you how I duel, and knock you down from that stupid-ass pedestal of yours!"

And breathe!

Rose blazes a spiralling inferno through the sky. "...Let me show you... how Ran Mitake of Afterglow duels!"

Orchid bares its beautiful fangs at Amber... and Amber will deign attention.

"...Wow..." She hears Ako say. "Oh my god! That! Was! SO! COOL!"

...Ran smiles. Right; let's not pay attention to that asshole. She'll keep her promise to Ako, and give it all she's got!

"Ako." Ran turns back to her opponent. The mountain, the charismatic Demon Lord, whose wings tear every star down from the sky. "Thanks. For everything, tonight. I'll express my gratitude to you and your fallen angels, the way I best know how!"

"Fufufu! And what way would that be, my friend?!" Ako grins, and flicks her hand in a sorcerous motion to her side.

"There's nothing else it could be!" Ran's hair howls; she slams her foot down to the ground, and spreads out the array of cards in her hand. 

The blade that subtly burned rose petals is now a commendable inferno. A flurry flies out from each end of her disk, displaying a glorious edge; "I'll express it through dueling! _I'm starting my turn NOW!_"

She's never felt more pumped up in her entire life. Her opponent's more powerful than any she's ever met, and it excites her. The wolf is watching her, and it surges her. 

All things considered, Ran's hand isn't that good; her decision making's probably worse than Ako's, as is her deckbuilding. But none of that matters, because the starlight powering through her veins is real; because Ran Mitake is a duelist with her own identity, and she'll blare it out to the entire world, no matter what! Time to start making a plan!

"My first move! I activate the spell card _Night Beam!_" From Ran's rose blade, a red eye laser-focuses onto Ako's face-down. "This spell allows me to target and destroy one backrow card my opponent's set! And _Night Beam_ won't let you activate the card in response, like you did with _Rainbow Life_ against my _Twin Twisters!_"

One shot in the night, simple and silent. The first dissection of Ako's game board...

...But Ran opens the display on her disk, and checks Ako's graveyard. The card _Night Beam_ destroyed was a Darklord trap. With Ixchel on the field, that means she can't let her guard down yet!

Ako still has a crazy lead over her, and two strong monsters on the field; but does that mean Ran shouldn't try and strike as hard as she can, no matter HOW impossible it is? Does that mean she should just sit there and give up, just because whatever she does'll be inferior to Ako? Bullshit! She'll show that wolf if it's the last thing she does!

Ran smiles, and breathes; the starlight doesn't obscure, doesn't obstruct. The blaze doesn't overwhelm, doesn't terminate. The energy she feels... it's going to bloom!

Ran swipes her arm out, and dives right in; "...My memories with my friends, my memories of my loved ones and our duels together... every friend I love and cherish... they're what drive me! I choose and activate one of _Blessed Winds'_ effects! I pay 1000 life points to special summon _Aromage Bergamot_ back from my graveyard!"

The sensation of sunnier days paves the way. Ran's down to **300LP,** once more... but this is just the beginning. Those familiar red petals storm back in; no matter what, nature itself can never be denied its expression. Bergamot returns.

"Here's where it begins! I activate _Humid Winds'_ effect, and gain 500 life points!"

The sensation of rainer days paves the way. **800LP.**

Bergamot's staff gleams; this is the first contact. "_Aromage Bergamot's_ effect!" Ran burns. "Once per turn, when I gain life points, this monster's stats increase by 1000 until the end of the turn!"

...Wait... and...

"A frontal assault? Very well!" Crimson blares, devouring the entire arena with its presence. "_Darklord Ixchel's_ effect! I pay 1000 life points, shuffling a Darklord magic from my graveyard back into my deck! Ixchel, wield the sanctimonious power of _Darklord Divinity!_" 

This is the crucial point.

Ako's aura flares. "I sacrifice _Darklord Superbia_ for this card's effect! Now, Ixchel will negate Bergamot's effect until the end of the turn, and I'll gain life points equal to his attack! When weighed against the cost of Ixchel's effect... my health will increase by a total of 1400!"

The flag-bearing chalice disappears, but its red wings remain. Then, they shine, shine the same colour as Ako's winged blade... but this time, they don't become a stream. Instead, they seep as white light into the ground, and every tile on the deck shines like a desert of ice; in this cloud of heaven, Ixchel's eyes turn blue. Her bracelets split into hollowed runes as she gestures; like a suffocating carpet, the seeping light tugs at Bergamot's feet, and the glow in his staff fades. It's as if an invisible weight is suddenly crushing him.

But what's worse is the fact that Ako's gained even MORE LP now; her total increases all the way back to **8000.** Still twice the STARTING amount, after 6 turns of battle.

Ran grins.

"Mwahaha!" Ako's giddy about her achievement. "This dark necromancer has yet MORE power she can wield, now! Is that your final move, Ran Mitake?"

Let's climb the mountain, as far as she can.

"...No," Ran says. "That was my bait! I have you exactly where I want you, now!"

"...Oh? Oh?!" Ako's smile turns to suspense.

"Now that I've used the effects of my continuous trap cards," Ran says. "I can convert them into more resources, instead!" A rose can fit countless armaments. "I activate the spell card _Magic Planter!_ This lets me send a face-up continuous trap to the graveyard, and draw 2 more cards!"

Just like Moca. Now... yes! This can lead to something. Let's go! "I summon another _Lonefire Blossom in attack position_..." Fireworks race through the field... "...and activate its effect! By tributing this monster, I'm going to special summon a new Aromage from my deck!"

"Another comrade! Come, then!" Ako invites.

"With pleasure!"

The insignificant bulb paves the way. The surface becomes aglow, as if the entire arena was soil to be burst from.

As Ran brings forth another word in her language, a calming scent soothes the air; the landscape of fallen angels is invited to a subtler form of expression. "_Aromage Marjoram_, emerge!" Ran yells.

Glided windows emerge on the side of the dock, emanating a faint, welcoming light. Amidst this chaotic battlefield, a door opens, as softly and as quietly as it could. From the faint entrance, velvet-black petals carry themselves in soothing currents through Ran's field... and a polite magician steps calmly onto the field. Breathe, and focus your eyes; you'll find her tangled fringe hovering in the wind.

Ran now stands with another monster. Marjoram only has **2000 ATK,** but any noun can have multiple meanings when backed with experience.

Now it's time. "You'll regret having used Ixchel's effect already, Ako." She declares. "You've left your most vulnerable point wide open."

"Oh?" Her opponent coaxes. "Do tell!"

"It's simple. Your graveyard might be the source of your strength..." she says, before making a pointed finger stare the Demon Lord down, "...But that also makes it your achilles' heel! I activate the effect of _Aroma Garden!_"

She's back to **1300LP,** hopeful. Bergamot reaches **2900 ATK,** and Marjoram follows with **2500,** but relying on their brute force is only a short-term plan. "Now, _Aromage Marjoram's_ effect, activate!" Ran swipes, her hand flourishing petals. "Once per turn, when I gain life points, Marjoram can banish cards in my opponent's graveyard, equal to the number of Aroma monsters I can control!"

Marjoram barely breathes, barely moves; but even the slightest motion is all she needs. In fact, it's exactly the slightness of her movement that causes her staff to glow, and the velvet flowers to grow in Ako's duel disk. "Whoaaaaaaa! My dark armament! It blooms!"

"Keep an eye on what those flowers do, Ako," Ran finishes, "because the cards in your graveyard I choose to remove are _Darklord Superbia_ and _Banishment of the Darklords!_"

The flowers simply fly, fly from the disk, without spectacle, and fade away; if you looked inside, the cards in question would indeed be elegantly vanished. "You used _Banishment of the Darklords_ at the very start of the game, Ako," Ran explains. "But I also realised you could activate Ixchel's effect to reuse it, and restock your army of fallen angels. With that card and Superbia banished from your graveyard, I've cut off the keys that allow you to bring the Darklords forth!"

"...Fufufu... fwahahahaha!" Heaven's Bane gleams in approval. "A marvellous maneuver, my fell firebird! You not only boosted your monsters' power with _Aroma Garden_, but you've also cut a dark axe through my resources!"

"Save the commendations for now!" Ran yells. "Because I'm not done... _Aroma Garden_ hasn't reached its full potential just yet!"

"Eh?" Ako curiously looks at the card's information on her duel disk. "But... you've already used its effect, haven't you?"

"That's correct. But it's precisely the effect's wording that will help me!" Ran explains. "You know a lot of effect trivia, Ako, but I have a bit of extra vocabulary up my sleeve too; for example, the fact that _Aroma Garden's_ effect stacks with itself!"

"Oh! You mean to say..." Ako grins.

"That's right!" Ran places a second card right over her blade's field spell zone, destroying the first. "I activate a second _Aroma Garden!_"

Fireflies turn orchid. 

Ran's eyes set their own match; a meadow hints within. "I activate the effect of the Garden once more!"

Up, up further! **1800LP!** No matter how small, every bit counts! That's the ethos she'll take from now on!

**3400ATK, 3000ATK!** Bergamot and Marjoram are ready...

"...This is it!" Ran bellows. "Ako, you're going to face everything I have to offer! I challenge the fallen angels that could cut down even the Gods themselves!"

A demonic grin; enthusiastic, joyful, pure... yet powerful. "With pleasure! I welcome any battle of the soul; try and stare down the might of a Demon Lord, if you have the courage!"

"I'll do just that! _Aromage Bergamot_, attack _Darklord Ixchel!_"

Ixchel doesn't just sit back this time; her blood has pumped, her halo glows. Opening her wings, she stares down Bergamot; her opponent's eyes glow orchid, orchid, orchid, the magic storming. They're the only part of the monster visible in the twisting surge of red, carrying flower after flower; Bergamot throws aside his staff, and unleashes every bolt of energy he can muster.

Red? That's your specialty? Then I'll gladly oblige! She laughs, and runes of the same colour as Bergamot's barrage spawn in countless numbers around her. Ran and Ako face gusts on all sides, as beam after beam shoots at velocities stronger than ever before.

Marjoram simply walks.

Bergamot's very mane is set on fire; the red lightens at the tips, and clusters split into dissipating petals. He breathes, calmly; he doesn't need to scream. What he wants to say always shows clear; the storm he creates overwhelms.

Velvet dances.

Ixchel has gleefully fired burst after burst of magic; in fact, it's what she does right to the very end. Her face spares no joy as she fires right to the last second, right up to when a bolt pierces her through.

Ako doesn't balk, doesn't falter; she simply watches as her LP falls to **7100.** Even as Ran fills herself with more electricity than she ever knew she could have, Ako stands, proud and intimidating as always; miles, miles above.

Crimson faces another master head-on. As Marjoram's quiet steps halt, Ako loudly cuts the air thin, and encourages; "Come, magus of flowers! See if your might can best that of one who slays the very stars!"

...

Ran closes her eyes. This is the best she has to offer. And no matter how small that may seem, no matter how unskilled or brash it looks to that arrogant wolf...

...It's what has meaning to her. This is who she is, and nobody can take that from her!

Open. "_Aromage Marjoram!_ Attack my opponent directly!"

Marjoram smiles.

Thorns, walls of vines and thorns; they make a shroud at Marjoram's waist. They bask in sunlight no matter the weather, no matter the time of day; no cloudy or dark sky can prevent nature's growth forever. Ran's arm cuts a blaze of buds through the air... and despite nary a movement from Marjoram herself...

The thorns rush forth at a blinding, ferocious speed.

Ako's wide-open, for the first time in the duel. But she doesn't lose her confidence for even a second; those same massive, ridiculous wings block the path of every thorn once more. The neverending surge is stopped completely in its tracks, pouring all its might into trying to break through...

...and to the storm's credit, the wings of the Demon Lord verge on losing their glow, if not their form.

...

...Ran breathes.

**4100LP.**

4100, huh? Her opponent just completely tanked it. It's not even below what a duelist starts with. It'd be a humongous hit... against anyone other than Ako Udagawa.

Maybe it's her comeuppance, even, for underestimating Ako at the start. From the very beginning, the second the aegis was activated, Ran was placed on the defensive the entire time; never once could she get the advantage back, be in the winning position. Never once did she put Ako in any significant danger. But now, she's finally blazed forth. Her voice should be worth respecting, no matter how comparatively weak it is, because it's a strength all on its own; Ako's the one who reminded her of that.

"...How's that?!" She whirls her head towards the wolf watching from above, the amber who seemingly arbitrates judgment. 

She's not looking at Ran, seemingly more interested in the duel's processes itself. But Ran refuses to be ignored; "That's what I have to offer! And if it's not strong enough for you, then I don't care one bit."

...

No change in expression, no emotional effect. But Yukina turns to face Ran. 

"Well?! If you want to spit on my dueling, then do it!" Ran yells.

"..." Yukina's eyes close. "I was not planning on doing such a thing. Rather, I was going to warn you to pay attention."

"...What?" Ran frowns.

"Fufufu!" She whirls, and Ako's laughing from across the field once more, having just faced Marjoram down. "I'd advise you to watch your own field, Ran Mitake!"

Ran whips her head left and right across her side of the arena; what's going on? Where-

A maw.

Gleaming, deep silhouettes. Two melting sets of sharp, pointed teeth are surrounding...

..._Humid Winds?_ Why?

"I activate the effect of _Peropero Cerperus!_" Ako declares. "When I take damage from a battle, this vassal of mine can banish itself from the graveyard, and destroy a card on the field!"

"W-what? Why?" Ran asks. "And... when did you get that?!"

"Didn't you notice, my friend? It was there from the very beginning, right when I discarded _Rainbow Life!_"

"...Wh..." Ran can't help but go agape. She thought she'd looked back as far through Ako's graveyard as she needed to... but no. Ako paid more attention to every card used in the game than she did!

...But why choose to destroy _Humid Winds?_ Ran can't help but stare. She can feel the eyes of the wolf watch her... as her card...

...Gets snapped inside the maw, and shatters.

"I see." Yukina observes.

"W-what?! What did I do wrong?" Ran yells.

"Panicking will not help you. Focus." The wolf responds, clearly. 

Her voice, it shakes right through Ran. She was warped by anger before, but hearing it now... it's a divine melody.

...No, no, that voice isn't anything to savor! Listen to the words, instead; what does Ran need to focus on? _Humid Winds_ has another effect, but it costs 1000 life points to use. Wouldn't that put her in too much danger?

"...Tch..." Ran can't see it. She can't see what she missed!

...It's... frustrating! She doesn't need to care about being stronger, she's not obligated to... but something inside her makes her want to know! Any step that would help her scale this impossible mountain! "Damnit!"

"Ran! Stand proud!"

"...!" The words of the Demon Lord wrap around her heart. "Ako?"

"The duel has not yet ended. If you do not have any further moves, then end your turn! ...And be proud of it." Ako makes way for a beaming smile. "...You were really cool. Thanks a bunch."

...

Right. Right! Ran had almost forgotten why she was dueling to begin with!

The pulsing adrenaline nearly channeled into rage. But Ran breathes... and chooses to take pride in the heights she's reached today. She'll climb even higher one day, she swears it.

"Right." Ran returns the expression. "Thanks, Ako. I end my turn."

"..." Ako breathes. "...Yeah. I'm going, Ran!"

The hand of Heaven's Bane draws one more armament. 

"_Bear witness to a necromancer's final turn!_"

Ran knows what'll probably happen. After all, Ako's amazing. But she has to ask, no matter what; "What are you going to do now? You've lost the Darklord cards in your graveyard that allowed you to resurrect and search out your monsters. Can the 2 cards in your hand really-"

She stops.

2 cards. Right, who is she kidding? It's Ako. She's crazy.

"Mwahahaha! Of course! In fact, I've yet to even show you the full extent of my power!"

"Oh, really?" Ran blusters, trying not to cower. Bergamot and Marjoram take the front; she tries to draw whatever confidence she can from them. "Alright, then. Do. Your. Worst!"

"With pleasure!" Ako holds a familiar card to the air. "Every single piece of my deck... IS A RAY THAT PAVES THE WAY! I activate the spell card _Pot of Extravagance_, and banish 6 monsters from my Extra Deck to draw two more cards!"

To think that Ako wasn't even going to use the Extra Deck this duel; does she just not need it? There's so many options and choices Ran hasn't even considered before...

"Fufufu. Ran, I'm afraid your strategy has a flaw." Ako states.

"...And what'd that be?"

"Allow me to explain!" Ako boasts. "You may think you've cut off my resources. But the Darklords are not monsters who simply fall after one skirmish, no matter what. MY necromantic deck always keeps spares of whatever it needs, and will access them no matter what! That's how I acquired..." The wing blazes. "...A second _Banishment of the Darklords!_ Using this spell's power, I add a new _Darklord Contact_ to my hand!"

One eye swirls light, the other screams dark. The cycle begins anew. "Fufufu! You may have banished their enablers... but my central monsters are still present in the graveyard, Ran! I activate my wicked magic _Darklord Contact!_"

The inscriptions of light dance in defiance; Ako Udagawa overcomes any and all obstacles. "Blood becomes blades," she chants once more, "terror forms from tears... our identities wreathe the abyssal light only the worthy fail to fear! Rebellion burns forevermore in _Darklord Ixchel's_ form!"

Ran feels like she's hearing a record she can't stop replaying. The joyous laughter rings, the fallen angel returns; she reclines with **2900 DEF** as if she hasn't even taken a scratch. Being sent to hell is but a mere trip to pain familiar. No matter how many times she's destroyed or beat down, she never fails to return; the Gods are powerless to suppress her. Heaven's fangs will regret having ever sunk in.

"My army shall return!" Ako declares. "I activate Ixchel's effect! I'll shuffle the _Darklord Contact_ I just used, to summon _Darklord Zerato_ back from the graveyard too!"

Runes blare, space bows. The mane of armor signifies the warrior's return with **2300 DEF.** The two figures that tore a hole in Ran's life points have returned near-effortlessly.

...It's amazing, she thinks. Ako doesn't stop being herself, no matter what stands against her. She'll adorn herself with as many complicated garments and dramatic flourishes as she pleases, and duel as openly and passionately as she can, no matter what scorns her.

Her confidence is inspiring. Ran wants to have it... maybe even more than the kind the silver wolf watching over them exudes. Ran turns to look at Yukina, briefly; she's watching Ako's side of the field, watching her life points drop from Ixchel's effect.

...**3100LP.** For the first and last time in the entire duel, Ako's health has hit below what a duelist actually starts with.

"_Darklord Zerato's_ effect!" Ako snaps her out of it. "I discard _Darklord Nasten_ from my hand, to destroy all monsters my opponent controls!"

A strike so precise it cuts through space itself; that's the skill Zerato's achieved. It's so disturbingly efficient and refined, as if it's been practiced to the point of effortless replication; just how much skill does this duelist have?

The flowers vanish; their forms split into petals... and fly away into the wind. Ran is wide open.

...But...

"...Is that all?!" She blares regardless. "_Aroma Garden's_ effect! When an Aroma monster I control is destroyed, I gain 1000LP!"

Fireflies breathe their last breath, and fade. **2800LP**... it's not even the life-point advantage she needed all this time. But it's the closest to Ako she's been since the beginning of their duel. For a brief, brief second, Ran wants to believe she can see the peak. 

"You may have cleaved my frontline, Ako," she continues. "But _Darklord Contact_ can only summon your monsters in defense position. You can't actually attack and finish me this turn, unless you have something else up your sleeve!"

"And something else up my sleeve, I have! In fact... it's something very special." Ako oozes. "Ran Mitake, you are the only duelist in my past 20 battles who's taken my unholy form below 4000 life points..."

Ran's heartbeat spikes. 

Every card in Duel Monsters is designed with the same back; just the image of a swirling portal, standardised to make them indistinguishable.

But the card Ako's holding up... even with its front unseen, it makes her very being balk.

"...and for that, I'll express my gratitude by summoning the strongest monster I know! Prepare to meet your end at the Bringer of Light's hand!"

Ran gulps.

A kingdom is but a snapshot in heaven and hell's time. The air stops moving, desperate not to blaze. 

...Are there... clouds, over the horizon? They've blotted out the entire night sky. There's... streams of hallowed light, softly but blaringly shining down to Ako's front. Suddenly, Ran's reminded of how spacious the port is. 

Crimson commands. "To summon the brightest star in the sky... the one that emerges not at the callous night, but in the rays of the glorious dawn... I tribute _Darklord Zerato_ and _Darklord Ixchel!_"

The next thing she knows, Ran can't hear anything anymore. It's not as if the volume was shut out; no, it's rather that it's far too strong for her. It's a sound blaring from higher, higher up on the mountain... far too high above Ran, for her to hear anything.

'Blood becomes blades' is all she processes... as her jaw drops.

It doesn't just feel like the Earth is rumbling. No, it's as if the entire galaxy is revolting. Every piece of space shakes; she can't help but grip her feet to the ground, try to desperately keep her footing up the mountain path.

The rays shine down from the clouds, and its form begins to hint. It's surrounded by an odious yet heavenly purple light. Nobody, nobody would dare to look at any other star in its presence.

No. No way. Ran shuts her eyes as the monster finishes its emergence; she doesn't even hear the monster's name. There's no, no way...

...

Presence.

She opens her eyes.

"...WHA-"

Words fail her. Orchid stares upon the entirety of the mountain before her.

The monster surpasses several skyscrapers in height, Ako's wings in width. The tips of its wings reach through the clouds above. It's the most enormous thing Ran's ever seen in her life.

Her eyes barely see the top.

And finally, a bloodied, torn halo, wide as an entire train.

Six angel's wings. Feathered, demonic limbs that heaven dared to try and tear.

Hollowed, hallowed eyes. An empty iris has never seemed so full of purpose.

Then, encrusted, otherworldly plates, blaring dreams through onyx.

First, a stolen blade, returned to its original owner. The monster's very veins pulse through the near-amethyst sheen, signifying the steel as a true part of his body.

To begin, she starts at the bottom.

...

"..." How should she react, even? This... this is what she has to scale?

...

...It's exhilarating.

It's exhilarating, so exhilarating. A tower so tall no human could climb it; and yet, she wants to do exactly that. Is it normal to see a blade that could cut an obelisk in two, and think 'I wish I could fight that?'

"This marks the end of our duel, Ran Mitake!"

She hasn't awoken; she was already awake.

"You have no cards in your graveyard, your field or your hand that could save you, my friend," Ako rings. "You're completely and utterly open. The blade of Lucifer, the Bringer of Light, will fell your life points once and for all!"

She's right. Ran doesn't have anything. 

It's over. She can only stare at the tower she wants to overcome, and watch as it sends her tumbling back over.

But that's fine. She realised just how high she's climbed so far today. And. she could climb even higher, higher! Higher! The thought of it makes every beat of the heart race through her body like a jet plane, each and every one. This! This is one of the reasons why she loves dueling so much!

And the person who reminded her of that today is...

"...Ako." Ran says, feeling the warmth on her own face. "Thanks. I mean it. Tonight was fun."

Beneath a threat the skies shudder at... a little demon grins, her ponytail flowing in the wind. It's an adorable, precious smile. "Yeah! I really, really had a lot of fun too. I don't think I've had a duel like this in a while."

"Really? You deserve more of them," Ran responds. "If you want another go at the Orchid Rose, feel free to ask me any time."

"W-WHOA!" Ako jumps in joy. "That's such a good name! I, um... Demon Lord... no, I mean, the Heaven's Bane! Will be happy to offer a rematch whenever!"

"Heh. I'll look forward to it." Ran beams.

The confidence, the excitement... the connection, the joy. Every feeling, surging or flowing... it's reminded her of everything she holds dear, the way in which she can express herself. And none of it would've happened if she and Ako hadn't met tonight. In this dark and empty night, a field of light blossomed as the two of them talked.

She... feels like she could face tomorrow now. This duel was nothing but energy, nothing but positivity for both Ran and Ako. She can tell, because of the smiles on both their faces. Their duel didn't bring harm, didn't bring pain; it didn't do any of the things her stupid father says it does. It's not tearing anyone apart. It's bringing people together. Ran and Ako shared their passions and their interests with each other tonight...

...and she's certain the two of them will leave this port happy and joyous.

Ran and Ako will leave this night with smiles on their faces. And the thought of that makes Ran feel like she could try and face the world, as the sky turns over to February.

Thank you.

Ran stares down the titan, the giant. The Bringer of Light, the original defier of the stars. 

She stands confidently, one step forward, and yells; "Bring it, then! Go, Ako!"

"Right!" One last flourish. "Yukina, watch me! With this blow, I'll have completed your task!"

Task, huh? Ran hates it, but her eyes are drawn back to the alluring amber, one last time. What's this wolf's connection to Ako?

In another foreground, a fallen angel's blade like no other raises itself to the sky; forever defiant. It's inspiring to Ran.

...But there's another feeling. Because Ran can't help but look back at Yukina, as that blade rises. What is it that she sees, in Yukina's eyes? What is it that draws her in? Is it just the wolf's confidence? Just her lack of hesitation? Or is there something else, too?

Well, it doesn't have to matter yet. She can contemplate it later. With extreme effort, she manages to pull her orchid gaze away from Yukina...

...and back towards Ako. Crimson eyes captivate.

"My treasured ally Lucifer..." Ako declares, absolute. "Demonstrate the power of my rebellion..."

Ran takes the loss with pride.

"...and attack my opponent directly!"

\---

She was saved. Her fuel restocked, she continued to ride through the forest.

Her partner, the rider who saved her, gestured. They were at a crossroad. The path she wanted to go was on the left, but her partner said the right path was safer.

So, down they went. The path was pitch-black; she couldn't even see the ground beneath her anymore. But she trusted her friend, who seemed to know this route like the back of her hand. She trusted her friend, who said this was the better way to go.

That's why it... felt so weird, when they came upon the cave. Cold, blue rock, for miles and miles. There was only one entrance in, and it was tight. Tight enough that she wouldn't have the option to turn around, if she wanted to. 

If she went down this cave, and the route turned out to be wrong, it'd take ages and ages for her to get back out, get back on track.

But her partner says it's a good road... and her partner's always right, really. So she followed her partner, and went down into the darkest of tunnels... darker than any place she'd ever seen before. Her friend switched on a light on her own vehicle, and told her to follow it; that was a little more comforting. Her friend jokes that it makes the thing look almost like an anglerfish; they laugh, and the comfort grows slightly.

...But she still can't help but wonder. Is her friend mistaken? Did she take the wrong path? Is she overestimating her knowledge? It could be one of those things, for all she knows. She trusts her friend no matter what, but... there has to be some reason why this place is so dark. The light on her friend's vehicle barely even helps. Will she really find what she's looking for, down this route? Would she even be able to see it, in this place a void could lose vision in?

Tomoe can't help but wonder.

...

She can't help but wonder.

The Haneoka Coast Port. It's still three hours from midnight, but the night is wide awake; it's even taking on a subtle shade of purple. Ominous clouds are beginning to gather over the coast; Tomoe can see the stars hint their forms through each one, through the windowed walls on her left and right.

...And there, behind Lisa, there's the end of the corridor. Two metal-bar doors, thrown wide open... the exit behind Lisa is completely open. If Tomoe ran through it, she'd have a big overhead view of a few decks in the relaxation area, nestled next to the rushing waves. If she took just a couple of minutes to sprint down the brick staircase, she'd land right next to the sea.

All she'd have to do is run past Lisa.

That lightning bolt holograph. Ako has plenty of cards with that kind of effect. She has to get down to the port and check if it's her. After all, she swore she'd find Ako before February began.

But... 

...She also swore she'd hear Lisa out. They promised to belt everything out to each other if they needed it, and Tomoe's not about to disrespect that promise. Lisa wouldn't do such a thing, and she shouldn't either.

She feels discomforted like this, though. There's something stuck in her throat. She watches Lisa, who's surrounded by a circle of rotating mirrors, continue to make play after play after play after play. It's hard to see her friend when the mirrors have such tiny gaps in-between; she practically has to squint to try and get a look at Lisa's face.

"Let's see if you can get through this!" She hears what seems to be a pleasant voice, and glimpses cards placed on a blade. "_Dream Mirror Friend Phantasos'_ effect! I special summon _Dream Mirror White Knight Morpheus_ in defense position!"

A fantastical canine with **1900 DEF,** about half Tomoe's height, is scampering excitedly through the field. The floor has been decorated in a beautiful haven of full-green grass, trees surrounding on all sides; roses and daisies abound, not a fallen sword in sight. On any other day, she'd probably think it was adorable, but her headache is growing.

The flowers on the ground glow; rays shine from the ground, like an elaborate stage play's effect, and out emerges a paladin straight from a fairytale. Gorgeous golden hair, winged pauldrons on metallically sheened armour, and a blade that feels like it reflects the honesty of its wielder; the exemplar of knighthood takes a stance with a whopping **2800 DEF.** That's not gonna be easy to get past by, Tomoe tries to think.

Ako...

"Tomoe! You listening?"

"Whuh!" She jumps.

"I said, Morpheus' effect activates when it's special summoned by another Dream Mirror monster! Now, it can't be destroyed for the rest of this turn!"

"I-I see!" She responds, trying to pay attention. "Wow, that's a pretty big blockade... so, what next?"

"What do you mean? It's your turn, silly!"

"Huh? O-oh, right." Is it? Guess so... yeah, she remembers drawing a card, and then Lisa activated some things... what turn is it again? The 3rd? The 5th? She can't tell.

Something's gnawing at the back of her mind. Ako could be there. If she takes too long, she might miss her. She can't miss her.

...No, no! Right. Let's handle things one at a time, Tomoe. Get the duel with Lisa over with first; she's probably trying to work up the courage to say something, after all. If enough of a blood-pumped fight can get her to do that, then that's what Tomoe'll deliver! THEN she can rush straight down to the port.

"R-right! I'll take my move!" Tomoe yells. What does she have again... oh, right. "I activate the continuous trap card _Fiendish Chain!_"

Cold dark bindings fly from her previously set face-down, heading straight towards the knight. "This card negates the attacks and effects of a face-up monster of my choice! Your Morpheus won't be so indestructible anymore, Lisa-"

CLANG!

"W-WHOA!" A shock runs through Tomoe's body; Lisa just rushed out at a horrifying speed from her circle of mirrors. In front of her hidden eyes, the buckler on her right arm has bluntly denied the chains' progression.

Then, she lifts her blade in an instant, and fiercely cuts them down in one swing.

"..." Lisa lifts her head, and gives a sunny smile. "Nice try, Tomoe! I activated the counter trap card _Dark Bribe!_" She presents the card's front as it dissipates; "At the cost of letting you draw a card, I can negate the activation of a spell or trap card and destroy it!"

"H-heh! Not bad." 

Her friend's got some fancy theatrics, with that hard-light shield. It's a unique touch to her duel disk; it feels protective, just like her. Still, this is a problem now... Tomoe can't get through Morpheus like this. In fact, she hasn't moved Lisa's LP down from **4000** at all so far. Lisa's tough.

...She doesn't want this duel to take too long, but she's got no choice. "_I'm swinging the pendulum! Metalfoes Steelen_ and _Metalfoes Silverd,_ return from my Extra Deck!"

Two riders rip a hole through the world, travelling yet another landscape. Their tires burn right through the field, vehicles surviving with **2100 DEF** and **1700 ATK.**

They won't be enough just yet, though. "Guess I can't advance right now," Tomoe says, shakingly throwing a card onto her blade. "I'll set a face-down and end my turn. What've you got, Lisa-"

The field ruptures. In an instant, the grass wilts, the light stops shining; the scenery distorts, the mirror changes frames. The exit behind Lisa becomes murkier and murkier, wrapped in hints of flowing darkness.

"...What's... happening?" Tomoe asks. The forms of Lisa's monsters are warping in on themselves, the floor has changed entirely. Every holograph from Lisa's _Dream Mirror of Joy_ field spell is drowning in a dark blue, until the entire thing is strangled by the night. The ground is barren, devoid of life, every flower gone; the murdered trees cry, becoming warped and bent aside, letting nightmares travel in. The haven is lost.

"I-I'm..." 

Lisa's voice shakes. It's already felt heavier and heavier throughout the duel, like there's a weight it can't take, but now it's gotten visibly worse. It's easy to tell, even through the mirrors; she's trying to tell Tomoe something.

"...I'm!" Lisa starts, like a theater kid at their first recital. "Um, Tomoe! I'm... going to try and be courageous! M-mind if I talk about something for a bit?"

"Sure," Tomoe responds eagerly. "Whatever's burdening you seems pretty tough. But I'm here to listen."

"T-thanks..." Lisa responds. "I, um. Won't take too long! I know you need... to find Ako soon, after all."

"Yeah. I t-think she might really be down there. I need to stop her and get her home as soon as possible. Mom and Dad are worried sick, and-"

"U... urgh..."

What's happening? Tomoe's words cut short. Through glimpses in the mirror, it's visible; Lisa is practically strangling her side with one arm. "L-Lisa?" She asks timidly. "Are you alright?"

"...Sorry," a murmur. "I... I'm still scared. Can we go a bit longer, before I start?"

Longer.

Her heartbeat accelerates. Time's running out, it screams. It wails, it howls.

"S-sure!" She responds, lying to her own desperation; her instinct wants to cheer Lisa up instead. "Take your time. Why not show off a few more moves while we're at it?"

Time's running out, Tomoe.

"Right then!" Lisa starts, her trembling arm managing to draw again. "_I-it's my turn!_ I'm... gonna start turning up the heat, like you do!"

"That so?" Tomoe tries to smile, looking at the eerie blue. "Is that why the scenery changed?"

"Y-yeah! That's my other field spell," Lisa responds. "_The Dream Mirror of Terror._ When it's on the field, my monsters Phantasos and Morpheus can special summon different versions of themselves from the deck!"

The monsters shatter, as if they were mere illusions. Now, out from the shadows, darkness coagulates; it melts, it bubbles, boils, until two voids of black create silhouettes.

"Come on out, _Dream Mirror Foe Phantasos_ and _Dream Mirror Black Knight Morpheus!_"

The shadows fall, leaving two disturbing forms. One is a terrifying, two horned wolf; its thick, jagged fur looks the colour of sullied blood, its fangs foam with **1900 ATK.** The other is a horrific abomination; a towering 'knight' whose very visage strikes all around it with terror. All would fear the enormous executioner's blade it wields, pulsing with...

...**1000 DEF?** Wait, why did Lisa summon it in _defense position?_ Its ATK is way higher...

"Black Knight Morpheus' effect!" Lisa manages. The monster towers. "When it's summoned by a Dream Mirror effect, I can target and destroy one card you control! I choose your face-down!"

"Oh?" Tomoe manages. "Then I'll chain the face-down in response! I activate _Ballista Squad!_" The flames blaze, and a motorcycle whirrs. "I tribute _Metalfoes Steelen_ in order to destroy Black Knight Morpheus! Go, Steelen!"

Time's running out. The card shines; the rider is suddenly catapulted into the air, firing towards Morpheus, straight and true. This'll get that big hunk of metal out of the-

CLANG!

It happened again. 

Like the devil possessed, Lisa screeched forth, taking the entire roaring motorcycle head-on before ruthlessly cleaving it in two with her blade. There's a flurry of mechanical parts flying around as the entire vehicle explodes, the rider destroyed. "...Nice try again, Tomoe! I activated the quick play spell card _My Body As A Shield!_ By paying 1500 life points, it lets me negate and cut apart any spell or trap effect that would destroy my monsters!"

"W-what?" Tomoe gawks. She reduced her LP to **2500** just for that? 

"Don't just stand there, Tomoe! Get ready!" Lisa points. "On the turn it's special summoned by a Dream Mirror effect, _Dream Mirror Foe Phantasos_ can attack directly! Go, Phantasos!"

It rushes forward at a frightening speed; it's as if the jolly canine it was earlier was a veil to the murderous intent it possessed. The image of the terrifying pair of jaws approaching her makes Tomoe close her eyes and crouch, until she's certain the attack has ended. She's fallen to **2100LP-**

Wait, how many turns has it been? Was that really the first time she's been damaged, all game? Tomoe glances over to Lisa's field, hosting the defensively stanced Morpheus. The holographic mirrors aren't circling Lisa anymore; they've blockaded the exit, instead. Lisa simply stands tall... and her trembling makes it really evident that the smile on her face isn't real. There's sweat dropping; what's going on?

Time's running, running, running. The fear in her heart accelerates; she's been held down for too long. She just wants to race forth, and rush down to the port... why is this duel with Lisa taking so long? If this keeps going, she's going to miss her chance!

"T-that's it for me, then!" Lisa says. "Uh, I set a face-down and-"

"Um, Lisa!" She vocalises, trying not to shout.

"H-huh?!" Lisa's expression breaks into panic, for a moment. "Um... what's up? I-"

"I-I-I just, um! Do you feel ready to talk here? We had a good bout, after all... how many turns has it been again?"

"Oh, 7. Uh, I mean!" 

Fear. That response was uncannily accurate.

"I'm... I don't know," her friend wavers. "I just... I'm worried, and-"

"DON'T BE!" Tomoe floods. "Oh, sorry, that was loud, just, I... I really need to get down there and-"

"Deep breaths, Tomoe!" Lisa protests. "You seem really stressed~! I'm sorry about this."

"O-oh, right," Tomoe tries, for a moment. But a single one-two is all it takes before time screams down her ears again. "Sorry. I. It's been ages; I NEED to check if Ako's at the port, okay?"

"W-what?!"

She hurriedly places the cards back into her deck and retracts her blade, and Lisa chokes. The holographs, the illusions, they all shatter; Tomoe doesn't have time for this duel right now! She doesn't have time, she doesn't have time! She needs to go, as soon as possible!

"D-don't worry! You can always talk to me later, okay?" Tomoe says, and begins running towards the exit. She can't waste another second! Run already!

"WAIT!" 

It's a pitch that nearly rumbles Tomoe's spine; all of a sudden, her throttling momentum's been completely strangled. Her arm is... she's been completely stopped! What kind of strength does Lisa's grip have?!

She's not letting Tomoe go. "L-Lisa? What's up?"

"I-I'm sorry, Tomoe, it's just..." Lisa stammers, shakes. Her face desperately, desperately tries to smile. "I really, really need to talk about this now! Forget about Ako for a second, okay? It's late, so she's probably asleep right now rather than dueling! She probably isn't down there!"

She's shaking. She's trying to smile, but she's shaking. She looks like she might cry.

"For all we know, she might come back home tomorrow anyway! S-she doesn't have infinite pocket money, after all..."

...She's distressed, really distressed. Tomoe can tell, despite the beating time; Lisa's really ripped out about something. It's got to be awful... and Tomoe's leaving her in the dark, huh?

Right. Ako's the immediate priority, but Tomoe isn't betraying her promise to her friend!

So, she pulls Lisa into a hug for a second.

".........Wh...?" 

"Lisa." Tomoe holds her tight, and smiles. "Sorry. I promise I'll hear what you have to say, as soon as possible. I just... I need to find Ako, first. I can't take any chances." She lifts herself back, and looks at Lisa's face, wracked with grief.

"..N-no... NO! You can't go yet..." Lisa struggles, crumbles, through gritted teeth.

"Sorry, Lisa. I mean it."

Tomoe takes a deep breath, and regains her composure. Right; after she checks the port, she'll rush right back to Lisa's side. After all, Lisa's her partner!

"...I've gotta go." Tomoe nods and lets go. She turns her back and starts walking. She's only a few steps from the exit now. "I'll talk to you later! I promise!"

She runs.

"NO!" 

As she steps outside, she hears Lisa cry and run after her. 

"YOU CAN'T GO THERE YET!"

Don't worry, Lisa! I won't keep you waiting. Because right after this, I'll-

"YOU CAN'T! You can't go down there until Ako finishes her duel and-"

Frozen.

Tomoe's blood is frozen.

...

...

...

The whirrs of their engines echo.

Two riders head into a pitch-black cave. It's almost impossible to see anything, this far in.

Suddenly, her partner stops moving and gets off from her vehicle.

'W-whoa!' She has to desperately hit the brakes. 'What's up?'

'We're here.'

Her friend's voice is oddly silent. 'A-are we? It doesn't seem like there's anything here...'

'No. We're here.'

...What does she mean? She tentatively steps off from her bike, standing in front of her friend. The light of the front vehicle makes her partner only just visible... barring the eyes.

She's starting to feel scared. 'What do you mean, we're-'

.

Pain. 

...Pain? There's... pain.

There's... an indescribable agony, slowly growing in her chest. It's hard to even notice. 

...Why? Why does it hurt?

Her vision's... blurring. Her friend's form is hard to see. She looks down to her chest, and...

...Red.

What? How...? There's... so much... of it. The... entirety of her shirt... is drowned in it. And...

...There's something sticking out from the middle.

'...!'

She tries to yell, but nothing comes out. Her friend doesn't move.

The pain grows. She can't vocalise it at all; she's left shaking in fear. It's cold. 

When... when did this happen? When did this get here? And... how long had it been there for? She can't see the white on her shirt; only a deepening pool of red. It's growing, it's growing. It hurts.

...Who? Who could've done it, even? There's nobody here, save for her and... her..

...part...

...ner...

...She looks back up to her friend's face. Her friend isn't moving. Her friend's expression is blank.

...No... you couldn't have.

...

...

...

"...No..." Tomoe manages. "You couldn't have."

Lisa's legs fail, and she collapses onto her knees before the corridor's exit. Her face is completely visible to Tomoe; fear. Devastation. Desolation. Her eyes are wide open, her mouth is slightly ajar; everything fell.

...

"You... couldn't have, right?"

W-what's she thinking? Lisa wouldn't do that. It's simple, isn't it? She asked Lisa if she knew where Ako was, and the answer was no. That means Lisa didn't know.

Lisa knew.

...

"...You couldn't have... right?" 

The last word barely surfaces. She tries to grip her white top at the chest, but she can't feel her limbs. It's like the strength has completely disappeared from her body. If she moved her shaking legs even a bit, she'd probably fall apart. 

"This... has to be a mistake... it's not true, right?"

"..." But Lisa doesn't move. She just shakes, tries to say something through her brittle breath, as she stares up at Tomoe with those voided eyes.

Stop it. Stop looking like that, she thinks. We're supposed to be partners, aren't we? Get up.

...

...But her friend's expression tells her the truth. Her friend knew. Her friend lied to her. The veil is ripped from her eyes.

...

"...Why?" She can barely make the word out, after enough wavering attempts. The fire has been completely silenced. It's imprisoned in a cold, cold ice. "Why...? Why did you do it?"

"...I... I..." Lisa's voice can't raise. Lisa can't move. Lisa can't form a sentence to her.

Tears.

Tomoe shivers, tries to breathe. She isn't wailing, she isn't sobbing... but she can feel the tears streaking down her face. No, no, no. No... no... no... she can't... she can't... she can't think about this... if she does, then...

...t-then...

Ako.

Right. Ako's... at... the port.

She turns around. She didn't even notice, but there's a gigantic monster looking over the coast now. It has six wings, and a demon's blade. That's Ako's card.

Ako's there.

...

...She runs, leaving Lisa behind.

"...No... no, wait! TOMOE!" She can hear her friend's piercing, torturing wails trying to approach. Her friend is running after her, still. Just like she did, back when she promised Tomoe she'd say whatever's on her mind. Just like she did, back when they shared each other's strength under the cold empty night. Just like she did, back when they started running, together, to search for Ako again.

Run. Run, Tomoe. Run, run, RUN, RUN, RUN!

She breaks into the most terrifying sprint of her life. She has to, she has to. She suppresses each and every single thought she has of the fact that Lisa betr-

No, it's not possible. Lisa couldn't have done that willingly. There has to be a reason. There has to be a reason why Lisa did it. Maybe she's being blackmailed, maybe she's under pressure. Maybe someone forced her to. Maybe it's some random punk, holding Ako hostage, asking for ransom money. 

Or maybe it's Rinko; Rinko might have stayed in contact with Ako after she ran from home, and then betrayed her trust. She probably took her hostage and blackmailed Lisa. Something. Just something, anything, no matter what it is. 

Because there's no, no, no, no, no no no no no no no no no no no no, way, no way that Lisa would willingly make that choice.

Stop thinking about it... and run.

Sub-zero. She gasps; there's oxygen aplenty, but her lungs can't take it in. The air cuts at Tomoe's skin. It might remove all the sweat, if it tries. The stars, she can't see them, but she can hear them laughing, shrieking, jeering from above. She keeps running, further and further away from Lisa's footsteps.

She's down to the last few stairs, she's hit the bottom. There's the waves, to her right, there's a glass fence. She runs, and her shoes start hitting white tiles instead of red brick. There's strip lights on the ends of the floor. She runs, she crosses a bridge, she keeps running, there it is, there's the gigantic fallen angel monster. She's about ten seconds of full-on sprinting away from Ako, she knows it. She runs, she runs, the monster's closer, she can see the bridge make way for a two-deck relaxation area, there's the monster, there's some holographs of potted plants, there's a duel, there's...

...There's Ako. She's declaring an attack against Ran.

Finally. She's found Ako.

Ako.

Ako!

"AKO!" She runs, she runs until the last drop of energy fades away. She hears a yelp. She nearly collapses onto the lower deck, barely managing to stand. She catches her breath, and looks up.

Ako's face is right there. Her grandiose, regal expression completely shatters upon seeing Tomoe, collapsing to make way for cold realisation. It hurts.

"T-Tomoe?" She hears Ran, beside her.

"...T..." Ako's voice barely makes itself out. The gigantic monster, towering over the entire dock, disappears. Ako's wings shatter and disappear, Ako's blade disappears, they all disappear, they all retreat back into Ako. The glow is gone, the joy is gone. It hurts.

There was a duel here. Just as she suspected.

...A reason. A reason for what Lisa did. A culprit. She needs one.

She whips her head up, and starts looking across the light for reasons, looking for every figure visible.

No, it can't be Ran. She's standing there in utter confusion, she doesn't know a thing. "We'll... talk later," she manages to say, before continuing her search.

Who? Ako's face can't be seen. Her eyes are hidden, her head's low. Her expression is a grimace. There's no clues there.

Who? Who? Who-

There.

She sees someone.

...

...And everything fits together.

"You." She scowls.

Imposing, somehow towering. Just as Lisa described her. Silver hair. Just as Lisa described her. Amber eyes. Just as Lisa described her. A duel disk, just as Lisa described her. A cold face, just as Lisa described her.

She's the reason. This person must have forced Lisa.

"TOMOE! Wait..." She hears Lisa reach the deck, struggling to breathe properly, stumbling in agony. "W-wait..."

That has to be it.

"..." Tomoe grips a fist, tight. Tighter than she ever has. If her nails dig into her skin, so be it. 

She stares the face of her culprit head-on.

"You. You're Yukina Minato, aren't you?"

Silence. The wolf doesn't respond.

"T-Tomoe..." Lisa tries to start. "I can... explain..."

"No. It's ok, Lisa. You don't need to," she shakes. "I understand everything now."

Red, bloodshot red. Grudge, black-hearted grudge. 

She states what has to be the truth. "Ako ran from home so she could keep dueling. And you... you're a duelist. In fact, Lisa told me you're on the career path to become a professional."

"..." Ako's ragged breath is barely audible.

"Plenty of professional duelists operate in groups, or under sponsorships. And Ako's good at dueling." She narrows her eyes, her pupils pointing a knife at the wolf's throat. "You... you're trying to recruit her, aren't you? You want to take Ako away from her home so that she can join you. You want to snatch her away from the family who loves her with all their heart, the family who loves her more than anything in the world."

She hears Ran gasp, she hears Ako grit her teeth. But the wolf doesn't respond. She just calmly narrows her eyes back, and stares right into Tomoe. It's infuriating, rage-sparking; the amber stare feels like it could kill Tomoe on the spot.

Tomoe finds someone to hate.

The crow's body ignites, as if it's made of oil. An inferno starts to build. The ice shatters, making way for a gigantic, hate-fueled fire.

"You...." She continues, regardless of the wolf's silence. "You're scum. You convinced her to run away, didn't you? You convinced her to run from her loving family so she could hide away. You convinced her to sleep cold and alone in the night, so she could keep dueling and escape her curfew, didn't you?"

The wolf finally speaks. "...I did no such thing."

"DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME!" The forest is ablaze. "You... you've been after my sister this entire time! You've been preying on her for the past week!"

"No! She... she didn't do that at all..." Ako's voice manages; Tomoe turns to her sister. "I'm... the one who approached her. I'm the one who insisted on joining Roselia. Yukina didn't do anything."

"No. You've been manipulated," she scowls; she tries to suppress the anger while she looks at her sister, but it rears full-force again once she turns to Yukina. "This piece of shit's just a glorified kidnapper. She even had Lisa keep me away from you on purpose!"

"You're incorrect," Yukina cuts. "I did not order Lisa to block you."

"You're lying," she howls. "Lisa cherishes you. You're her closest friend. She'd do anything for you. If you asked her to do something that horrible, she would! YOU FORCED HER TO STOP ME FROM RESCUING AKO!"

She can hear Ako's teeth grit.

"Lisa... is... that true?" Ran asks. There's no answer from her friend.

The infernal rider stares into the callous eyes of Yukina Minato, demanding an answer. She'll burn this entire forest down, she swears it. She VOWS she's going to head to that upper deck and grab this snake by the-

"How presumptuous." 

"...What?"

"You overestimate yourself," the wolf says. "I have no reason to go out of my way to stop you from seeing your sister. She would leave you and join Roselia regardless of your actions. You..." Her expression solidifies. "Are hardly a threat at all."

"What... did you just say?" Tomoe takes a step forward. "That's all you have to say to me, after manipulating your closest friend into STOPPING ME FROM FINDING MY-"

"You are correct in that Lisa cares for me deeply," Yukina continues. "I would not be surprised if her actions were motivated by my own goals. However..."

No. Stop it.

"...I did not order or coerce Lisa into taking any action regarding you."

STOP IT.

"If Lisa attempted to block you from seeing your sister..."

...

...

...

"...then it was something she did entirely of her own volition."

"STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT! YOU'RE LYING, YOU'RE LYING, YOU'RE LYING!" 

She deflects, but she can hear Lisa start to cry behind her. Every sob from Lisa runs a spear into her heart. Her body...

...burns and collapses, falling into the raging fire.

"You... you... so long as I live, I swear... I will NEVER forgive you."

"...Stop..."

"T-Tomoe..." Lisa musters, through broken tears. "I'm... I'm sorry..."

"...Yukina Minato... Yukina Minato..."

"...Shut up..." A voice.

"...YUKINA... MINATO! I'LL TEAR YOU APART IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO-"

"SHUT UP!" 

Someone screams at the top of their lungs. She stops cold in her tracks, and shakes.

"Shut up, shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!"

Who's voice... 

...Who was that?

She turns. It was...

"...A-Ako?" Tomoe shakes. The flames tear everything down, unable to be controlled.

"JUST... SHUT... UP!"

Ako's voice is filled with venom. It's a terrifying volume, one Tomoe's never heard before. It's terrifying like nothing else. There isn't a single trace of Ako's usual expression; no enduring joy, no perseverance, no grit... there's just nothing, except for hatred and anguish. 

"Just... SHUT UP! Shut UP! Just shut up, leave me alone, go away and never look for me again! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"W-what?" Tomoe tries to respond. "W... why?"

"Because you don't understand a thing!" Ako starts crying. Tears... there's tears. She's... angry. She's sobbing uncontrollably. "You... I ran away from home because I didn't WANT to be near any of you anymore! You... n-none of you... none of you understand anything anymore! Don't come anywhere near me!"

"W... what do you mean?!" Tomoe yells. "Why?! I've... been..." Tears, tears. "I've... I've! Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you?!"

"Do you have any idea how long I've been running from you?!" Ako cries. "Do you have any idea how terrifying it was, having to hide everything I loved when I was around you?! Do you have any idea what it felt like, coming home after being hurt by strangers outside, only to have to hide from my own family as well?! DO YOU?!"

"...H-hide? Hide what?! I'm your sister! You can tell me anything... why are you hiding from me?!"

"That's... rich, coming from you," Ako mutters, her voice growing disturbingly silent. "It took me long enough to realize... that you're the biggest coward of them all. Why would I trust you with anything?"

"Wh-" The words cut like sharpened icicles. "...You... didn't trust me? Why?! I've... been looking out for you, all this time! I'm your big sister! M-me and the rest of Afterglow supported you whenever you needed it! We supported you when you got home from being bullied by stupid duelists, we supported you when you needed tutoring because your stupid classmates didn't care about you! I'VE-"

"SUPPORT?!" Ako cries. "IF YOU REALLY WERE SUPPORTING ME, WHY DID YOU STOP? WHY DID YOU STOP TRYING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM?!"

"W... what?"

"I-if you really did want to be such a cool big sister..." Venom poisons. "...Then why did you stop? Why did you stop launching complaints to the school, after long enough? Why did Mom and Dad stop talking to the teachers about bullying? It... it only took a few years, before you all just... before you all just stopped trying to protect me! Even though that's what you keep saying you're doing!" 

Tears, desperately trying not to flood. 

"...Why did you stop? Was I just supposed to accept it?"

"A-Ako-"

"WAS I JUST SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT BEING KICKED DOWN EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE?!" She roars. "WAS I JUST SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT BEING LAUGHED AND JEERED AT, EVERY TIME I WENT TO SCHOOL?! WAS I JUST SUPPOSED TO BE COOL AND STRONG LIKE YOU, JUST SHRUG IT ALL OFF AND HIDE MY TEARS WHENEVER EVERYONE TREATED ME LIKE I'M NOT WORTH ANYTHING?!"

No... no... "A... Ako... I...!"

"Was I just supposed to repress it, like you did? Was I just supposed to bottle it up, keep smiling and walk onwards? Just keep being as strong and invincible as my big sister was? Was I not supposed to cry?"

"No! That's not...!"

"Was I supposed to be happy? Was I supposed to just move on every time and keep living my life, even when the thing I liked the most got denied by everyone around me? When my classmates, strangers, and even my family laughed at me just because I wanted to duel?"

Something snaps.

...Dueling? She's... still talking about a card game? Right now?

"..." Tomoe grits her teeth. "A-Ako... Why? Why is that all you're thinking about right now?!"

"..." Ako's voice dies. Her expression turns to fear. It's Tomoe's unforgivable crime. 

But she can't stop the inferno. "I... I spent... all this time... searching for you! Just because you ran away so you could keep playing a stupid card game! I WAS RUNNING BECAUSE I WANTED TO SAVE MY LITTLE SISTER!" She roars. "I wanted to save you... so why? Why did you keep running?"

"..."

"WHY DID YOU THROW US AWAY?! You... where did you even stay, while you were gone? Who were you talking with? Who were you playing with?"

"..." Ako's fists ball. Emptiness.

"...I know. I know exactly where..." Tomoe mutters. "...You left the family that cares about you, so you could hang out and keep playing a stupid card game with people NONE OF US EVEN KNEW!"

"..." Emptiness.

"You ran from us so you could keep talking to people we're complete STRANGERS to!"

"...!"

"PEOPLE LIKE RINKO! SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER EVEN SAID A WORD TO US! Do you have any idea how that makes us feel?! Do-"

"I knew it. I hate you."

"W-what?" It's so mute, so empty. They're so quiet, so devoid of Ako's life, that they choke Tomoe's heart. "...Ako?"

"I hate you... I hate you." Her face is drowned. She's just barely holding a flood. "I knew it. I knew you'd say that."

"...Say wh-"

"She was the only one."

Tomoe's words die.

"She was the only one who listened to me." Ako mutters. "Rinko was the only one... who I could cry around. She was the only one... who said when things were awful. She... she... she understood how I felt. She always supported me."

"...A... ko..."

"And you..." Her fists scream. "You... you... YOU... YOU..."

Everything floods.

"YOU ALL JUST TREAT HER LIKE GARBAGE!"

Everything that follows. Every second of seeing Ako's crying, broken face, every second of hearing her crying, broken tears.

Everything feels like it's dying.

Rain. 

Rain, rain, rain. Rain begins to pour from the clouds. Are infernos... supposed to feel like this? Every drop of water feels like a flick of fire. A fire that drenches her.

It's all burning down.

"...Go away. Just go away, and never come back!"

Ako turns her back, and leaves. She runs through the wet tiles, runs through the rain, runs away from the sea, runs away from the light, runs away from the port, runs away from Tomoe.

Ako's running... Ako's running.

No...

...no...

She screams in blood-curdling despair.

"...AKO!!!"


	14. Demon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter of Arc 1! Thank you SO much to everyone who read this so far, holy shit; it'll be a while before I start Arc 2, but I'll get the first chapter out before the end of December!
> 
> Content warning for imagery and symbolism involving blood and violent injury.

Even when the darkest clouds cover the sky, it's easy for her to see the stars. 

They're too bright for her to ignore, really. But that doesn't matter; she doesn't value most stars. They're not all they're cracked up to be. What she values instead... is something else that shines. Something that has a beautiful shine, all on its own; her friends.

It's raining, it's pouring, the acrobat can't be snoring. She's hopping from street to street, zipping through whole blocks in mere seconds. It's a handy talent of hers, being this nimble; it doesn't take much effort for her to traverse the musky dimly-lit pavement, especially this late at night. Although even considering the time, the city is eerily quiet right now; she hasn't seen more than two or three cars in the past few minutes.

Around the coast, huh... there's actually quite a lot of buildings around here. She's practically navigating a labyrinth, darting from place to place to find what she's looking for. Maybe it's the consequence of being near Central City; she could look up and behind to see the Haneoka Haven Stadium if she wanted to, but... nah. Not worth it. She's got her eyes looking for something else instead.

Good thing she brought a coat with her! Well, it's more of a ragged black robe than a coat, but it does the job just fine. It's got the hood and all. She doesn't get sick that often, so it's probably not a big deal.

Still, c'mon, c'mon... where's that monster-truck mom at? Where...

Ah. There we go.

Right in a little alleyway, one the rain can't get through. She gets an aerial view first; there's a metal staircase perched at a building next to her, so she scrambles by gripping the handles and hurling herself up at its side, skipping the whole 'walking up the steps' bit to reach the second level. She perches her feet on the banister and...

...Well, Tomoe looks like a mess.

She's panting, like her lungs can't even take the air in. She's completely drenched, not a coat or anything to speak of on her. Her red hair's soaked, drowning her eyes... but there's probably tears on her face, isn't there? It's visible just from the grimace on her mouth; there's none of Tomoe's hardiness in there. No perseverance, no slapped-on smile, not even a subtle kind of sorrow. Just the depths of pure anguish. That's... not good.

Fortunately though, this is exactly the kind of reason she came to find monster-truck mom; Afterglow has its downer moments from time-to-time, after all. Not to boast, but this chucklebag's got an impressive resume of emotional support. Giving out hugs and bags of bread when her pals are drowned in darkness is just what she's used by now.

So, she takes a leap from two stories, hops down, and slowly walks into the alleyway. Her friend needs her help again.

"Hey, Tomo~. Want a little RnR?" She puts on a soft smile and makes a cutesy, if muted voice, dancing through the air. A lower volume would help right now.

"..."

No response. That's a bad sign. She loses impulse control for a second, walking up to her precious friend and gently lifting her by the chin.

"..." 

It's a horrid expression. Seeing Tomoe's dulled eyes and broken brow nearly throws a stake through her heart.

"...Heh." Fake, hollow laugh. The words choke out. "Fancy... seeing you here, Moca."

"Thought I'd drop by, and see how Mom 2's doing. Did someone steal your groceries?"

"...How did you find me?"

She keeps her tone light as she responds. "A little birdie told me~. One of my many admirers. I think you might know her as Gorgeous Miss Uehara."

"Ha." Tomoe croaks. "You're sticky as always, huh? So I couldn't hide anything in the end. Everyone knows what a failure I am now."

"Welcome to the club~. Judging from the look on your face, I guess you found Ako, huh?"

"..." Tomoe pulls Moca's hand off. 

Evidently, hugs aren't wanted right now. So she leans back on the dirty brick wall and passes by the time. 

The rain hits the pipes above and the streets outside. 

"...Guessing it didn't go so well. Wanna tell ol' Moca about it?"

"No."

"You sure? I've always got an ear to lend to you, Tomoe."

"No. You don't need to hear this."

"...Got it," she responds.

It figures. Tomoe's expression is completely broken, and that tells Moca all she needs to know:

It was something really, REALLY bad.

Tomoe doesn't take mistakes well. She's supposed to be the big sister who solves every problem, after all. That's the role she gave herself. An argument with Ako, Ako running away from home afterwards... she's probably been torturing herself over that. She's like a knight burdened by her vows; protect those you care for, lest your kingdom cast you away.

There must've been a second argument too, because she looks even worse now than she did during the past week. Possibly one even bigger, one that completely destroyed her. Moca's never seen her friend at such a low point; she makes a note to see if Ako needs a hand too at some stage, since she owes that little demon a couple favors. It'd help everyone, really.

But first...

"What's your plan now?" She sings. "You don't look too good, after all. Sure you don't wanna call it a night like everyone else?"

"No... I can't." Tomoe mutters. "I have to look for Ako. I can't leave it like this."

"And what're you gonna do if you find her again?"

"..."

"It's probably not gonna end any better-"

"I know." Tomoe cuts in. "I know... I know. I screwed up, enormously. I was too blind to help her. I completely tuned out what she was going through without even realising it."

"..." Moca lets the silence pass.

"But... I have to. I... have... to find her. Even if I messed up, I can't leave Ako all alone. She has to come home, at least."

"And how're you gonna pull that off?"

"...How? It doesn't-!"

"Tomoe~." Moca leans forward, playing a harp through the fire. "Even ol' Moca won't pry if you don't want her to. But if you screwed up talking with Ako twice already... what makes you think a third time's gonna go any better?"

"You don't understand. I have to. She's in danger, and... she's my little sister."

"Tomoe. There's no point in doing something that'll just fail. You need to-"

"It doesn't matter...!" She barely heaves out. "She's not safe with them!"

Moca hops off the wall, and tries to walk towards her friend.

"DON'T! D-don't... sorry. I... just, not right now. Please."

Poor Tomoe. "Got it~," she responds. "...Who's Ako with right now?"

"..." Tomoe grits her teeth. "...Some dueling group called Roselia."

"Roselia, huh? Sounds right up Ako's alley."

"They're dangerous. She's not safe with them."

Tomoe doesn't elaborate further. Fair enough.

...But Moca knows, even if she's missing a few pages. Her friend's running a motorcycle on the verge of exploding. Tomoe's just going to blow herself to smithereens and burn everything down, if she keeps going like this. Moca's gotta add some coolant to her jets; she's got to lay down the ultimatum.

"...I'm going." Tomoe turns her back to Moca, and tries to stamp out. Her broken legs still want to move. She heads into the storm.

"Tomoe~."

The lullaby stops her friend, for a second. Both of them have left the alleyway; they're being battered by the rain now.

"...What?"

"You know what you've gotta do if you wanna get Ako back, right?"

"...What do you know?"

"Tomoe. Everyone can see it," she says. "Everyone knows how much you hide your screwups. They're worried about you."

Strained breath.

"Being such a cool big sis, who encases herself in that cold stone all the time... don't you think Ako tried to imitate you?"

"...Yeah. I know that now."

"Exactly~. You both fell apart because you tried to hold everything sad inside. You passed her down the Udagawa curse of being too emotionally repressed for sorrow. That's why everything went to shit, Tomoe."

"I know. Don't... remind me. I know why it happened."

"If you know, then you know what you've got to do next, right?"

"..."

"You gotta be honest, Tomoe~."

That single lyric makes Tomoe's fist ball. She hears a strangled sound.

"...I know..."

"I don't just mean expressing concern for her. I mean, you have to show your own FEARS to her. Your insecurities about her. Show her you're fallible."

"...I know..." Something's being pushed.

But she presses on regardless, just like always. "I don't know the details, but... you gotta set a better example for her. Just cry to her, tell her how much you love her, tell her why you're concerned in the first place, and work it out with her. Drop the invincibility act for one moment, and show that you're as vulnerable as she is. Then, you two can apologize and make up~."

"I know that!" Something boiling is being suppressed.

"Then you gotta do it~. Doesn't have to be a permanent change, either; you can go riiiiight back to being her cool big sister afterwards. She's always looked up to you, after all," she pushes. "Go, Tomoe."

Something is being pushed.

She keeps pushing. "Go and be honest with your sister. Tell her how you really feel."

"...!"

"You can do it."

"You're..."

"Hm?" 

"...you're..."

She slowly walks over to her friend. "What's wrong~? Dazzled by your lovely Moca's masterful advic-"

Tomoe's face.

"YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON I WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM!"

Moca freezes.

She can't make out more than a cut-off gasp.

"Do... do you have any idea how much we worry about you?!" Tomoe's voice creaks, aches. "Do you think you've been subtle?!"

Suddenly, she's lost every word.

"When was the last time you've been honest with us?! Every time we ask you if there's a problem, you deflect it! Every time you come back with the same barely-passing grades, you hide your frown and say it's not an issue!"

Every joke.

Every smile.

She can't respond.

"And every time we try to talk to you seriously, you just tell us you'll 'need a bit of time!' Even though... you never... change anything afterwards! I can't stand you!"

...

"Why?! I can't take it! Why don't you ever, ever just spit your stupid guts out and- Ah. I..."

...Oh.

Tomoe's stopped. Her voice is dead. There's a look of complete devastation on her face; somehow, it's even worse than the one she had before.

"...No... I'm... I-I'm sorry..."

Why does she look so sad? Moca's got to search for clues, just like always...

Ah.

It's her own face. Moca's usually jovial face. It probably looks torn right now, doesn't it?

...Haha. That's not a good look for her at all.

"I'm... sorry... I..." Tears flow, they drop. Tomoe starts crying... starts sobbing. That's not good. When was the last time she full-on sobbed?

"..."

"I'm sorry! I'm horrible, I... Moca, I... didn't mean to... I...!"

Tears, tears, tears. Tomoe's crying.

Tomoe's crying.

"Please don't leave... I... I..." Tomoe's voice is dying. It grows weaker and weaker, scorched further and further away by the inferno. It's so quiet now, so strangled.

There's the ring of a text message.

As if trying to save herself, Tomoe gets out her phone. Instantly. She looks at the screen through drowned eyes.

"...!" A gasp. "Lisa...?"

Nothing. Just nothing.

Moca can't move.

"..." Tomoe fails to wipe her tears. "Sorry. I'm going."

Tomoe runs.

Tomoe runs, away and away and away.

Leaving her alone in the rain.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Pitter, patter.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...It's her fault. Before she realised, she already got too close.

...

...Has it already ran out?

\---

Tears.

They come from two places. One is the sky. The other is her friend.

Her only friend is wailing.

It must be torturous.

Roselia's base. It's... quaint. It can comfortably house all 5 of them. If somebody wanted to, they could have a little holiday camp here with their friends; it's a nice little haven, tucked away from the woes of the world. And here, everything is dying.

In the middle of the room stands Rinko.

...She knew. She already realised. Don't judge yourself for it, don't rip yourself apart; that's the first step. The demon taught her that. The demon's standing by her side, right now.

That moment was far too terrifying for her. The inferno was raging; if she took a step further in, she felt like she'd be caught in the blaze, and get torn to pieces. She was far too scared to make her presence known. That's why she didn't head down the stairs, and try to stop the worst from happening. She couldn't stop the horrible argument from occurring, she couldn't stop the bond between sisters from being damaged... because she was far too terrified to face the sweltering fire. She didn't have the courage to face Tomoe at her worst.

Especially not when...

She turns to her right; there's a room containing a long thin table, adjacent to a kitchen.

On a chair at the edge, there sits Lisa.

Motionless. Lifeless. She doesn't move. Her hollow, light-deprived eyes are half-shut, staring down at the blank screen of a phone. Her face is stained with the trails of tears, tears which have lost the energy to flow. Her expression is gone. Nothing but the remnants of a wail.

Empty.

...Rinko had no idea she existed. But Tomoe was shattered by her, in some way. And that only made the inevitable outburst worse. Far too bad for Rinko to handle.

But there's something she can do now, at least. She turns away from Lisa, to the other side of the house. In an opposite room, on the other side of the spacious entranceway, there's a dining room containing a large wooden table surrounded by chairs. At the edges of the room, there's also a few darkened, green sofas.

And on one of those sofas, someone's crying. With her scattered, crushed, heartbroken eulogy, she's the only one making a sound in this place right now. The only sound in this sanctuary, other than the patter of the rain on the windows... is the unending wails of a broken young girl.

Rinko passes by Yukina and Sayo. They're standing in contemplation at the middle of the base, right at the end of the entranceway, below the lone portrait of a rose hanging on an empty wall. She walks past them, over to the friend she loves more than anything in the world.

A glass of water. Some tissues. It's something, hopefully, that could help. Rinko can't mend any wound, fix what's broken, now... but she can at least hold her friend up. This is the angel's wing.

Her friend doesn't look up. But the glass is taken. A single gulp, and it's set aside. Then her tears continue to fall, countless.

But the worst is yet to come. Wildfires spread fast; even in a place like this, the trees could quickly become swallowed whole. Roselia's secret base is going to face a flamestorm. Ako's expression is going to become even worse soon. She... needs to prepare.

So... she takes Ako's hands... in her own. Slowly, carefully. She can feel each finger shake as she holds them. Then... she moves to Ako's ear, and whispers.

...

There's a terrified yelp. Then, further sobbing. It's a cruel, cruel thing to be informed of. But you need to know when something invades, in order to defend against it.

...Ako thanks her. Rinko holds her trembling friend by the side. She carries Ako over to one of the spare rooms. There'll be a bed in there, some space to cry. Rinko gave the room an old laptop of hers, too; Ako'll need it, since she doesn't have her computer.

Step, after step, after step. She's supporting Ako's trembling body.

They reach the door. Rinko opens it. But before Ako goes inside, she turns back. Rinko sees the entirety of her misery, the entirety of her open pain. Every single part of her broken face. 

She has to suppress her screams when she sees Ako's sorrow, so that she doesn't lose herself in them. The demon helps with that; it tells her she's only one person. Ako can't rely on just one person as her sole emotional anchor. But that doesn't mean Rinko's useless, either. 

Ako grips her, tight, around her back. It's the most desperate hug in the world. Rinko gently wraps her arms around Ako in return, pulling her friend in. She can feel each and every last sob from her most beloved friend reverberate in her body.

It's the most crushing thing she's ever heard.

A minute passes. Ako loosens her grip, bit by bit. She's still recovering tears, even as she shakes her head and steps away.

There's one last, quiet thing she hears before her friend nods, and rushes into the room, slamming the door behind her.

"...T-thank you. I'm sorry."

...

There's subdued cries of despair. They run through the wooden walls.

...Rinko walks back into the entranceway. The angel's wing retreats, its mission done. Soon, it'll be the demon's turn.

Silence.

"...If we've recovered, then I'll address the elephant in the room." Sayo cuts.

Rinko and Yukina turn towards her. Lisa doesn't respond.

Sayo breathes, irritated. She's letting out a slow, gradual exhale, pouring all the frustration she can't vocalise out through it.

Then, she starts.

"Yukina Minato. You are the only person in the world I trust." 

She turns to face Roselia's leader.

"I would not hesitate to give my life for you. I may have my dreams, but I would gladly discard them and throw myself away for your sake, if it was necessary to tear the Shirasagi Duel Academy into pieces. But..." Sayo lifts her head. Yukina nods. "...I have my reservations about your methods in recruiting members. The way in which you've sought out suitable duelists seems highly in-" She cuts herself off and scowls. "Inefficient. Lisa Imai and Ako Udagawa do not seem suited to this path, even if they are skilled. And I have my doubts about your interest in Rinko Shirokane, too."

That could change, the demon smirks. Her violet eyes lavish from somewhere inside.

"I see." Yukina says. "Why do you believe they are unsuited?"

"This path is not one for the emotionally vulnerable," Sayo explains. "Joining Roselia and training to defeat the Shirasagi Duel Academy is a process akin to declaring the world your enemy. That is why we have lodged ourselves in this hidden base, no?"

"That bears some truth. After all, training to defeat a professional academic curriculum in dueling requires massive effort and investment. Spending time around others wastes that which you could spend on improving your skills."

"Exactly," Sayo responds, her brow furrowing. "Which is why I do not understand Lisa and Ako's presence. Both have had their resolves damaged by the way in which Roselia disconnects them from their friends and family. It is likely that this damage will continue to hurt them throughout their time here... and that will undoubtedly reduce their dedication to this group's cause. I ultimately will not object to your methods... but I do not think they are fit for this path."

"Are you certain?"

"...What do you mean?"

"I will ask my own question in return," Yukina says. "Who was responsible for tearing Ako Udagawa from her family?"

"Who? Well..." There's a couple of figures that come to mind immediately for Rinko... and likely for Sayo, too. Perhaps Yukina herself, or Tomoe.

But neither of them are the root cause. Rinko knows that.

"I would be the most likely suspect," Yukina says, slowly walking around the lobby. "But all I did was dig at an already existing wound. Even if I had not interfered, the damage to Ako's bonds with her loved ones would have worsened regardless. That is a natural consequence of the environment she... no, the environment we were all raised in."

"The environment. Do you mean... their influence?"

"You understand, then. As students of the Shirasagi Duel Academy, we both experienced the brunt of the cold night sky."

"You..." Sayo's eyes widen. "You were a student at-?"

"But that callous and oppressive atmosphere does not only exist within the SDA's confines. The Shirasagi Corporation breathes it as a mist across the entirety of Haneoka and Hanasakigawa." She stops, and turns. "Everyone is affected by their ruthless emphasis on violent competition."

"...Image," Sayo responds.

"Precisely. The Shirasagi Corporation prizes image. It claims the art of dueling as its throne, with Chisato Shirasagi at its helm, and challenges all to try and overcome it. And their challenge makes every duelist in the dual-district feel the urge to cleave through every opponent they meet... no matter the means. They thirst for the fame they could be given."

"And what does that have to do with Ako Udagawa?"

Rinko raises her voice.

"Ako..." The wolves' eyes turn towards her, but she tries to start. "...She... didn't get to duel in real life often. People... often rejected her. That's why we... played online so much, instead."

Yukina nods. "Ako is incredibly expressive. She is a powerful duelist with a unique identity; one that comes from the very core of her being. That would make her a natural target for bullying from other duelists, especially those from the SDA."

"I see. That's the kind of irrational behaviour I'd expect from them."

"No. There's a reason behind it," Yukina continues. "As we've established, the Shirasagi Duel Academy prizes image. However, it does not desire an image that comes from a genuine personality such as Ako's. Rather, it desires an image that comes from masks; fake, hypercompetitive personalities that people can adopt."

"...Right," Sayo sighs.

Rinko tenses. Her arms start to burn. The demon warns her.

"Though the Shirasagi Corporation's aims are ambiguous, one thing is clear; image from a mask gives them more profit than image from the soul. They have conditioned audiences into craving the most bloodthirsty, heartless and darwinistic portrayals of competition they can find. And they have brutally conditioned their students into becoming perfect fits for those masks... to the point where the masks warp those students' very beings. As a result, people with genuine dueling identity often become outputs for a student's rage."

She's coming.

"...LARPer... toddler..." Rinko says. "Those... were used often, as insults against Ako. People hated how she didn't feel embarrassed... and they got violent, when she acted as a necromancer. We became... scared of those people. That's why we turned to online play. But Ako spent a lot of time online... so her family started to curfew her."

"I understand your explanations so far," Sayo says, crossing her arms. "But I do not understand why this situation led to her arguing with her family."

"..." Rinko looks towards the entranceway.

The inferno is coming.

"I have observed a lot of Ako's duels alongside Yukina, as well as the behaviour of her sister," Sayo continues. "And from what I can tell, Ako is very dutiful, sociable and expressive for her age. I do not make optimism a habit of mine, but... a family who behaves like Tomoe does would, logically speaking, support and protect her from bullying. So why did that not end up-"

"Later." Rinko says it stronger than she thought she would. "We can talk about it afterwards."

"What? Why?" Sayo asks.

"Because... she's here."

"...What?"

Even Yukina's a little surprised. "Is she still searching for Ako?"

Rinko nods. She keeps her eyes trained on the doorway.

...

It's audible. Footsteps. Their staggered, incoherent rhythm... it's like a malfunctioning motorcycle's engine. It's roaring from outside, even through the sound of the rain.

She's arrived, uncontrollably razing all down.

SLAM!

Fear. On instinct, Rinko backs into the dining room, hoping red doesn't set its eyes on her. It's something even Sayo jolts at. The door has been kicked wide open, miraculously remaining on its hinges... and a figure is lit by the dim light.

The rain pours behind her. There's a few scuffs on her arms, patches of dirt on her white top, even a bruise on the side of her face; how many times did she trip or fall, on the way here? How many times did she have to desperately try and catch her breath? How many times did she have to wipe the rain from her fringe, so she could keep looking forward? How many times did the rider's motorcycle crash into pieces, only for her to reassemble it haphazardly and keep moving, all the while spreading a gigantic, unstoppable catastrophe behind her?

Only Tomoe's eyes know the answer to that question. She stands, panting like the grim reaper has come for oxygen.

"Y-you."

It's such a quiet, desperate voice; like it's almost completely out of energy. Why does the rider still wander in the heat of her own flames?

"Ako. Where... is she?"

She's shut the door behind her. It's eerily silent, suddenly, as her dripping form steps onto the carpet, staring down Yukina from the other side of the corridor. Each drop of water falling from Tomoe's body looks like oil when it stains the carpet.

Yukina merely closes her gaze shut. She doesn't respond.

Tomoe grits her teeth. She turns to Lisa, and tries to ask the same question... but it's quashed the second she meets Lisa's eyes. The emptiness practically infects Tomoe's expression, and she's unable to look at them any further.

She turns to Sayo instead. The mythril wolf sighs, seeming much more content to respond; "She's in one of the rooms at the back."

Tomoe takes a step forward.

"What do you plan on doing?" Yukina cuts in.

"...Bringing her home."

"That is no longer possible."

Red, bloodshot red. Tomoe's eyes tighten as she stamps towards Yukina. "Are you going to try and stop me?"

"There's no need. You are simply fated to fail, in your current state."

"...Who do you think you are?" A balled fist. Two people's teeth grit. Lisa watches from the side.

"You have demonstrated your inability to understand your sister's challenges on multiple occasions. She is a member of Roselia now, no matter what you do."

"...You... you!"

Tomoe's fangs bare. She rushes forward and aims a fist right at-

The movement's fear-striking. Heartbeats spike.

Sayo's hand just stopped her fist stone-cold. 

"CONTROL YOURSELF!" Mythril bleeds. Her grip is horrifically strong. "...Do not resort to mindless violence. You have an example to set for the people around you. Follow it."

Tomoe's eyes widen; they're almost indignated. But her arm loses some tension. "...Let go of me," she says.

Sayo obliges, and coolly steps back. Tomoe takes a second to breathe in and out.

"Yukina Minato," Tomoe asks. "Why are you getting in my way?"

"You may find it shocking, but even I would rather minimise the emotional strain of this situation," Amber responds. "Any further tension would be impractical for everyone here. I do not see the point in letting you start another conflict with your sister."

"..."

"You are already aware at this point, are you not?"

"...Yeah. I know what a worthless, pathetic screwup I am. I know just how much I failed to understand what she was going through," Tomoe responds. "But... that doesn't matter. Do you know what's going to happen to Ako if she leaves home entirely, and stays here?"

No response.

"Everything is going to fall apart. It's not just our family. It's going to be legal frameworks, it's going to be school. Her teachers. Her grades. Her future's going to crumble."

The rain keeps falling.

"I don't know how long you plan on keeping her here... but no matter what the situation is, it's going to be better resolved if Ako's at home. She CAN'T stay here," she pants. "And I don't trust any of you with her. Especially not you. Not after what you and Lisa did."

Someone else's breath hitches.

...Rinko thinks. How long will she remain an observer to this?

She knows. She has a chance now. Tomoe's not irreconcilable anymore. But... Rinko is still a target for blame, alongside Roselia, isn't she?

...No... even if Tomoe jumps to that conclusion, it could be possible to convince her otherwise, now. Rinko just needs to let go of the fear she holds... if only for a moment. She wants to, she needs to.

"Your concerns are understandable. They're as human as any other sibling's," Yukina says. "But I cannot let you take Ako. Even if you have a better understanding now, you two are ill-equipped to talk to each other."

"...It doesn't matter..."

"Even I can tell that Ako absolutely does not want to see you. It's evident to anyone that she's crushed with guilt from-"

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER!" Tomoe barely roars. "I... I'll lose everything if she's gone. I'll lose everything I care for. If I fail to bring her back home, then nobody... nobody... I... I have to bring her back!"

Yukina sighs. "You have no intention of leaving without her, then. But she is vital to Roselia's goal. I cannot let you speak to her."

There's an ominous silence. Several pairs of eyes are being laid upon Yukina. The mythril wolf, filled with doubt. The broken knight, filled with despair. The burning rider, filled with hate, and...

...Herself. Rinko feels like she has a better understanding of Yukina now. After all, there's a very good reason why Ako fits into Roselia so well. Ultimately, Ako's enemy... and Rinko's, are the very same as Roselia's. There's a commonality between all of them.

She's had enough of being unable to face the light. She wants to step forward.

Tomoe's breathing is ragged. Evidently, Sayo has stopped her from doing anything drastic. But she's still searching for a route.

"...A duel."

Rinko breathes when she hears those words.

"We can settle it through a duel," Tomoe pants.

"Excuse me?" Sayo exclaims. "You want to settle this matter through a duel? Are you mad?"

"That's... what defines all of us, after all." Tomoe tries to reason. "We all duel. We can settle this... by dueling."

"What kind of logic-"

"Very well." Yukina cuts in, and opens her eyes. "After all, dueling is a path to communication. If you can win a duel against one of Roselia's members, I will force Ako to leave Roselia."

Rinko breathes. She tries to step forward. 

It's horrifying. Tomoe thinks Roselia is a threat. If Rinko steps out from the shadows and reveals herself, then Tomoe'll get to confirm what she's probably suspected all along; that Rinko was a danger to Ako the whole time.

...No. It doesn't have to end that way. Tomoe's aware of her own mistakes. And Rinko knows a lot about her, thanks to Ako; she's not usually the type to condemn people as evil. Rinko met her once, very briefly, in the past. She wants to believe that Tomoe's stare back then... wasn't hostile. Merely cautious, as any protective sibling is. 

That's why... she's going to step forward.

"...Right." Tomoe says, arming her duel disk to her wrist. "Who's it going to be?"

"Count me out." Sayo says. "I have no intention of engaging in such a pointless conflict."

"Then it'll have to be you, Yukina."

The demon yells to her; cast aside your fear! Step forward!

When she sees Tomoe's face, she wants to condemn herself. Condemn herself for every way in which she could have contributed to Ako's situation. Her body shakes, she tries to breathe. It's terrifying. But she's not the only factor. And she knows... she shouldn't be condemned. Roselia's made her understand; she doesn't have to live in self-hate, live in fear.

In fact... this is also an opportunity.

It's time for the demon's wing to spread. It's been suppressed for far, far too long.

'Unleash it.'

"Very well then," Yukina responds. "I'll-"

"Please wait!"

She steps out from the shadows. There's a look of surprise from Sayo, one of shock from Tomoe... and a neutral expression from Yukina, who's quickly assessing her.

"I..." She takes the biggest breath she's ever made...

...and stares red head-on.

"I'll... duel her," Rinko declares. "P-please let this be my entrance exam for Roselia."

"What?" Sayo says.

"Who..." Tomoe blinks. "No. You. I've seen your face before."

Rinko tries not to shake.

"It's funny," she chuckles, sarcastically. "I've seen so little of you that I barely even recognized you... Rinko." She draws her fiery blade instantly. "Yeah, I'm fine with this. In fact, I don't want to be dueling anyone but you right now. You have a lot of explaining to do."

It's terrifying. But... but...!

Spread... your... wings!

"Very well," Yukina says. "This works out rather conveniently, as a matter of fact. Tomoe will face Rinko, then."

The raindrops hit the windows. Thunder strikes the world. It almost feels as if every drop of rain... is setting the ground on fire.

"...You," Tomoe glares at her opponent. "Were you with Roselia all along? Was it you who encouraged Ako to join them?"

"..."

"No. Even further back than that. You went with Ako to Central City just over a week ago, too. So she could break her curfew and duel. Was all that because of you, too?"

In some ways, it's as she imagined it to be. And in other ways, it's not.

"...Answer me!" Tomoe yells. 

"I'm..." Rinko stands up straight, and lets the air flow through her. "...beginning the duel..."

Breathe.

"...now."

Her left hand glides through the storm. 

Five glowing green lines trail from the movement of her fingers; she weaves the stave, writes the incantation. Her left hand flies out, leaving the glowing stave in place. Then, her right hand places its fingers on top, starting at the far end... and steadily playing through. An achromatic melody softly rings through the air.

The entire floor becomes alight; it intensifies, at first, causing Tomoe to cover her eyes. But it settles, and fades into translucency. Shy green wisps flutter through the edges of the entranceway. 

Then, the lines fly away from their positions, three to the left, two to the right. They curl through and weave through each other... until every magical line flies to her left arm, and starts dancing around her wrist. She hears gasps. It's not that the pieces of the stave are creating something; rather, they're illuminating the edges of something that already exists. Their glow indicates the presence of a duel disk on Rinko's wrist.

She holds her arm in front of her. As if called into being, the disk's form loses its transparency, until the glowing lines of the stave fade. Left is a crystal of crimson shaped like the seal of a sword, buried in a pool of purple. And from the podium... a blade begins to grow. Continuously, its otherworldly form emerges with an accelerating, subdued flourish, one that reveals the full length as equalling Rinko's entire width.

It's a blurred blade of nothing but pure black, shaped like the silhouetted wing of a demon.

Their disks alight, **4000LP** gathers. 5 cards in the hand, each and every one matters.

Tomoe grits her teeth.

"**...DUEL!**"  
"**...DUEL!**"

"_I'll go first_," Rinko cuts clean. She spreads her cards across her hand, and figures out what she needs. But her turn doesn't start yet.

"...Why didn't you ever say anything to us?"

She... keeps her expression calm, as she faces the red.

"All the time you spent with Ako, all the time you spent supporting her, and you never told us a single thing about yourself. I've known of you for two years, but I feel like I don't know you at all. So, please, tell me... are you the one who encouraged her to join Roselia?"

She's desperate, the demon mutters. You're being used as a scapegoat.

"...Please, answer me!" Tomoe begs. "Why don't you answer me? If you were so close to Ako, why did you never say anything to us?"

How dare you. I was never obligated to give you an answer at all!

But that's not what Rinko's real response is. 

"...It's because... I'm afraid of you."

Tomoe's breath is shaking. "I could tell. But... why? What are you hiding from us? Is fear really the only reason you've been avoiding us, all this time? Even though you and Ako care about each other so much?"

"...Yes."

"W-what?"

Rinko's cards shine. Each loses their form, and becomes a gleaming magical orb. They orbit in line around her, forming a ring. Her right hand weaves an incantation, and an orb of dark blue flies into her hand, bursting into a circular rune. Her eyes briefly glow in the same colour. "...I summon _Witchcrafter Potterie in attack position._"

The rune splits into several of the same design; they plaster the floor, the walls, the ceiling, even the surface of everyone's bodies, like the reflections of a crystal ball. Then, they fly to Rinko's front and weave into a portal, rotating and spinning round and around until the monster's form emerges. A young infantile witch has been created, one who stumbles on the spot until she gets her bearings in the wispy field; she's holding a miniature staff meant for clay molding in her hands, worth just **0 ATK.** Her card appears on Rinko's demonic wing as she emerges, providing a soft light on the blanket of black.

"..._Witchcrafter Potterie's_ effect," she starts. "By discarding a spell card from my hand and tributing her, I can special summon another Witchcrafter monster from my deck."

Another orb around her bursts into wisps, forms a card, and sends itself to Rinko's graveyard. Potterie's form shines.

Tomoe gasps. "That spell card...! It's!"

"I choose to summon _Witchcrafter Edel._"

Potterie dissipates, and colours the wisps blue. From Rinko's disk, another rune pattern emerges, splitting and dancing on the walls again as her eyes borrow its colour. Like with Potterie, each pattern slowly coalesces into a spiral until it weaves a larger portal in front of Rinko. Out of this one...

...Comes a new grinning fiend. Her purple hair is tied into a ponytail that nearly reaches her elbows. Adorned in a beautiful violet gown, she whirls her wrench-shaped staff round and round, flourishing it however she pleases. A gem of crimson gleams in the center of the staff, worth **2000 ATK.** She continues to dance, laughing all the way...

...until she sees Rinko's opponent, and scowls.

"I activate the effect of _Metalfoes Fusion_ in my graveyard," Rinko says. "By shuffling this card back into my deck, I can draw 1 card."

A new orb appears at her side. She can see Tomoe's fist clench.

"..._Metalfoes Fusion_, huh? Is this some kind of joke?"

How presumptuous, the demon mutters.

"I learned about this card... because of you," Rinko responds. "Ako... told me about the kind of deck you use."

"Hah. Makes sense."

"That's why," she manages, "I'll show you what kind of deck I use too. I... activate Edel's effect. I'll discard the spell _Magician's Restage_... to special summon _Witchcrafter Haine_ from my hand."

Breathe.

Edel's face burns in determination. The gem of crimson glows at her front... and a blinding bloom of crystal flowers emerges in entire troves around her.

Eyes turn a faded grey. Immediately, Rinko's arms fly to either side... and crystals grow at her fingertips. An orb bursts, and the flowers around Edel turn into threads. With subtle, elegant movements, the threads somehow tie together at a brilliant pace... until another brilliant portal gleams in the wisps' light.

Haine emerges. Beneath her dusk hair lies a stern, almost pompous expression. As she descends to the field, magical implements flow in the breeze around her outfit; the ends of her sleeves and cape look almost like black wings. Needles fly around her intricate staff, capable of sewing any masterpiece one could possibly demand. She stares down her opponent with a hostile **2400 ATK.**

"The effect of _Magician's Restage_," Rinko declares. "When this card is sent to the graveyard, I can add another Magician continuous spell to my hand. I choose _Magician's Right Hand._" Another green orb replaces the previous.

"I see," Sayo comments. "How efficient. She's discarding spells that can replace or recycle themselves, giving her more resources for her monsters' effects."

Yukina doesn't say anything. The amber gaze simply imprints itself on Rinko's back... it's intimidating, having the wolves assess her. And it's daunting, having someone who sees her as a threat stare her down from across the entranceway.

But the demon doesn't back down, not even for a second. So Rinko hopes that her power will be enough.

Her hand beckons, and an orb flies in. "...I activate the spell card _Witchcrafter Holiday_," she says. "Using this card, I'll special summon _Witchcrafter Potterie_ back from my graveyard."

It bursts. Blue fades from the wisps, and coalesces into Potterie's form once more. This time, she's timidly shielding herself with a **2000 DEF** clay dinosaur.

"Three monsters, huh?" Tomoe mutters. "No wonder Ako thinks you're so good. She must have been willing to listen to anything you said."

Rinko grimaces.

"You said you fear me, Rinko. But to be honest, I fear you too. I was happy when I first learnt Ako had a new friend, and I was happy to hear how much she supported her. But when Ako told me she was too shy to visit any of us, I got suspicious. I was scared."

Of course, the demon mutters. I'm nothing but stranger danger, am I?

Rinko nods. "I... think that's a normal reaction, for someone to have."

"Then, can I ask you a question? Did you see Ako, while she was running away from home? Did you ever talk to her?"

"...I did," she responds. "I... didn't talk to her directly. But I stayed in contact, and watched her duels, sometimes."

"Why didn't you stop her?" Tomoe asks. "Didn't you ever consider how dangerous it was for her?"

"...I considered it," Rinko says. "But... again, I was too afraid."

"W-why? What were you afraid of? Was it me?"

Unleash it.

"...Partly, yes." Rinko responds, closing her eyes. "But... it wasn't just you I was afraid of."

Unleash it!

"I was also afraid of... myself."

The three Witchcrafters' eyes narrow. Their gazes pierce into Tomoe's soul.

"I activate the continuous spell card _Magician's Right Hand._"

An orb disappears. Rinko's eyes open, and the violet in them shakes, shudders... it's as if they verge on changing. She gently raises her right arm.

Then...

CRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCK!

She can hear people gasp.

Violet alights. Her arm mutates, scorches. A morbid, pitch-black appendage screeches out. The palm pulses, the fingers shiver, the nails are jagged claws. It's visceral, towering... it's about four times the size of her softer, ordinary hand.

It's terrifying to all who see it. Electricity threatens to do more than just dance around it.

"As long as I control a Spellcaster-Type monster," Rinko explains, "The first spell card that my opponent activates and resolves each turn... is negated and destroyed. With that, I end my turn."

The air is tense.

"...Afraid of yourself, huh?" Tomoe says. "Did you think you were going to hurt Ako?"

"Yes. I did not discourage her from trying to join Roselia... and so I wondered. I wondered if my presence... was pushing her away from her family."

"Then, you agree with me." There's a sharpened blade of fire in her eyes, pointed at Rinko's throat. "You think Ako should return home too."

"...I..."

The wording, it's so hard to find. It's... so hard to convince the world Rinko's not a threat. To convince the world that when she duels, she's not hurting anyone.

"...I also think that it would've been... ideal for Ako, if she returned home. For all the reasons you said. Her grades. Her friends. Her future. H-her family." She shakes, gripping her demonic arm with her other hand. "But... I also know that if she returned home, she'd be banned from dueling for a long time. Possibly permanently. I..."

Take a deep breath.

"...feared that I would lose my only friend."

"..." Tomoe's scowling. Rinko is becoming a target for her blame. "...That's why? Are you kidding me?"

Rinko tries to keep stable.

"I knew it. I knew I shouldn't have trusted you. I can't trust anyone, can I?" Tomoe laughs. "You thought that if we banned Ako from dueling, we'd also stop her from seeing you again. You really were THAT scared of us. Are we MONSTERS to you?"

Rinko gulps. She can feel every nerve in her body scream in panic, as Tomoe turns bloodshot.

"It's funny, almost. You were so afraid of us that you endangered Ako's future out of your own paranoia!" She roars. "You didn't do what you thought was best for Ako, because you were too selfish! You were too afraid of losing her!"

And what of it?! Is it so wrong for me to-

But Rinko cuts the demon off. "...No! That's not... the full story!" she manages.

"_I don't want to hear it! I'm taking my turn now!_" Tomoe yells, holding a card up to the air; it threatens to break the entire entranceway into an inferno. "I activate _Metalfoes Fusion!_ My materials are two _Metalfoes Volflames_ in my hand!"

"THAT'S NOT... THE FULL STORY!"

For the briefest of seconds, there's a flash of red in Rinko's eyes. In desperation, her arm screams; twisting and pulsing, it expands at a horrific speed out towards Tomoe, brutally gripping around Tomoe's hand. "_Magician's Right Hand_ activates! Your _Metalfoes Fusion_ is destroyed!" The spiralling flames around her card are clamped, suppressed.

Tomoe's scowl doesn't change; she merely just lowers her own arm back down. "...I activate the effect of _Metalfoes Fusion_ in my graveyard. By shuffling it back into my deck, I can draw 1 card. Tell me, Rinko; what more IS there to this story, then?"

"...It's ...true that I'm afraid of losing Ako. But..." she shudders. "I'm... also afraid for Ako, if she returns home."

"What? What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Your parents will, without a shred of doubt... ban Ako from dueling if she returns home now," Violet states. "What do you think will happen to Ako, if she's locked away from dueling forever?"

"..."

"You know... the answer." 

"I... know that! I know... I know how much Ako likes dueling, and I know how much she likes you. I know Mom and Dad would punish her for running away, because they made the same mistake as I did... we all assumed she was getting by just fine. And... I don't want to tear her apart from everything she loves outside of her family! But she has to come home!" Tomoe tries not to cry. "Her entire life's in jeopardy if she doesn't, and you know that! You know it'd be better for Ako if she came home!"

"No. I only said... that it would be ideal. I don't... think the ideal situation will happen now. Ako will be saddened no matter what happens."

"Then what IS going to happen, Rinko? What's going to happen to my little sister?"

"...There are... two outcomes," Rinko says. "The first is that she returns home... and keeps her loving family and future, at the cost of everything else."

"E-everything else?"

Rinko nods. "She'll lose everything else... she'll lose the interest she's the most passionate about, and the place where she can feel safe to express herself... online. Because offline, at school, Ako doesn't experience anything but rejection. Not only that... but she'll also lose her closest friend... because you see me as a threat."

"You..." Tomoe growls. "You think you're Ako's closest friend?"

"Yes," the demon responds. "T-the second outcome... is that she leaves home for a while, and joins Roselia. She'll keep her interest, her haven and her friend... at the cost of losing her loving family and damaging her future."

"And you really think the second outcome would be healthier?"

"No. I... don't think either would be healthy. Neither is the ideal. But... I know which one Ako would pick. Ako would pick the latter, because she refuses to have her identity suppressed... even if the suppressor is her own family." Rinko tries to solidify her gaze. "And I know... that if either of us tried to steer her away from that choice, it would hurt her."

"Hah. Sounds like Ako," Tomoe responds. "You really do know her well, don't you?"

"I do. That's why I'm... s-standing in your way now, Tomoe."

"I see. I guess I misjudged you." She says, without loosening the gripped fist. "But... tell me this, Rinko. How long would Ako be away from home for, if she joined Roselia?"

"..." Rinko can feel the sweat drop from her brow. "...I... don't know."

"I can't accept that." 

The inferno returns. Her arm only stopped it temporarily.

Tomoe doesn't budge an inch. "I won't accept Ako falling into the hands of people I can't trust, away from home for potentially months on end. No matter how pathetic I am, no matter how much I've messed up, I WILL bring her back home. I have to. And I'm going to do it..." she spreads the cards in her hand. "...by defeating you. I summon _Metalfoes Steelen in attack position._"

Rinko watches, as a rider's motorcycle blazes onto the field despite **0 ATK.** Steelen stares through burning eyes, right through every monster on the opposing side. The Witchcrafters take a step back in fear. Is she really powerless to stop all this?

"Rinko," her opponent says. "Prepare yourself, because I'm going to end this madness here and now. Right on this very turn." 

"...She's going to do a one-turn kill?" Sayo asks.

"That's right." Tomoe takes a step forward. Rinko's monsters cower, fear entering their faces. "I swear to you, Rinko... this duel's going to be decided in a single hit."

She cowers. She feels like all she can do is watch, as the fire spreads regardless. The entire grounds of this haven will soon be consumed by never ending flame.

...No. She'll... keep standing her ground. No balled fist, no lean; she simply removes tensenss from her posture, and looks forward.

Tomoe's right. A single attack will end it, on this turn.

"I'm glad that you took my bait, Rinko," Tomoe says. "Because now you're wide open. I'm going to mow right through you and bring Ako back."

Lightning crackles. The earth shakes, splitting open for lava.

Tomoe throws her eyes wide-open. They're red, bloodshot red; her eyes are going to burn anything and everything in their path to a crisp. "I activate the quick-play spell card _Super Polymerization!_ I'm going to summon a Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck... using monsters from BOTH sides of the field as materials!"

She can hear a gasp.

Bolts of electricity rush through the entire entranceway. Tomoe's hair flares, the tips turning into flickering flames. Her eyes are drowned in shadow... but she throws her dying arm out to one side, slamming her fist against the wall, as everything around her crumbles into pieces from the unstoppable, raging inferno.

"My materials are _Metalfoes Steelen_ on my side, and _Witchcrafter Haine_ and _Witchcrafter Potterie_ from my opponent's side!"

Burning, everything is burning. Everything is falling apart. The wisps dancing around Rinko die, the last orb by Rinko's side shivers. She looks to her side... and sees Lisa's eyes. They don't reflect any light; her empty irises only see Tomoe's flames.

_Witchcrafter Edel_ shudders in fear; her expression is shocked, terrified, strayed between anger and despairing horror as she watches her friends and their implements become sucked into the raging portal at Tomoe's front. Her purple ponytail billows in the wind as she can do nothing but watch everything burn away. She shakes.

A rage of fire and electricity screams. Silverd hovers in front of the portal; metal plates fly away to reveal a bodysuit underneath... one ready to take on a new terrifying armor, as the monster becomes thrown into the chaos.

"Burning metal machine, lose yourself to the flame borne from fear! Give in to the abyssal inferno you call home... and sacrifice each and every last part of your body until your rampage brings ruination to every building in sight! Until the day my world falls to pieces, carry me forward no matter how much you break down, and drown all you come across in the fire of despair!"

It spills, bursts. Tomoe lifts her head, and her irises roar red, bloodshot red.

"_Fusion Summon! Level 9!_ Ride forever, _**Metalfoes Crimsonite!**_"

Unable to be contained, the fire consumes all. The haven is set alight.

Rinko calmly stares down the horror.

Every surface is drenched by fire. A gigantic, heaving pile of metal crushes the ground beneath its feet, barely keeping each of its groaning parts together. It's a hulking, crumbling, forever-burning behemoth of a vehicle. What was once a motorcycle has slowly been transformed into a terrifying, dishevelled weapon, focused on absolutely nothing but moving forward. The face of the rider at the helm can no longer be seen. At the sides of its heaving frame, its arms and legs are agonisingly fitted to the brim with exhaust pipes, exhaling nothing but fire. The pipes on the arms spew so much that the flames form what could barely be called blades; with **3000 ATK,** they torch any surface on contact instantly.

"...I activate the quick-play spell card _Psychic Fervor!_" Tomoe declares.

The shaking only intensifies, the flame only grows. The card in her hand bursts into a raging ball of electricity, and she desperately grips it with both hands to prevent it from overloading. "...By paying... life points, equal to the ATK of a Psychic-Type monster on my side of the field..." she heaves, "...I can double that monster's ATK until the end of the turn! I choose... _Metalfoes... Crimsonite!_"

"What?! Are you out of your mind?" Sayo yells.

Her shock falls on deaf ears; Tomoe grits her teeth as she tightens her grip, tearing herself all the way down to **1000LP** just to pay the card's cost.

In exchange, Crimsonite shakes. Lava pours through its veins, and every joint wails in agony as it seethes up to **6000ATK.**

Rinko doesn't waver.

"That's..." Sayo observes. "_Witchcrafter Edel_ only has **2000ATK.** That's a 4000-point differential... she chose the other two Witchcrafters as Fusion Materials, knowing Crimsonite could take out Rinko's life points in one hit..."

"I'm not going to wait on seeing my sister any longer, Rinko. You've stood in my way for long enough!" Tomoe bares her fangs. Endless rage runs through, and she screams; "I'm ending this duel here and now! _Metalfoes Crimsonite_... attack _Witchcrafter Edel!_"

The demon stares a raging inferno, head on.

Unstoppable Rampage. Crimsonite hunkers, aiming the exhaust pipes on its arms and legs to its front. The lava they boil out quickly creates countless sparks, and relentless relentless reactions culminate into chains upon chains of horrifying bursts of fire, until the entire monstrosity blazes alight. The entirety of Crimsonite's front becomes a spiralling, merciless inferno which blocks the entire entranceway. Explosions are about to mercilessly reave through the entire field.

"...AKO, COME HOME!"

The reaction overloads. 

Crimsonite's sounds echo death throes as Rinko stares down the desperate vortex. The explosions are about to swallow her whole.

Then, everything fades to white.

...

...

...

A room of pure black. No walls or floors can be seen. A rustic telephone buzzes intermittently in front of her.

But Rinko turns around. 'You... don't need to call me. I know you're here.'

Violet eyes stare into Rinko. Black wings and blacker hair unfurl, as the demon tosses the flask aside and stands from her chair. Her expression can't settle on an emotion other than confusion as she approaches Rinko head on.

'Why don't you unleash it?' She asks.

'...I did,' Rinko responds.

'I meant more than THAT. I meant everything. Your rage, your agony.'

Silence.

The demon frowns. 'Doesn't it anger you? Doesn't it eat away at your blood, to know that you're seen as a monster?'

'...It does anger me.'

'Exactly. That's why you should destroy them.' The demon lurches forth; she holds Rinko's mutated right arm in one hand, and Rinko's chin in the other. 'Those who laughed at you for years on end, those who scorned you. All those idiots like that red-haired rider, all those pathetic pieces of garbage who look down on you! They all attack you... just because you have your own desires. Just because you have your own interests. Doesn't that make you want to CRUSH them?'

'...There's no need to crush anyone,' she responds. 'I'll assert myself... as much as I need to.'

'Oh, what a peacemaker,' the demon drips. 'What are you, a doormat? Will you only make your voice heard if it's for the sake of your precious little Ako?'

'No matter what I desire, Tomoe sees me as a threat. And I want to convince her otherwise.'

'You're not obligated to do that! She's gone delusional! She was about to beat someone to a pulp, before that mythril wolf stepped in.'

'No. Tomoe is a reasonable person. She's just... stressed. Burnt. Worn out...' Rinko breathes. 'I... respect her a lot... even if I've barely met her. I want to help her back up. And... I want to assure her Ako will be safe. That's my desire.'

'As if! What about the ACTUAL reason you're here? Why waste time thinking about any of this, when you can just crush that rider under your boot and have Roselia in your grasp? Everything could be yours! Quit lying to yourself! Quit castrating yourself for others and unleash me-'

The demon's cut off; Rinko's taken her counterpart's wrist, using her mutated right hand, and held it to one side. Then, she breathes.

'...I have... no intention of denying you. I know just how important you are now,' she says. 'But I won't settle for just selfishness or selflessness. You... accuse me of lying to myself. But you are not the only true side of me; I exist too.'

'Tch.'

'I... want to join Roselia. I want to unleash my power on this cruel world. But... I also want to help my friends. Is it so wrong to desire both?'

A lengthy sigh. 'Hmph! I can't stand you,' the demon pouts. 'You always say so much with so little. What made you grow up so big and strong?'

'...It's thanks to Roselia. Thanks to Ako. And it's also... because of you. Look at me.'

The demon obliges. She seems satisfied, for now.

'We... are one and the same,' the angel says. 'So let's not deny each other. Let's combine our powers... and follow our desires.'

'...Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... right. Well...' The demon makes a smile oozing with charisma. 'Guess that doesn't sound so bad. Let's show them what we've got, shall we?'

Rinko smiles back. '...Yes.'

Their palms connect. And the second they do so... the telephone fades, and the room blinks to white.

...

...

...

The dust is thick.

There's no more fire. Only the final remnants of a rampage that's roared since the day began.

Nobody knows what happened. People have to cover their eyes. Neither duelist can see the other side of the field just yet...

...But Rinko can hear countless machine parts scatter to the wayside, bouncing and breaking on the floor.

Even through it, she can see. And as the dust begins to settle, so can everyone else. Tomoe's side of the field has become visible to all.

Crimsonite is gone. Tomoe's staring in disbelief.

"What- ah." She hears Sayo say. "I should have suspected as much."

"...What... happened...?" Tomoe utters.

...

...The dust settles on Rinko's side of the field.

She can hear Tomoe's jaw drop. She wonders how everyone sees her.

Wings.

There's a radiant light emanating, in front of the rose portrait in the entranceway. Rinko isn't visible to the others... because two gigantic wings cover her front. They're large enough to shield Witchcrafter Edel; the witch who was shutting her eyes and trembling, waiting for the end... opens them now, finding herself in one piece.

Two. One is the beautiful wing of an angel; soothing dawn travels out from one shoulder blade, feathers of white curling around Rinko's left. The feathers at the bottom dip into the gradient of another colour; violet.

And the other... is the awe-striking wing of a demon. It's rough, scaled, clawed. Sinful dusk rips through from the other shoulder blade, scales of black curling around Rinko's right. And the scales at the bottom sink into the gradient of another colour; red. Rinko's right eye reflects that colour.

Violet Red is running its course.

The wings open, displaying their jaw-dropping forms at either side. She can feel the eyes of almost every duelist in the room stare at her.

The final orb at Rinko's side fades. "...The effect of the monster card _Honest_ in my hand," she says. "By discarding this card from my hand, I can... make a LIGHT-Attribute monster gain ATK... equal to the ATK of the monster it's battling."

Tomoe's expression is stuck in time. Frozen in disbelief.

"_Witchcrafter Edel_ gained ATK equal to that of Crimsonite," Rinko says, "making her total ATK... **8000.**"

Tomoe's LP drops to **0.** The metal tumbles at her side, until every hologram fades; the fire, the wings, the vehicle, the witch, the mutated arm. Blades are sheathed. The base returns to normal.

The motorcycle has made its last journey.

"..." Tomoe's head lowers.

But Rinko takes a deep breath... and approaches her.

"...Hah," Tomoe speaks as she stands close, devoid of any tone. "...What am I even doing, anymore? What am I trying to accomplish through any of this?"

Muster the courage.

"...I'm a complete and utter failure. Ako's left home for good now, and it's all my fault." Tomoe lifts her head, and Rinko sees her empty eyes. "I should've realised it the second I got here. She didn't ever come out to see me. She hid the whole time... hid from me. I've made my own sister hate me."

Rinko breathes. It's terrifying like nothing else. But... she gently takes Tomoe's hands, into her own. The red-haired rider blinks in response.

"...I... don't think Ako hates you," Rinko starts. "She was angry, but... I think now, she's scared. Scared that her anger... hurt you."

Pain.

"She... feels guilty, now... I think. She told me a lot about you over the years. Lots of stories... about how you were the best big sister anyone could ask for. Kind, warm, always looking out for her."

"...The best, huh? Well, I screwed that up big time." Another fake laugh. Her brow barely manages a frown. "...We used to try and defend her from bullies. We'd launch complaints whenever someone tried to attack or exclude her. We protected her. But... eventually, we stopped doing that. We thought Ako grew a thick enough skin to stop it, and assumed that bullying... was just the sort of thing school always had in store."

The natural state. Suppression, exclusion, hatred, violence... Tomoe's not wrong in saying that's how this dual-district is. She's not wrong in thinking it's the norm.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

"Maybe it's just because I became immune to bullies myself," Tomoe says. "I think I just assumed... that Ako'd follow in my footsteps. I just assumed that she wasn't hurt by it anymore. That's why I became such a gigantic idiot."

"...Ako always talked positively about you, up until last month," Rinko responds. "She... admired you, a lot. She always talked about all the times she enjoyed with you... I think it's just... that you two were afraid to be sad around each other. Afraid to say when things started to hurt."

"Yeah. That's the reason behind everything. That's why everything fell apart," Tomoe murmurs. "I don't have anything anymore. I don't have Ako... and I don't have any of my friends, either. There's nothing left anymore... I've failed everything I cared for. I'm all alone."

"I'm... sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Tomoe wears a thin smile, and pats Rinko on the shoulder. "You don't have anything to apologize for. I'm the one who should be doing that."

"But..."

"I'm sorry. For everything." Tomoe lowers her head. "I'm sorry for doubting my little sister's judgment in who to trust. I'm sorry for seeing you as a threat. I'm sorry for using you as a target for blame, instead of just taking a step back to think."

Red calms, quietens. Red soothes.

"And... I'm sorry for not realising what a great friend Ako had. This whole time... you were trying to reach out to me, weren't you?" Tomoe says. "Even though you feared us, even though we saw you as a danger... you wanted to reach out and convince me. All I could do was see you as an obstacle... even though you were thinking of me the whole time."

"N-no, it's..." Rinko stammers. "I could've... done more to talk to you, too... before everything started getting worse."

"Don't worry. Whatever you messed up, it's nothing compared to my load, ok?"

"...Ok," Rinko nods. "Um, Tomoe... I think Ako will return one day. She... loves her family, after all."

"...Yeah. Thanks." 

Tomoe lifts her head, and looks her in the eyes. Rinko can't face her directly, but she keeps her gaze on the rider. She sees a big sister's kind and caring face; it's broken, torn apart, and crushed into pieces. It's fake, all things considered; there's no happiness or joy behind it. Tomoe is miserable.

But Tomoe smiles regardless.

"Hey, Rinko. Hate to impose after all I've done, but... can you do me a favour?"

"...What is it?"

"If both of you are gonna join this group... look out for Ako, will you?" The smile fades. She turns to face the rest of Roselia. "I still don't trust any of them. I don't think I ever can. None of them thought of returning Ako home like you did. And..."

Silence.

"...Nevermind. Basically, you're the only one of them I could trust with Ako. So... could you make sure she holds up okay? I don't know what this group's intending, but I want Ako to get through her daily life, even if I can't help her do it. So..."

Rinko nods. "We'll support each other, like we always have... I promise."

"Thanks. I owe you a lot, Rinko. I'm not worth anything anymore, but..." She scratches her head. "If you ever need this piece of scrap metal's aid, I'll jump in."

That's how it ends. There's more Rinko wants to say; about her own goals, Roselia's goals. About how she admires Tomoe... and how she wishes she could be a part of Ako's family too. But it'll have to come later. It can't be said now, when no one's in the state for it. Everyone needs some time. The demon will have to rest for now.

Tomoe begins to turn around. "I'm leaving," she addresses to the room. "Don't hurt my little sister. That's all I have to-"

"Tomoe Udagawa," Sayo speaks up. "It's 11 o' clock, and it's pouring outside. Walking home in your current state is tantamount to collapsing in the streets."

"...And?"

A black cotton jacket is hurled over to Tomoe. "I've called and paid for a cab. They'll be waiting at the end of the road the shrine gate sits on."

"I'll take it. Is that all you had to say?"

"Yes."

"Then goodbye. I don't want to talk to you for another second."

She opens the door. The patter of the solemn rain echoes through the entranceway.

...One last time, Tomoe turns to Lisa. Two pairs of hollowed eyes stare at each other from across the base.

...Then, the broken rider closes the door, and leaves.

Rinko lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. 

"Congratulations." The wolf's voice immediately cuts clean. Rinko turns to face her. "To be frank, I was waiting for you to say you wanted to join us. I would gladly accept you as a member."

"Are you sure?" Sayo asks. "That duel was hardly anything worth commending."

"It was nothing more than a convenience, to me. I was planning on recruiting Rinko regardless." 

"You... were?" Rinko says.

"Yes. I became interested when Ako told me you have an advantage in win rate over her. Then, after we talked at the Coast Port, I became certain." She moves towards Rinko. Violet faces Amber's attention-capturing gaze. "Rinko Shirokane. After everything I have observed of you, this question may seem redundant. But I will ask you anyway... do you have a goal you can devote yourself to?"

Rinko takes a moment, then nods. "I do. My goal is simply... to duel."

"Is that all?"

"It is. I..." She lets the frown become visible. "...I hate it. I hate it when people like me and Ako... get hurt just because of our interests. For the longest time... I felt like I was cursed. I felt like every time I wanted to duel, someone would be hurt. But... not anymore. I don't want to accept a world where people have to beat down others to feel superior. E-everyone should... be able to enjoy dueling without fear."

She... she did it. She has her own power. She can speak her own desires. Roselia's giving her a voice! 

"Then, your enemy is the same as ours," Yukina responds. "The Shirasagi Corporation is responsible for turning dueling into a sport of hate. Its students pounce on the opportunity to torment others; they are the real source of your suffering. Rinko... would you be willing to train alongside us, and reclaim the true identity of your passion?"

Wings break free. She lets herself soar.

This... is the path she wants.

"Yes."

\---

"Then, you are now a member of Roselia." Yukina holds out her palm; in her hand is a small key card. Violet Red accepts. "You may use this to enter and exit this base whenever."

"I'll... visit whenever I can. Before and after school, every time."

The final key is in place. But now, her duty as Roselia's leader begins. Before the group's objective is established, there's injuries she must see to.

Yukina faces her sins.

If it does not elicit tears, should you let it bleed? The silver maiden's challenge burns into her.

She has no room for emotion to blunt her blade. But... she's realised. That does not mean she has to become a complete monster. Though she will NEVER allow Roselia's members to get close to her... she can still support them and keep them stable. 

Physical and mental health... they are important dimensions too, especially to keep Roselia functioning. Cooking food, working to solve problems, keeping a consistent sleep schedule... all of these tasks are important for efficient practice. And most importantly, they are also connected to emotion; even if Yukina's path inevitably hurts and damages Roselia's members, giving them stability to their lives will create a buffer against their emotional distress. Even if Yukina never bonds with them, she can minimise the damage she inflicts on them; their lives won't always have to drown in conflicts, tears and screams.

...That's why, she realises. That's why she didn't aim for the throat. She can't, no matter how much the maiden may torment her if left alive. Because if Yukina can take even the slightest step away from becoming an irredeemable villain, then she will. She won't stoop as low as her enemy if she doesn't have to.

So she sheathes her blade for now, and lets the maiden lie incapacitated in the field. As the rain hits the windows of Roselia's base, Yukina turns towards the bedroom doors on one end.

There's a knock from one of them. Ako peeks out, her face tormented from fear.

"Ako!" Rinko rushes over.

"R-Rinrin... I... I'm sorry. Is she... is she gone?"

"Yes. I convinced her to... leave."

Ako grimaces. "...I... thank you. I..."

"It's ok," Rinko says. "You don't need to think about it yet."

"Thanks..." then she mutters; "I'm... so sorry, sis..."

Yukina watches Ako Udagawa try to compose herself; the little demon's tears are mostly dried, but there's still shaking in the arms.

...Through her actions, Ako was separated from the Udagawa family. Unfortunately, she has no ability to reconcile those at odds with each other... and evidently, even Lisa could not do such a thing in this situation. In order to recruit one of the blades Roselia needed, Yukina had to tear a family apart. Even if it would've broken regardless, she is still responsible. She could have rejected Ako on that day, if she truly wanted to; but she validated her efforts instead, and indirectly kept her away from her loved ones.

She resonates with Ako's struggle. Ako had no malicious intent, no grudge; all she wanted to do was freely express herself, and duel. She would have perfectly balanced her interest with her duties, in a just world. But because of the cruelty of those around her, she broke. She deserves better than a Haneoka under the iron grip of the Shirasagi Corporation.

So Yukina approaches the shaking Ako... and holds her hand with her own.

"...Yukina." Ako tries to smile. "I'm... I'm sorry. This must've all been a big pain to you."

"You caused me no trouble. In fact, I would like to thank you."

"T-thank me?"

"Indeed. When I first met you, I had no awareness of your inner strength. But your identity is irreplaceable. Roselia is fortunate to have met you."

"Me...? You really think so?"

"Yes." She sharpens her eyes. "Ako. Do you feel guilt from the distance you have put between yourself and your family?"

"...Y-yeah. I'm... I messed up. Because of me, Tomoe is... she's..."

"Do not blame yourself." Yukina grips her hand, and looks her in her watered eyes. "All you ever wanted to do was duel. You stood proud and defiant in the face of those who sought to reject and torment you."

"...Yeah. I did, didn't I?"

"Those are your greatest qualities," she affirms. "People such as students from the SDA... their hostility creates an atmosphere of aggression that harms all. You were the only member of your family who refused to accept the normality of the world they have created. Your parents and your sister... they failed to realise that such an environment remains harmful, no matter how much time passes. And that is the only fault the Udagawas can claim."

"Right. Right!" Ako says. "...I hated it. Those jerks are awful; there were so many of them who tried to push me and Rinrin away from dueling. They just wore those grins and kicked us down." There's a new determination in her face. "Every time they threatened Rinrin, my blood boiled. And... they're the reason nobody in my family understood why I ran away."

"...Ako Udagawa." Amber stares into Crimson. The key to Roselia's base is offered. "For all intents and purposes, you have accomplished the task I set you. I'd like to ask you once more; do you have a goal you can devote yourself to?"

"Yeah!" The Demon Lord's strength slowly returns, and she accepts the card. She grips Rinko's hand, and looks at Yukina. "I wanna duel, without anything chaining me down. I wanna make it so that nobody has to ever be told to shut up again. I don't want anyone else to go through what the SDA did to my family! And I'll fight as hard as I can to accomplish that; I'll devote myself and everything!"

Yukina takes care not to express emotion, as she responds. Rather than sharing Ako's smile, she keeps her expression blank. "...Then, you are now officially a member of Roselia. You are free to use this place as your haven, for as long as you need to. You don't need to be afraid of anyone, in these grounds."

Ako's eyes brighten. Her expression forms a whole, genuine smile, fractured as it may be by the events of today. "Yeah! Leave it to the dark powers of Demon Lord Ako! A-and... thank you. You're awesome, Yukina. I really mean it."

Yukina simply nods in response, with no further discussion. She lets the 4th and 5th blades be, for now, and walks over to the other side of the base...

...Because even though Roselia's arsenal is complete, one is horrifically wounded.

Yukina must face her ultimate sin.

The second she looks at Lisa, the maiden in the frozen field lurches into being, and threatens to attack. But Yukina doesn't waver. She takes a silent, deep breath... hopefully silent enough that none of the other members will hear it... and walks.

She approaches her most beloved fr- no, her first companion. Amber manages to look... right into the hollowed eyes of...

...There is no uncertainty here.

Yukina will not give up on this path, and her companion won't give up on her. She is destined to hurt her companion, even if she hides her emotions as much as she humanly can.

If she wants to avoid the depths of sin, then she will do all she can to neuter the pain Lisa experiences. Every wound she opens in Lisa, she'll treat as much as she can. That's all there is to it.

"Lisa."

No response. 

The maiden raises her sword, and attacks Yukina. She tries not to grit.

"Lisa." She gently takes the hand of the person who's stayed by her side for 15 years. Each of Lisa's fingertips are covered in dirt.

Lisa turns her head. Yukina must face her devastation head on... without any reaction. Feel nothing.

"............" Lisa opens her mouth. "...............I'm... sorry."

Pain.

Yukina has to muster everything it takes not to react.

The... first thing Lisa's said, since she came back. The first thing, after two hours of pure agony and misery. The first thing, after betraying one of her closest friends for Yukina's sake. The first thing, since Sayo picked her up and brought her back here... the first thing Lisa's said, since spilling her sorrow until she had nothing left...

...is an apology.

The field's frozen grass takes a slight wind. The sensation of pain; Yukina looks down, and realises... the maiden has struck a blow right through her chest. She's bleeding. In fact, she didn't even raise her blade as the maiden attacked.

But she can't afford to stop because of this, she can't. So all she can do... is try and soothe her companion.

Yukina shuts off her vision. She takes Lisa's hand and throws it straight into her chest. Lisa's palm is pressed against Yukina's beating heart. She hears Lisa gasp, and that's as long as she can keep it shut for; her eyes are forced open, desperate to confirm that some light has come back to Lisa.

...Thank god. Thank god, thank god, thank god thank god it's not all gone. There's something left, oh thank god.

"Lisa," she says. "Thank you. You will always have a place at my side."

"...! Yu... kina..."

Silence. She can feel the hand shake in her chest. Her very heartbeat feels the depths of Lisa's sorrow.

...Remain calm.

"...Ha. Ahaha. Well, if you're the one saying that... there's no way I can just sit around, right?" Lisa smiles. She lets her hand rest against Yukina, for just a bit longer.

Silence. Everyone in the room observes, without a word. Then, Lisa slowly lets go... and lifts herself up. Her movement has revived, a calamity has been avoided. 

"Right. I can't just slack off. After all, we've got a pretty lively bunch here now, haven't we?" She places a hand on her hip and gives a friendly wave. "Sorry... that probably wasn't the best first impression for you guys, huh?"

"O-oh! Don't worry, it's fine!" Ako tries to share the pep. "T-Tomoe talked about you a lot... you're Lisa, right?"

"Yeah~. Lisa Imai. Nice to meet you in person for the first time, Ako. And the lovely angel next to you, too!"

"Ah..." Rinko blinks. "Um... nice to... meet you. It's Rinko... Shirokane."

"We'll get along just fine, I know it! Let me know if you ever need a hand, okay~? After all, this place'll need a lot of maintenance with 5 people here."

Good. Everything is now in place.

Finally, the 5 blades she needs have gathered. With this power, they can pose a threat to their opponent. It's time to finally discuss her plan; there isn't a second further to waste.

"Now that every member of Roselia has been recruited," Yukina says, "I'd like to hold our first official meeting. Before tonight ends, I'm going to lay out our goals. You will become fully acquainted with the methods and efforts required for us to defeat our enemy."

4 pairs of eyes are laid on her.

Amber lays waste to normality. "Roselia's objective... is nothing other than the complete and utter destruction of the Shirasagi Corporation's reputation. And our opponents... will be their shining stars. The students of Shirasagi Duel Academy."

\---

...

...She was left all alone at the coast.

All alone in the dark.

There was yelling, screaming, and she didn't know why. People burst into tears... and she didn't know why. Suddenly, that wolf became a personal enemy, and she didn't know why. Everything came and went with the wind, and she was left all alone, not a clue to go by other than the despair on everyone's faces.

She doesn't know anything. She doesn't know anything at all. All she knows is that everything's been falling apart behind her back... and that she hasn't gotten to hear about any of it.

...She didn't want to process it. So she stayed at the port for a while longer. 

She took in the waves, under that one sanctuary in the black of the night. She watched the dark murky sea crash upon the dock, leaving infinitely varying patterns of droplets on the glass panes in its wake. She shut her eyes, and listened to each wave come in... and out... in... and out.

The rain started heaving. But she didn't move. She let her hair become soaked, she let the red streak on her side be sullied. She let herself be drowned in the sound of the droplets hitting the ground. She shut her eyes, and listened to each wave come in... and out... in... and out.

It's the only thing she can take for granted now. Everything else feels gone.

She tries not to dwell on it. But eventually, she can't shake the horrifying feeling. The sound of the water is muted by a loud, aching buzz. She wants to escape the feeling that nothing will be the same when she wakes up tomorrow... but she can't.

Why? Why did the end of her duel with Ako fill her with so much dread? Is it because it's a sign that things will never be the same again?

...When did her beloved home start to fall apart?

It's funny. A little over two hours ago, she and Ako were smiling. She thought she'd be ready to face tomorrow. Now, it's the complete opposite; she doesn't want to think about anything at all.

She goes home anyway.

She walks, soaked, through the night of the city. A stranger with white hair lends her a coat. She heads to the subway, and takes the route back home. It's a long walk. It's a long, long walk up the river with the coast to her back, longer than it's ever been before. The full moon hangs over her; she looks up, and sees countless merciless stars laugh at her. They're countless, and they're one; unlike her world, they shine. The world above shines, leaving no light for the dying ground of the Earth. She's all alone.

Eventually, she's made it. She's back to the Mitake house far later than she should be, but she doesn't have the energy to care anymore. She enters, and the radiator is the only thing providing warmth in her world now. She navigates around the walls. She has a shower, dries herself and heads to the living room.

Like she expected, her father is there.

"...Welcome back. You're late," he says.

She doesn't respond.

"Where were you?"

She sighs. She knows how this conversation's going to end already. "...Dueling."

"With who?"

"...Ako."

"Then, you haven't heard."

Or at least, that's what she thought. But at those words, Tomoe's crying face comes back to her.

"..." She tries to breathe. "What happened?"

"Ako ran away from home."

...

...It's like a stake of ice just pierced her heart. Every memory of the ruin comes roaring back. The radiator is useless now.

"...W... what?" She manages.

"Ako has been missing from home for nearly a week," her father says. "Her parents have been desperately searching for her."

Those words are enough to kill any energy Ran had left. Her bed's upstairs, but she feels ready to collapse on the spot right here.

...It's too much. What Tomoe and Himari might've been doing, this past week. Tomoe's words about the wolf, her words about Lisa. Tomoe's crying, broken face. Ako... Ako, who was smiling with Ran just minutes before. Ako, the person who gave Ran the hope she needed for so long... was...

...It's too much. It's too... it's too much. She can't do this anymore.

"Ran."

She doesn't want to respond, at first.

But the world doesn't relent.

"Your next week at Circle will be your last."

.

Another stake. Her heart bleeds.

Suddenly, she can't stop shaking. Her lungs have lost all air.

"...W... why..."

"I will not sit by and watch you tear each other apart," her father says. "I'm signing the paperwork to remove you from Circle as soon as possible. You will return to an ordinary school, free from that bloodsport... even if it means you don't attend the same one as your friends."

The world is cruel. The world is cold. The stars can't be seen under the roof of what calls itself home... but even then, she can hear them shriek. The stars are laughing at her.

She runs upstairs, and loses all hope.

\---

"...The Shirasagi... Corporation."

"I see," Sayo says. "So that's how we'll fight them."

"Let's do it! We'll show them how our combined might, uh... rages through..."

"...The heavens?"

"That's so good! Thanks, Rinrin!"

"It's as lofty as it's always been, isn't it Yukina?" Lisa smiles at her. "But you know how I am. I'm here for your sake... so if that's who I'm fighting, I won't spare any effort."

"Me neither, me neither!" Ako fistpumps. "Let's make them pay! Nobody else should be laughed at for enjoying the dark arts!"

"...I'll... also give it my all. It's a huge enemy, but... I won't let them curse me any longer."

They're all determined, despite the absurdity of their mission. It's as Yukina expected; their devotion could tear the stars down from their lofty throne. 

She turns to Sayo; the mythril wolf has her doubts, but she hasn't moved. She's merely deep in thought.

"..." Sayo opens her eyes upon feeling Yukina's gaze. Cold, callous ice looks into the Amber. "...You don't need to ask. I will stay by your side, the whole way. I will do whatever it takes to annihilate them. So long as I am with you, I will never lower my blade."

5 blades gather in the night.

"...Then from tomorrow onwards, Roselia's efforts towards the Shirasagi Corporation's destruction shall begin," she declares. "We shall train and work tirelessly to tear them apart... culminating at the dawn of March. Everything will culminate at the dawn of the Haneoka Qualifier Cup, where their reign will crumble once and for all."

Yukina stands beneath the rose portrait in the hall, and looks to the doorway.

"...Goodbye, ordinary world. May we never meet again."


	15. -- Arc 2: Star Breaker --

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Imagery involving blood and body horror.

Dragons are malicious creatures.

"How pathetic. Is that all you have to show for yourself?"

**0LP.** A student cowers before her.

"Y-you.. how...?"

"How?" She cuts. "What an arrogant question. Your attacks were hardly worth strategizing against."

A wince. Pupils dilate, desperately trying to look menacing before the eyes of The Dragon. "...No... this isn't how it was... supposed to go..."

Dragons are merciless creatures. She doesn't honour this student's horror with a change in expression; rather, she keeps on a subtle, eerie smile as she stares the lowly animal down. It's a smile so placid and polite, it sends a chill through all who dare face it.

"You're..." The student quivers. "You're a monster...!"

"My, are you upset?" She asks. "You should save that pitiful insult for yourself. After all, only someone lacking common sense would be foolish enough to issue a challenge to me."

There's snickers. The animal turns her head repeatedly, and cold sweat falls from her brow; fear draws forth from seeing the horrific grins of the students surrounding her. "...You... did you all set this up?!"

"Huh? Us? Set up our good ol' pal?" A sarcastic response. "Nahhhh. We just wanted to get a kick out of seeing you eat dirt."

"...W-what?"

"I must say," The Dragon's voice grips. "I'm rather surprised you thought this would go well for you. Did you think 'second only to Hina Hikawa' was a title to underestimate? Or did you let the rush from reaching rank 10 get to your head?"

The snickering continues. The animal's fear turns to anger; scales grow through her scowl.

But such scales are pitiful before a true beast. "It would explain your repeated losses lately," she continues. "Fresh meat is often blind to the grinder it lies on."

"Hey mutt, can I duel you too?" One vulture jeers. "Maybe if we push you down far enough, we can finally kick you out!"

"Y-you! You were the one who said I should challenge Chisato Shirasagi... was that a bait?"

"Oops, guess the cat's out the bag! Of course it was, you idiot; there's nothing more annoying than a newbie who thinks she's hot shit."

"...What...? But y-you all said I had a chance..."

"Yeah, we lied," another student steps forth. "Rank 11 was getting a little boring for me, you know? And all I needed to go up one was for you to lose a game."

"You...!" The animal roars, and the students' response is pandemonic. A pool of carnivorous laughter corrodes at her skin. "I thought I could trust you!"

"Trust? That's rich," the student says. "Only mutts are smart enough to trust anyone in this academy."

"Can't believe you actually fell for it," another stabs. "Mutt's a fitting name for you!"

The scales break through the animal's face, masking her. Slowly, her heart turns to ice, and her empathy turns to callousness. "YOU!" She starts bellowing. "Do you want a piece of me now, then?! None of you could even take me if you tried! You're all weaklings!"

It doesn't stop. 

"SHUT UP AND STOP LAUGHING!" She fails to breathe in the drowning cacophony. "You're all weak, weak, weak! The only reason you made me fight her was because none of you could do it yourselves! I swear I'll beat the shit out of every last one of you!"

It's useless. Dragons are heartless creatures. As her desperate attempts at self-reassurance fail, she collapses to her knees in anger, shackled by exclusion and mockery. Tears begin to fall from her face.

"Well, guess we'll look forward to that! See you later, mutt!" 

The group she wanted to trust leaves her. Hands begin to imitate claws, as the rest of the students continue to snicker. Fists ball and strangle the grass. The animal's figure is choked by the shadow of a tower.

"Crying? How unsightly," The Dragon cuts. 

Bloodshot eyes look back her direction.

"Do you resent me?" She approaches the cowering animal, and the snickering dies down. Her proximity rings alarms in the students' heads; fear spreads across the field and turns to silence. "A typical reaction. Do you think a desire for vengeance will allow you to defeat me?"

"Ch-Chisato... Shirasagi... I swear, I'll... I'LL-!" But the reaction is cut short as The Dragon's eyes narrow. An animal warped with scales stares down the gaze of a truly complete beast... and shudders in despair.

"If you think you're capable of defying me," she husks, "then allow me to impale you upon the truth." 

She grabs a fistful of the student's hair, and pulls her up to her feet. "A-ah!"

The Dragon's eyes are dripped in a venomous magenta. Each blur of the iris feels like a fang devouring its prey. Her blonde hair is neatly arranged to her back, forming a long ponytail at the bottom that reaches down to her knees. The ends of each strand form an army of sharpened blades. An invincible figure stares down the student, one whose accolades and authority are emblazoned on a uniform of dark-blue. The air becomes hard to find.

Dragons are callous creatures. So Chisato pulls the student close, looks straight into her soul... and displays a disturbing, fanged grin. The script plays.

"You are powerless. No matter how much you try, you will never outshine me. So rot there in the grass, like the garbage you are... and drown."

She lets go of the student's fringe. Falling back to the knees, the student begins to sob. 

Chisato turns her back to the shaking animal and begins to leave the field, refusing to waste a single second longer. She can feel an agent's eyes watch her; sure enough, she passes by an indistinct, sharply-dressed figure. One of many. One who's been monitoring this entire scene.

Once Chisato's far enough, the other students feel safe to dig in again, and resume their laughter. The disgusting howls of draconic vultures, once-benign animals twisted into scaled beasts, dig into the student's soul. The student slowly begins a draconic morph of her own; she continues to internalise that the world is cruel, that the world is unkind. That she has no choice but to become a monster in order to survive. Scales will continue to grow on the student's skin, and her breathing will slowly begin to exhale fire...

...Just as those watching from above desire.

"Chisato... Shirasagi..."

The Dragon stops, and turns her head; the shattered student can glimpse a trace of her smirk, if not her eyes.

"You... I swear...!" The student screams. "One day, I'll tear you down from your haughty stuck-up throne!"

"...Tear me down?" The Dragon responds. "Why, that sounds rather lovely. Feel free to depose me, and end my reign." 

A placid smile.

"That is... if you're naive enough to believe in such an impossibility."

She leaves. The laughter of the callous stars continues to echo behind her, as she moves from the edge of dawn into February's first cold day. The necklace on her chest swings side-to-side as she enters an open walkway, resembling a watchful eye. The Dragon has duties to attend to.

The wind wails. Before she begins, she takes a moment to look across her family's academy. 

From the tiles she stands on, numerous enormous buildings tower above, caked in glass and steel. The shadows they cast make even this spacious meadow feel tiny and insignificant. Only the Haneoka Haven Stadium surpasses them in size; their position in the center of the dual-district makes them monarchs known to everyone around. Nobody is free from their grip. Nobody.

By her side, there's a gigantic wall made of seething silver slabs; they encircle and enclose the entirety of the Shirasagi Duel Academy, forming an inner ring within the split of SPACE River. In this empty realm, only the breeze brushes past her ears as she looks across the top of the wall. Her eyes move past a person cloaked in-

She whips her head back. "Who's there?"

Her gaze sharpens. There, standing on top of the wall, is an ominous figure looming over the Academy's boundaries. They're dressed from head to toe in black; a ragged cloak shrouds their billowing form, one the human mind would liken to ruined wings. The weather in the sky above them is a storm of clouds, thundering down upon the ground.

Their hood completely covers their hair and eyes. 

But there's a grin on their face. 

Their teeth... are confidently sharpened.

Chisato blinks, and the figure disappears immediately from her vision.

...

She smiles. A challenger from outside? I welcome it. Come and slay me, if you would be so kind.

But be careful. Those wishing to travel the stars will often find themselves broken by their journey. In the endless, freezing confines of space, the constellations around you may seem captivating. But what most stars emit is nothing but a lure; they have no real warmth, no true light. Their shine is hollow, made to draw you into their countless bloody spears. 

In this world, reaching for a star is a reckless decision. Do such a thing, and you'll find yourself staring into the open, gaping maw of a merciless dragon. You'll see rows upon rows of sharpened, drooling teeth, waiting to sink in. Fail to realise the danger you're in... and that maw will shut.

Snapping you in two.


	16. Welcome, Dawn

The wind howls. Her hands scrape on bare dirt.

It takes a while for her to realise she's conscious. Awareness hits her; she's breathing in dust. She starts to choke. The ground beneath her fingers feels dry, cracked... where is she?

Come on, Lisa... get up... it's the 1st of February today! Open your eyes! She wouldn't normally be too bothered if she was late on a Monday, but there's a lot she can be doing with her time now. After all, Tomoe's probably going to be running around searching for Ako again, and Roselia's...

...She's at Roselia's base, right? Maybe she fell asleep practicing dueling outside. But it's weird for the ground to feel so dry if that's the case; after all, the shrine was drenched by rain yesterday. She doesn't quite remember what happened, but she knows she was with Yukina, and Ako, and all the others-

With Ako? Oh, right, yeah... Ako joined Roselia, and brought her friend Rinko in too. Right, Roselia's activities officially begin today! Lisa's gotta wake up, make sure the base's stuff is in order, check up on Afterglow, go to school, head back home to let her parents know she's okay, then get back here so she can brush up on her dueling. She's got a long way to go if she wants to shine as much as all her companions do!

Enough sitting around, then! She clears the dust from her throat, lifts her head and-

...

...

Barren.

The ground is barren, not a blade of grass in sight. The trees at the side of this haven are withering, dying. The field is vulnerable, completely wide-open; it wails in the face of a bitter storm. It's like a gigantic inferno incinerated every piece of nature in sight, and left only a graveyard. What happened here?

...Ah. She remembers.

She turns around and sees them. 

Swords, buried in the ground. They burnt every piece of flora around them, until the whole field withered away. 

Cruelly, a few rays of light are illuminating the wreckage below. The swords and their hilts are cracked, worn. They're rusted; they've faced a brutal clash, one that eroded at their very beings. Out of all of them, the one that's the most cracked and broken is buried right in front of Lisa, coloured in red and blue.

And the blade that broke this one... was none other than Lisa's.

That's right. Now she realises; she isn't awake right now. She's in a nightmare of her own making, isn't she?

A tear falls from her eyes. She clutches her sides, staring in solemn silence at the ruin.

...Why? Why did this happen? Was it wrong for her to want to help her friends? Was it... wrong, to look at her friends fight, and want to step in and mediate? Was it wrong for her to want to avoid a conflict? And if the conflict was inevitable, or even necessary, was it really so wrong for her to want a positive or constructive resolution? To want to alleviate the pain? 

No. She's not in the wrong. She just... wasn't good enough. She wasn't good enough. 

She was reckless, she thinks. Vows make bonds strong, but they can also make them brittle. Failing to keep one can hurt a person like nothing else. She should never have made that promise to begin with. In fact, she could have done so much better than this; why didn't she realise that she could've found a solution, if she had opened up to her friend from the start instead of making promises she couldn't keep?

...No, she knows why hid the truth. It's because she was selfish. It's because she was scared. What a joke it was, to call herself a knight; she's just a scared little child. That's why she failed. She failed, and now...

...now...

She has no voice, but she yells a name. Distress pours in fountains from her soul, and she runs, runs desperately towards the garnet blade. 

The second she does, a brutal wall of chains tears up through the ground and down from the sky, cutting the graveyard in two. But she doesn't hesitate for a moment; she draws her blade, grits her teeth, and charges forth like a demon possessed.

CLANG!

The chains don't break.

CLANG!

She keeps swinging, with all the fury she can muster. 

CLANG!

Every movement tears through the wind, leaves clouds of dust in her wake.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! 

She pants.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

'Get... out... of... my... WAY!'

CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG

CLANG!!!

Nothing. Nothing.

She gasps for air, but her throat becomes cut by the dust. Her arm drops to her side, her spasming blade hanging barely an inch above the barren ground. Why? Why can't she cut through anymore? Why?

She looks up. Then she notices; there's two kinds of chains blocking her path now. One is a deep, dark metal, like the crafted shawls of a raven's burnt feathers.

The other... is made of gems. Hooks of Lapis-coloured crystals lock through the entire wall. Her blade hasn't made a single dent in them.

...

...She collapses, and cries in despair.

...

...

...

The surface is cold.

"AH!" Lisa jolts up from her bed, where is she, where is she-

Oh, thank god. She's inside a room at Roselia's base. Right, right, everyone took a room for themselves. Yukina's is leftmost, Sayo's next to her, then Lisa's got the center, then Ako's second from right, and-

Ako.

...Ako.

I-it's funny, almost. Is it weird to have gasping for air in bouts of cold sweat be the norm, when you wake up? It's a recurring thing for Lisa lately.

Her phone's beeping, so that means it's 5:30am; good, she's up on time. She made her alarm pretty quiet, so it probably hasn't disturbed anyone else. She gets her breath back, and blinks a few times before loosening her grip from the bed.

She moves from the covers, and it's like a weight hits her ankles the second she touches the floor. But she doesn't slouch; as a bleak light reaches through her window, she stretches her sweater-engulfed limbs, straightens the duvet, and gets herself changed into her school uniform as quickly as she can. The cotton jacket she had yesterday's disappeared for some reason, so she'll wear the leather one instead (the suit-jacket was... not a big hit for her, so she'll tuck it away).

Time to do a bit of packing in advance too! She'll take her Duel Monsters cards and a few extra resources to school; that's become a habit of hers, now that she's upped her game for real. Her new schedule means she can't really meet up with her friends anymore, but practicing and looking through online articles is gonna be a better use of her time if she wants to help Yukina. Hey, she'll take the duel disk too; she won't be using it, but wearing it... makes her feel a bit more dedicated to Roselia's cause.

She takes one last look around her new room, one with the same design as the rest of the members' bedrooms. With the umber wooden walls and the messy square carpet draped across the center of the floor, it's like a budget holiday cabin. There's a closet, a desk with a lamp and some drawers, a cheap wooden chair, and a little stand with a night-light next to the bed. There's also a couple of posters of different monster cards strewn across the walls. It's homely, in a way. Lisa'll be here a lot more often from now on... definitely daily visits after school (she's quit club activities for this), sleepovers during the weekend... she'll probably have to sleep over during a lot of weekdays too, if she really wants to be serious.

And she will be serious. After all, she's lost almost everything now. Roselia's most of what she has left.

So without any further hesitation, she winds her arms up and moves towards the doorknob-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Whoa! It's a HUGE scream; did someone else have a nightmare this early?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

She can hear heavy panting from an adjacent room; that's... Ako's, right?

She bursts out of the door, seeing the dining room for a split second before immediately opening another.

"Ako?!" She throws her head in. "Everything alright in there?"

"O-oh! Lisa! Um..." She's in a set of skull pyjamas, looking like she'd just seen a hitman staring through her window. "I-I'm! I'm fine, I just had... a horrific flashback, is all! The, um... abyssal infernomancerrrrr? Is ready to start the day!"

"Oh, I see! I had my own flashback too; guess we're bad dream buddies. You wanna talk about it?"

"Nonono, it's all good! I'll get over it." 

The haphazardly slapped-together pose she makes doesn't really convince Lisa, but there's no point pressing for details.

"...Ako...? Are you okay?" Rinko pops her messy figure through the door frame.

"Ah! Rinrin!" Suddenly, Ako has all the energy in the world. "I'm fine- wait, did you sleep okay? You have so many bags... ah, your face feels cold too! Was the heating on in your room?"

"I'm okay. I just left the window open overnight..." She rubs her eyes. "It's... early. You could... sleep a bit longer, if you wanted too."

"Eh? Really?"

"Yup! 5:35AM, Ako. Why not kick back for a while~?"

"..." Ako looks disheartened for a moment. "...Nah, it's okay! Besides, we've got a lot to sort out! Me and Rinrin haven't seen everything in the house yet, and we've got a whole bunch of things to organise, right?"

"A-already? You sure you guys wanna get that set up right now?" Lisa says.

"It's ok..." Rinko nods. "Me and Ako... aren't familiar with this place yet. We could use the time now... to catch up."

"Yeah yeah, let's go!" Ako jumps. "Roselia's gotta like, keep up shopping for groceries, since 3 of us are staying here... oh, and we'll need to make sure we split laundry and cleaning duties, too! There's gonna be a lot to work on, right? So let's go!"

"You guys..." Lisa watches Ako skip out and hop around the dining room, touring the place with flourish after energetic flourish. "...Right then! C'mon, you two. I'll show you around the place!"

"R-right. Thank you," Rinko responds.

Fortunately, there's plenty of time for them to slap together a humble breakfast and begin their tour. Lisa acquaints them with the turquoise-tiled kitchen; there's an oven and stove, a microwave, a toaster and kettle, even a cute coffee press. Plenty of hobs and pans of different sizes, all the plates and cutlery you could need for a party of this size, and more. There's even a few plastic plants adorning the windowsills. The room with the long thin table in it (which Ako's dubbed 'The Dark Conference Area'... she'll see if the name sticks) also has a washing machine and a dryer. This place was evidently loved a lot, until Yukina's dad left it behind. It's kind of a shame.

She can't help but watch as the pair of demons hover through the place. Rinko seems fine, but Lisa notices a few wracked expressions of concern on her face as she silently surveys; she's making it subtle, but her mind's evidently haunted by something. And Ako's... well, she seems better for wear now, but she's evidently still crushed. She can't really muster a big smile on her face right now, and it makes the pep a little disconcerting to watch. Every now and then, it's like her limbs lose all their energy, before she kicks them back into gear again. Judging from all the cracks in her voice, she's... probably still thinking about...

...It's Lisa's fault Ako's in this situation, isn't it?

It flashes in her mind like a malfunctioning torture device. Tomoe's dusty face, broken, torn as the beginnings of tears uncontrollably flow out. She didn't even sob, or burst... she just cried, with nary a sound. It was probably the most horrible thing Lisa's seen in her life.

It's her fault, it's her fault, it's her fault. Without her poison, Tomoe probably wouldn't have gotten so distressed when she argued with Ako. Maybe they would've reconciled instead of breaking apart. If only Lisa hadn't mercilessly stabbed her friend in the back.

Was it even worth it? In the end, would she have been able to live with herself if she succeeded in veiling Tomoe's eyes? If she succeeded, Ako would've joined Roselia without ever meeting Tomoe. Tomoe'd probably end up crying for weeks, getting worse and worse with each passing day, not knowing anything at all about the location or condition her beloved Ako's in. Would Lisa be able to walk each day, knowing that Tomoe's tears were her fault, and that Tomoe didn't even know the part she played in it? What... what was she thinking, trying to do something so horrible? Why couldn't she find a better solution?

At this point, ripping into herself doesn't even elicit pain anymore. It just feels dull, like the natural state of being. She feels like she could just give out a soft chuckle as it happens, barely straining her nerves at all as she wounds herself on her words.

"Lisa, Lisa! How should we handle washing cycles? Sayo's clothes don't use as many darks as the rest of ours."

"Oh! Uh... why not split hers and any other bright colours into a seperate cycle, and put the rest of ours in a pile?" Lisa suggests.

"Eh? Will that be okay?"

"It's fine, it's fine! We'll be busy, so we might as well be speedy with the laundry," she reassures. Chucking everything in for one big cycle is probably the kind of thing Moca'd do, huh-

...Why bother?

Just get over it, she bleeds. Why bother? She'll be haunted by her betrayal of Afterglow forever, but there's new bonds to forge now, new things to be done. Ako and Rinko are really sweet, and Yukina and Sayo probably wouldn't last a week in this place without the rest of them dividing the chores. Even if everything else in the kaleidoscope is dying... Lisa still has Roselia. She still has one last shining haven.

There's no way she can just sit around beating herself up for eternity. After all, she's got a whole bunch of new amazing people she can get to know!

"Good morning. Are you becoming acquainted with the layout of this place?"

That voice, it's... Lisa turns around, and sees her cherished friend standing in the entranceway, below the rose portrait.

"Whoa, Yukina's awake!" Ako yells. "Welcome to a new dawn!"

"...Good morning... Yukina."

"Yukina~!" She immediately dashes over. "Did you sleep well?"

"I was fine. You don't need to worry," she responds. "Ako. Rinko. Were there any issues with the rooms you slept in?"

"Ah! I couldn't turn the radiator on in mine," Ako says. "My otherworldly dark powers... couldn't figure out all the buttons."

"I see. I'll look over it with you once I've had breakfast."

"What about Sayo?" Lisa asks. "Is she still asleep?"

"Correct. She always wakes up at 10am precisely."

"Whoa, I forgot. That's late for someone our age," Lisa says. Although to be fair, Sayo doesn't exactly have school or anything anymore- wait, 10am? Hasn't Lisa heard sounds coming from Sayo's room earlier before? Or was she imagining that?

"Um, Yukina!" Ako pipes in. "I was wondering if it'd be ok to call you a title? You're the leader, after all! Something like my liege, or Dark Lord, or Fenrir, or-"

"You do not need to call me by a title for now. Yukina is fine."

"E-eh?! But titles are so cool! Like Heaven's Bane, or Violet Red!" She gestures to Rinko. "C'mon, Yukina! You gotta have one!"

There's a second of dwelling, before amber opens. "Very well. If it would strengthen our alliance, then I'll tell you of a title I used to go by."

"Really? Awesome!"

...

...Yukina's talking to them, huh? It's not the bare-bones hyper-efficient style either. She's humouring Ako's flourishes and keeping each conversation open, only using curtness when the topic strays too far from Roselia's operations. And when Rinko tries to speak up, she lets the seconds pass until Rinko musters what's needed. 

It's surreal; she was just as to-the-point as Sayo was up until this morning. Lisa expected her to perceive all the idle conversation and housekeeping as nothing but obstacles, but... she's letting it pass. What changed since last night? It's striking. The way Yukina speaks with everyone, the way the flow travels so smoothly... it makes it feel like Roselia wasn't just officially formed last night. The 4 of them here already trust in each other. Everyone's already raring to work with each other.

"Then return here after school. We only have a couple of weeks until we put the first step of our plan into action, so we will begin our training as soon as possible. While you and Lisa are out, I will obtain an understanding of Ako's knowledge and capabilities. Are we all clear?"

"Y-yes! I'll... visit home first... then come back to the base..."

"The Dark Lord is ready whenever! BA-BUM!" A pose.

"Good. Lisa? Are you listening?"

"...Eh?" Lisa's snapped out of it.

"Do you plan on returning here after school today?"

"Oh!" Lisa smiles. "Obviously. I'm not gonna let everyone get ahead of me, after all! I'll head over as soon as I can."

"Good. Thank you for your effort."

...Shouldn't she be happy about this? Shouldn't she be happy that Yukina's talking to her? Yukina isn't balking in guilt or shying away anymore. She's trying to support Lisa. So why does it feel so strange? Is it the vacancy of any expression on Yukina's face? It's Yukina's usual appearance, but... it feels like something's locked away. Maybe it's how she looks at Lisa directly now; she's staring right into her with unfaltering amber eyes. No gritted teeth, no regretful murmurs or mournful glances from aside. Just pure, unshaken conviction.

"Lisa? Is something wrong?"

"H-huh?" She shakes her head. "No, it's fine! I just got lost in thought. Hey Ako, can you get Yukina some breakfast? I want to vacuum this place a bit before I head off."

"No problem! Leave it to me!"

Lisa breathes. It's fine, this is fine. This is a good thing. She's allowed to stay by Yukina's side all she wants now. She shouldn't be thinking about anything that might threaten her loyalty to Roselia, not after all that's happened. 

Forget about Afterglow. Just focus on getting stronger. Become as strong as you possibly can now. Don't lose to anyone, and don't lose anyone.

\---

It's cold. The air is stiff.

Regrettably, her eyes are open. She's sprawled out on her back across a desolate empty field. She can feel the grass beneath her, completely stilled. Not a breeze to caress it.

Are her eyes closed? Or is it just that dark in here? She doesn't know when the wall became a ceiling too; all she knows is that it's practically pitch-black. She's in a gigantic, spacious prison, one where voids calling themselves walls surround her at all sides. If she turned onto her side, she could probably barely just see the bed of flora she's lying on.

The sky isn't visible anymore. The sunset she cherishes is gone. It's cold; subzero, even. Her limbs would tremble, if they had the energy. But who cares about the stupid temperature? Nobody else is here. She's stuck all alone, in this confined space, the world outside lost to her. She can't escape here, she can't get through; she already tried that, and tried again. The walls are merciless this time. Their very visage stopped her from taking even a step forwards.

Walls. Walls, walls, walls. One on her left, one on her right, one in front, one behind. The ceiling may as well be a stupid wall, too. It's not like she's gonna reach it anyway.

She manages the quietest sigh imaginable. She can't feel even the tiniest piece of energy inside of her. Why bother doing anything? What's the point? She's useless. She could just lie her carcass here for all eternity, and it wouldn't make a difference. Screw it.

...

...No, you know what? Screw THAT.

Goddamnit, Ran. Move your stupid limbs.

The lethargy is pressing down on her like God's own fist, but she manages to get up regardless. Images of her friends push her up. She grits her teeth, and takes the dreary minutes needed to walk all the way over to one of the walls. 

She can't tell she's reached the wall until she feels it practically breathing over her. Suddenly, it's like she can't speak at all, like she can't even command her brain to wire a vocalisation. But she takes the reins and forces it through regardless:

'...Get out of my way.'

No response.

Maybe that's natural. After all, she could barely even mutter the line out. Even a TV on the lowest volume setting could probably drown it. Did she really expect anyone on the other side to hear her?

She tries to speak again, but it's useless. The blade from her voice is weak, pathetic. She hates it. Why is it so brittle, so fragile? She'll swing it, and the momentum and force alone will make it shatter. No matter how many blades she draws from her voice, her volume will never increase; nothing she says will ever become heard. Isn't this useless?

...No. She grits her teeth. THEY'RE the ones walling themselves out from her, anyway! So screw it. Screw it, screw it, screw it. She's not going to meekly call out and just wait for them to respond; she's getting through these walls whether they like it or not.

The walls are terrifying, haunting; she worries everything will just break if she touches them. But hesitant thoughts fall to each side, making way for reckless rage, and she rushes forth. Her hand reaches into the wall, and...

Blank. Wait, where is she?

It's impossible to see anything. She walks forward, and- Ow!

Ack, that hurt. Did she just bump on something? A wall, probably. So, she turns around- Ack!

-and bumps into something again. The stone-cold rock hurts, it hurts. Is that another wall? W-where is she? Is she in a labyrinth? She starts to panic, panic, panic, panic, panic; she doesn't want to be here, she's scared. All she has is the meek blade of her voice; she couldn't last a day in this place. Her mind screams please, please, get me out of here.

She rushes around, cold sweat pouring from her face, tears threatening to well in her eyes; she stumbles through the floor, desperately trying to make her way around wall after wall. Her blade provides barely any illumination at all, so she runs into them again and again, bruising herself everywhere in the process. Her journey is filled with harsh barriers, ones that assault her with sudden bouts of fear and pain. The shock to her nerves makes her gasp every time she hits one, time after time after time.

It hurts. Why? Why? Why is it like this? Where's the place she once called home? Why is she stuck in this hell of a labyrinth?

They're everywhere! She runs into stone after stone, cold hard stone, then chain after chain, unbreakable chain. Then she hits a wall of steel, fortified beyond all belief. And then sometimes, there's just emptiness for miles; it's haunting, like another wall will jump out from the darkness at any moment.

She... she can't do this. She can't take it. She's far too weak for this. Her voice can't do anything.

Ran collapses in the middle of the starved night. Just... where?! What is she supposed to do?! Please, someone give an answer!

'Please... give them back...'

Everything slowly fades away as she lets herself fall to the ground. She lies lethargically back onto the grassy field, bruised and battered, and stares at the ceiling... imprisoned once more. 

It's cold. The air is stiff.

...

...

...

She's awake.

It happens slowly; the curtain on her eyes is a dreary weight. The birds don't chirp. Nature doesn't sing.

Her limbs feel groggy, uncertain, as they always do in the morning. Her eyes blink, blink, blink... blink again... it feels impossible to see clearly, almost. The duvet moves... she shakes her head haphazardly, pushing the red streak of hair off from her face. In a dismal, greyed light, she stretches her limbs. Slowly but surely, she rises from her bed, and lets out a deflated sigh, casting her blurred sight across her surroundings.

To her left, her cherished flower arrangements decorate the windowsill.

...

...Screw it. She doesn't have the energy to scowl. They'll always remind her of the hole she's stuck in, no matter what. The flowers she loves are just destined to be a cruel messenger, right? So screw it.

She woke up late. She gets up. Gets everything she needs. Clothes. School books. Forgot something, probably.

Heads downstairs. Doesn't bother talking to him. Doesn't bother eating breakfast.

Heads outside. Clouds are grey. Who cares.

The walk to Circle's long. Who cares. Soon enough, she'll stop taking this path anyway.

...Her friends. Are they all gonna be at school? What's the point in even going, if they're not there?

She balls her fist, and lets anger seep through her veins. Screw it. Might as well try again. There's always a reason to move, so long as Afterglow's there. 

There's the familiar red brick, the monster mural. Circle's as worn-looking and resilient as ever, even in the remnants of the rain. Time just goes on. She trudges her feet through the muddy gravel, and heads inside. The other students are bustling around, the same as always... they're going about their daily lives with their friends. They're not beating each other down or stabbing each other in the back, like her dad always says duelists do.

God, make it stop! Is there any point in thinking about it anymore? It's not like he's going to change his mind. Why should she care? What's the point in caring about anything, right now?

She drags herself over to class 1-A. The isolated cage calling itself class 1-B isn't worth anything to her right now. Nothing is, except for her friends.

But she opens the door, and she feels like she's staring into a labyrinth.

"R-Ran!" Tsugumi waves at her. "Good morning! Are you doing okay?"

Himari jolts up upon hearing that name. "Ran's here? Oh, thank god Afterglow still remembers the Monday early hangout session. My leadership is validated!"

"...Morning."

She stares for a moment. Are her friends really here?

"W-what's up, Ran?" Himari tilts her head.

"...Where's Moca and Tomoe?"

They tense upon hearing those names. "D-did they not come here with you?" Tsugumi asks.

"No."

"I... see..." Tsugumi wavers. "I... might just be assuming, but... Ran, did you hear about Ako?"

"...Yeah."

There's no response. Tsugumi just turns crestfallen, and stares down to the ground.

"W-where are those two dorkuses, anyway?! We've been so lonely over here."

"It's ok, Himari." Tsugumi responds. "They might just be late. It's fine, so long as they get here before the bell arrives."

Ran sighs. 

Then there's the feeling of a cold hand against the back of her neck. She barely even reacts. "Did I hear somebody call my name~?" Moca pokes her grinning head to Ran's side, and waltzes in.

"Moca! Where have you been?" Himari flails.

"Sorry, sorry~. Had veeeeeery important Moca things to do, this morning." She gets out a baguette. "Yamabuki Bakery was having a sale. That's worth being late in my book."

"And... what about Tomoe?" Tsugumi asks.

There's a stiff silence, for a second. Ran can tell; Moca's pondering again, pondering what to say. Just like she always does when she's hiding something.

"Wellllllllllll..............." She heads over to her desk and reclines on it. "I had a liiiiiittle bit of trouble finding her. But she got back home in the end, so she'll proooobably be here soon enough."

"P-probably?" Tsugumi says. "Okay, then."

It's silent for a few minutes. Everyone idly stands or sits about, occupying themselves with the ceiling or whatever else looks interesting. There's a few murmurs from students around the school, pushing through the walls... and that's about it. Something's sticking in all of their throats.

But before any of them can bring the elephant up, she gets into the room.

"...Morning..."

Ran whips her head around.

A mess stands in the doorway. She's wearing a black cotton jacket over a stained white top and jeans. Her red hair's combed to one side, but it doesn't look sharp like it's supposed to. It's just a frayed mess, dancing over the bags on her face.

And her eyes. There's no light in them. There isn't even a worn smile on her face. Is this supposed to be a joke?

"T-Tomoe." She can barely make out.

But Tomoe doesn't even respond. Her eyes drown in shadow as she moves past Ran, towards her seat.

It's like a stake just pierced the heart. Ran can't do anything but stand still and face the empty doorway. She doesn't move. She doesn't turn around.

"Hey Tomotomo~. What's up?" She hears from behind her.

"...Ah!" She can hear Tomoe's voice shrill. "Mo-"

But Moca cuts the line off. "Don't worry about a thing~. Moca's all good to go again. Focus on picking yourself up, yeah?"

Ran balls her fists.

"T-Tomoe! You're, um. Late. H-hi, how've you been?" Himari says.

"...Fine. You?"

"Spiffy! Fantastic!" Himari stutters. "Uhm... nice weather we have today!"

It balls up. Ran can feel her arms tremble.

"It's raining, Himarine~."

"Moca! You're not helping!"

She can feel herself want to cry.

"U-um!" Tsugumi tries to start. "Tomoe, did you-"

"Where's Ako?"

The rest of them flinch. Are they all looking towards her? Ran doesn't know. She doesn't care. She just wants an answer, for god's sake.

"Tomoe. I said, where's Ako?"

No response.

"...What's going on, Tomoe?" She asks. "Why were you arguing with Ako? Why were you both crying? Why did Ako run away from home?"

...

...

"...I'm sorry."

Sorry? For what, goddamnit?! "...Why?"

"For... messing everything up." She hears Tomoe croak.

"I don't care."

"W-what?"

"I don't care whether you messed up or not, Tomoe," she tries to form. "I just... want to know how you're doing. I just want to know what happened. Please. Tell me."

Silence.

"..." She can hear Tomoe's teeth grit. "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"...What part... what part of this... is fine?!"

"R-Ran-"

"Am I just supposed to forget what I saw yesterday?" She shakes. "Am I supposed to just turn away and stop looking when my friend starts crying? Am I supposed to just sit here and watch everyone get worse and worse, when I'm leaving Circle in a week? Is that what you're saying to me?"

The air chills.

"Y-you're... leaving?" Himari makes out.

"Yeah, that's right. My father's removing me."

She can hear gasps.

"Well, Tomoe? At least I'm actually talking about what's bothering me. How about you? Feel like actually trusting your friends for once?"

"...I said I'm fine," Tomoe mutters. "You don't need to bother caring about me anymore. I'm sorry-"

"Don't. Tell me what to do. Just spit it out already. Unless you're saying we should sit here and watch, as you beat yourself into the ground. Is that it?"

"Stop it! I'm not saying anything like that!" Tomoe's gritting her teeth. "Just... leave me alone. Get off my back. The bell's gonna ring soon, anyway."

"Get off your back?! What do you think-"

"U-um!" Himari spills in. "I-isn't it too tense in here right now? Why don't we just cool down and talk after school?"

"Talk?" Ran spits. "Are we actually going to do that?! Or are you all going to weasel your way out of it again?"

"No!" Himari protests. "It's just... we can't talk like this! You and Tomoe need to calm down!"

Stop it. Just stop it.

"Take a rest, Ran! Just relax for a bit until we all feel better-"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP AND STOP RUNNING!"

Oh god, no. It blared out before she realised it. 

She hears Himari yelp. No, no, no, no. She turns around, and Himari's... oh, god. What's wrong with her? Why did she say that? To Himari, of all people?

"I-" She wants to scream. She wants to tell Tomoe to just spit out what the hell's going on already... she just wants to know!

If only she could say it. Her throat's blocked tight when she sees Himari's trembling, tear-stained face.

Great. She made her friend cry.

"Sorry." She barely mutters it out. "...I'm leaving."

She runs from the labyrinth.

"No! Ran, wait!"

Run.

\---

It's the evening now. Moca's clock is ticking.

She shuts off her phone; she's made the plan with Tsugumi and Himari. Those two'll watch over Tomoe as best they can today while Moca pesters the crew's red-streaked rose. 

Ran let her tag along for the walk home, at least. She didn't verbalise a response to Moca, but she didn't stop her either. That's... well. Usually that's a good thing. After all, they've had plenty of outings like this in the past, outings where they didn't need words to welcome each other's presence. Ran didn't say anything to her when the two of them snuck out last year, to run down the river at night and see what Circle looked like, and she didn't say anything to Moca when her eyes gleamed at the mural on the wall... she didn't even say that much to Afterglow when they made the plan to all go to Circle. And it's always been like that, really; Ran's cherished smile says more than any sentence she could ever form.

But this trip home is different. There's no smile. And Ran's silence feels even quieter than usual.

Still, even in this situation, Moca's hounding her friends. Just like she always does. Taking all the warmth she can, while she still can.

They've reached one end of a bridge; it's a long, tall and gaudy red-plated construction that connects the river between Ran's house and Circle, right on the south end of Haneoka. Some meters beneath them, there's the relaxing sound of flowing water. And the sky's been nice enough to push some of the clouds out, letting a bit of the sunset through.

"Hey, Ran. View's nice~. Why not take a look?"

No response. Ran doesn't even turn back; she just keeps looking away, and walks. Moca'll admire the scenery on her own then; the Sun's a nice thing to look at the light of, compared to all the other hollow stars. Honestly, any light source other than those stars is nice to look at. They're blinding, bright; the Sun, the sky, and all her wonderful friends. Moca wishes she could shine like that.

"...Hey, Ran, Ran~. Ms. Tsukushima was pretty nice, wasn't she? She's got a good cheer-up routine." 

No response. Ran's footsteps are the only sound she makes.

"She gave these pastries out to everyone, too. These things taste delicious. Wonder if she baked them herself."

No response. Moca saw it coming, but... it's crushing to see. She can't reach her friend anymore. 

They're halfway across the bridge.

"Hey, Ran. Wanna brainstorm how to make Tomoe spit it out?"

Ran stops.

"I'm betting she's just scared, y'know~? Poor Tomo's always been a bit insecure deep down. She probably thinks she's going to lose us if she-"

.

Ah.

Ran's hugging her. Tight.

"...Ran?"

"Why?" She can hear sobs. Quiet, miserable ones.

It... it hurts. Moca thought she'd prepared for this. She thought she'd made her resolve as tough as it could be. After all, she knew this would happen eventually. But feeling her friend's tears... hurts like nothing else. She screwed up; she hates to admit it, but she's weak. She's trying not to shake as Ran clutches her shoulders. The stars are laughing at her.

"Why?" She can hear Ran ask. "Why? Why don't you let us in anymore?"

"...Ran."

"Please just tell me." Ran begs. "Just tell me. Just talk to me. Talk to me. I'm... so tired. I'm tired. I'm tired of my friends hiding from me. I'm tired of feeling useless. I-I'm tired of feeling like I can't do anything for you. I don't want to watch everyone I love fall away from me. I... don't want to be alone... not after we've all been together for so long... I... I don't want to lose my friends... please."

"...Ran~." She tries to hold her friend close. "You're not going to lose anyone. Afterglow's strong, after all. Everyone'll get back together eventually. Trust me."

Words can barely make themselves out through the tears. "...If you want me to trust you, then... j-just tell me. Please, Moca... tell me. What are you hiding from me?"

"Don't worry~. Everything will be fine, Ran."

"It doesn't feel that way!" The grip strangles her. "If you want me to believe you, then talk to me for once! Cry if you want to! Feel miserable! I'd rather see my friend sad than see her bottling everything up! Please... just... please............ please..."

For a few minutes, she holds her. She lets Ran's tears stain her shoulder, more than blood ever could. It's the least she can do. After all, it's her fault Ran is crying right now.

She really did mess up. How could she forget? Afterglow's sticky; when you're friends with people for long enough, they'll start to know when you're acting strange, no matter how much you try and hide it. It's like trying to deceive a psychic.

She moves back and looks at Ran's face. Because of her, Ran is crying. And it's because of her that Tomoe cried too. She wonders; if she sticks around, how many more times will she make her friends fall into misery? How many more times will her secrets run through her friends like jagged spikes?

She can't let it continue.

"Ran~." She sings.

No response. Ran just stares at her through reddened eyes, shaking uncontrollably.

"Don't worry. Your lovable Moca's just pondering through a choice menu. Even I'm having trouble deciding what I should get." 

"Shut up."

She pats her friend on the back. "...I'll just need a bit of time, okay?"

"Promise."

Moca smiles. "Course. Ol' Moca's a genius, after all. She always solves her problems."

"...Does she? Really?"

...

...It's not working. Ran isn't smiling. Moca's hunch was right; there's nothing more she can do.

So in response, she gives off the same grin she always wears. The cheeky, cheshire grin of the irritating but irresistible Moca Aoba, the fool who never fails to put a smile on her friends' faces. The lovable buffoon everyone knows everything about. The Moca everyone loves. 

"Yeah. She really does."

Ran stares at her in despair. It hurts.

"...I'm gonna go on a little bakery tour, Ran. See you later~."

Forcing a hop in her step, Moca turns back the way she came. She heads back across the bridge, leaving Ran alone on the other side.

\---

She didn't bother going to 1-B the next day. Not after everything she did.

So, she just lied her head on her desk and stared at the backyard, watching the rain wetten the dirt. A lot of her classmates were sad. Some of them cried, even; they all got really depressed when they heard she was going to leave. Ms Tsukushima told her that she was one of the best students here. If Ran wasn't completely drained, she'd find it surreal; none of the teachers at her previous school said anything like that.

Some of her classmates gave her goodbye gifts. Trading cards, confectionaries, convenience store drinks. She didn't smile, but she thanked them. It helped, at least. They're all really nice.

...Images of her tormented friends lurk in her mind and crush her with guilt. Why is her blade so pathetic? She keeps swinging at the walls, but it always breaks. Sometimes it doesn't even touch the wall before it shatters into pieces. And sometimes, she just swings so much that she ends up hitting a person instead. She's useless. She just keeps messing everything up.

Himari sneaks a text to her mid-class. She just pesters Ran wishing the best, even though Ran treated her like garbage yesterday. Her smile's probably fractured from the shouting, and yet she still tries to cheer Ran up.

She texts back. She just says thank you, and sorry.

The day passes by. School still goes on for her, something which'll probably stay true for the remainder of the week. Then, after that, she'll...

...Is this how it's going to end? Is she just gonna get split off? Is Afterglow going to keep meeting up after it happens? They promised they'd always stick together, but... everything feels miserable. Tomoe barely even had the energy to stand yesterday. Are they going to find comfort in each other's presence anymore? Or are all the spikes on the walls just going to push them away?

The day ends. She doesn't stick around after the academic classes. She just starts heading home; there's nothing to do anymore. She doesn't deserve to see Afterglow, anyway. The home she knows is gone.

But the walk's long, excruciatingly long. Long enough that she can't help but be allured by the sunset. She stops and looks to the river by her side. The world looks amazing now that the rain's cleared up a bit, and light shines through. The grass has a soft tint to it, flowers of all kinds gently dancing in the breeze; it still looks gorgeous no matter what happens. She can't help but breathe out in awe, looking at this sight. It makes the walk worth it.

...She doesn't want to let go yet. The ground's wet as hell, but that's fine; she sits on the pavement's ledge and lets her feet touch the muddy field below. Hands on her chin, she gazes into the water. She can't hear it flow from this distance, but it's soothing all the same. Her lids want to glue themselves shut, and the rest of the muscles on her face are too worn to move... but the breeze makes them feel just a little bit better.

"You came here too, huh?"

"Wuh!"

She jumps, and turns to her right.

"O-oh. Tsugumi."

"Hehe." A gentle smile. "Sorry for startling you. Can I sit with you?"

"...Sure."

They let time pass for a bit, taking in the scenery without saying a word. Tsugumi's presence is warming; all she's doing is perching herself down on the ledge next to Ran, and yet the air itself already feels lighter. Tsugumi's by her side. After you have a good cup of coffee enough times, you don't need your senses to know how comforting it is.

"...It's nice, isn't it?" Tsugumi starts. "This view always makes me feel better."

"...Me too."

"H-how are you doing?" She peeks over to see Ran's face. "It's, um. You're- I mean, it can't be that good, I imagine."

"Yeah. Everything sucks." Ran turns to face her. "You don't need to worry about bringing my dad up. I don't really mind anymore."

"Ah, o-okay!" Tsugumi wobbles a bit. "I... I figured it might happen eventually. He's been at odds with you about dueling for a while, right?"

"Yeah. He just got grumpier about it by the day."

"Do you know why?"

"I have a hunch," Ran says. "Pretty much everyone in our families has heard Ako's missing now. I'm betting he thinks dueling's the reason she ran away. He probably wanted to make sure I didn't do anything similar. "

"I see." Tsugumi sighs. "That's... unfortunate. I asked before, but did you ever hear from Tomoe about Ako? Himari told me about the whole situation."

"I'm still kind of in the dark." She sighs, looking up to the sky as she thinks of her duel that night. "I... ended up hearing about it indirectly from Tomoe, though."

"Eh? Really?"

"It's not a happy memory," she says. "I ran into Ako that night. We had a lot of fun, just... hanging out. We ended up dueling too. But Tomoe ran in at the end of it, and she started arguing with her. That's how I found out."

"S-she found Ako?!"

"Tomoe didn't tell you a thing, I'm guessing." Ran tries not to scowl too deeply, as she remembers the wolf's amber eyes cutting through the night; there's so many details she could tell Tsugumi about, but that'd be too much to process all at once. "It's complicated, but... I think the gist of it is that Ako ditched home because her family wasn't supporting her. They didn't want her to duel, and... Ako was screaming about how they claimed they were protecting her, but weren't actually doing so. At least, that's what I managed to remember."

"Ah. That... sounds complicated. Did the argument end badly?"

"Yeah. Both of them were crying and shouting at each other. Ako ran away, and Tomoe chased after her. I was left alone after that. I don't know if anything happened after. All I know is that Tomoe... clamped up."

"Yeah. She hasn't said anything to us. Not how she's feeling, or what's going on at her home..." Tsugumi sighs. "I'm worried about her. She looks like she's bottling everything up."

"Just like I was, huh?" Ran slumps onto her arms. "Sorry. I messed up big time. I didn't mean to argue with her."

"It's okay," Tsugumi says. Her arms are pressed close to her chest; "She's doing... well, slightly better now. I think she's still miserable, but she responded when we chatted with her in class today."

"...She should talk to us more. About how she's feeling. I want to hear it in her own words, directly from her, rather than get curveballed when I least expect it." Another deep sigh. "I just wish she'd have more faith in us. We're not going to leave her behind if she makes a mistake. We're not stupid."

"I-I don't think she thinks of us that way! I... I think she just doesn't have enough faith in herself. She's always trying to do more. It's crushing, seeing her treat herself so badly."

"I never got that about her," she sighs. "Why does she feel the need? She doesn't need to force herself to be some knight in shining armour. We'll always be her friends, no matter what. I wish she could realise that."

"I... don't know the answer to that question," Tsugumi says. "You'd probably have to ask her."

"Yeah, figures." She stares at the sky for a moment. "...What about the rest of you guys? Are you doing okay?" Ran asks. "I... I shouted at Himari too, like the idiot I am. I feel like I messed up everything."

"Y-yeah! I don't think you were wrong to be mad. Things just got messy. I'm sure Himari'll be okay, so long as you apologize!"

"Right." Ran stretches. "Apologize, huh... definitely. I wonder if I'll keep messing up again after that, though. I even got mad at Moca last evening. I've treated you guys awfully."

"N-no! You haven't done anything awful! And besides..." Tsugumi wavers. "Uh..." Then her brow furrows, and she shakes her head until a determined frown hits her face. "Right. Right! Ran, we can always try and figure things out now! We won't be arguing with each other if we can sort through all this, right?"

"Tsugumi..." God, nobody can stay down with this angel around, huh? "...Right. You know what? Screw it. I want to stay at Circle. I want to stay with all of you guys, even if I mess things up. You're all okay with that, right?"

"Of course! We all make mistakes, after all. We wouldn't ever leave you for it. Same goes for Tomoe, and for Moca." Tsugumi says, offering a timid high five. Ran gladly takes it. "...Hey, Ran. Do you remember the day we all promised we were going to Circle?"

"Obviously," she makes a grin. "How could I forget? You just jumped up from your chair and said we should join a dueling school. I was pretty surprised."

"Ehehe," Tsugumi looks away bashfully. "You looked so sad about your dad, Ran. So I wanted to find something that'd let us keep dueling."

"Yeah. And it worked like a charm. I told my dad you were all going, and then he let me go too. It was flawless."

"We can thank Moca for that part of the plan," Tsugumi says. "...Moca, huh..."

Silence. It's heavy for a second.

"Um. I'm sorry. I talk with her a lot, and she's still my Duel Monsters tutor, but... I can't tell what's happening with her, so I don't know if I could help. All I know is that she looks a lot more wistful nowadays."

"...It's ok. I don't really know what to about her either. She's still hanging out with you guys, right?"

"Yeah. She didn't tell me you got mad at her, so I just assumed she was the same as usual."

"That sounds like her. She's a freaking vault." Ran sighs. "I'm tired. Everything's a mess right now. Moca, Tomoe, my dad... everything."

Silence for a moment. Tsugumi grips the hems of her skirt. Then, she stares directly; "Don't give up, Ran! Let's focus on what we can do first. Deal with things one by one."

"...Tsugumi."

"I hate to admit it, but... if we don't know what to do about Moca, we should focus on everything else first," she manages. "We can still try and figure out how to get Tomoe to talk to us. And, if you're okay with it... maybe we could try and convince your dad to keep you in Circle?"

Oh, god; that's a daunting prospect. "Dad, huh..." Ran gazes at the slowly emerging stars. "I remember how it started. About 5 years back, he became really bitter about Duel Monsters. He started calling it toxic and dangerous, and tried to keep me away from it."

"Do you know why?" Tsugumi asks. "I've really had fun dueling with everyone. We used to get bitter and argue sometimes, but it never took long for us to make up. I can't recall the last time we had a duel I'd call toxic."

"I think it's to do with what they show on TV." Ran sighs. "It was weird; one day, he started watching a lot of the gruffier dueling competitions they broadcasted, as if he was analysing them. Then he shut them off entirely and started condemning the whole thing."

"Sounds like he got suspicious about it. I think there's a lot of controversy around dueling sometimes, right? I hear discussions at the cafe about careers being sabotaged, or people getting into fights."

"Maybe," Ran says. "But I don't see what that has to do with us. Our dueling isn't like that at all. I don't get why he thinks it is."

"...I-I might be wrong, but... maybe he's worried about you?"

"Ugh." She thinks. Unfortunately, it's probably true. "You might be right... maybe he's looking at my anger towards him, and blaming dueling for it. He probably thinks I'm becoming some hypercompetitive bully."

Tsugumi nervously plays with her hands for a moment. "...Um... I know it's not easy, but... have you considered talking to him about it?"

Ran sighs.

"S-sorry. I figured-"

"It's okay," Ran shakes her head. "I want to. I want to tell him that I'm not harming myself or anyone else by dueling. But... it scares me, the idea of trying to confront him. Especially now, with everything that's happened to Tomoe and Ako. I don't know what I could say that'd actually convince him. He... seems so sure that I'm making a mistake."

"Don't know what to say, huh..." Tsugumi's wracking her brain. "U-um. Um... I... don't really know either. Oh, actually! What about convincing him through a duel?"

...

...Wait.

"What?" Ran's head slowly hurls into lightspeed. Wait, wait a second. Hang on.

"A-ah! Sorry, that was a dumb suggestion! I messed it up again," Tsugumi sighs defeatedly. "After all, he's not going to play the sport he hates."

But Ran isn't listening.

A duel. A duel.

Isn't Tsugumi right? It really, really could work.

What was she thinking? Didn't she realise? She's had another way to communicate all along.

The blade of her voice is weak. It's brittle, frail, hesitant, indecisive; it barely leaves a dent in any wall, barely lights any way forward. And she swings it recklessly, often damaging things she doesn't want to along the way. It's a crap excuse for a weapon, and she's a crap wielder.

But there's another. She has another blade, right here. It's been here the whole time, and she'd completely forgotten she had it.

...No. Actually, it's more like she didn't even realise she could use it this way until now. The blade on her wrist is more powerful than she realised.

"Sorry, I'm... argh... no, I can't give up! I said we'd figure something out, so I'll keep trying-"

"Tsugumi." Orchid blazes. She looks right at the face of her cherished friend.

"Oh! W-what is it?"

"Thanks." She smiles. "I think I know what we can do. To convince my dad. I'll even bash Tomoe on the head a bit, while I'm at it."

"Eh? Do you have an idea?"

"Yeah." Ran nods. "I'm sick of sitting around doing nothing. I... I want to help. So..." She stands up, bit by bit. "...I'm going to talk to my dad when I get back."

Tsugumi's face brightens. "Right! We can't give up on Circle, after all! If there's anything I can do, let me know! I-if you're okay with me helping, that is!"

God, her energy is... it's always so much. Even when the world's at its lowest, Tsugumi never stops trying to pick everybody up.

"...Yeah. Thanks, Tsugumi. And thanks for sticking by me, all this time. It... it means more than I could say." She scratches her head and blushes a bit, but it's bearable; somebody has to tell her friend what a wonderful person she is, after all.

"You mean it, really? ...Thanks, Ran. That makes me feel a bit better too." She smiles, and it's brighter than the sun behind her. "Are you going to head home now?"

"...I am. Can you come with me?" She hates to admit it, but she's still scared. Having Tsugumi watch her back would be a godsend.

"Of course! Can I ask what you're going to tell him?"

"Yeah. I'll tell you the whole plan, actually."

Take a deep breath.

"I'm..." And exhale. "...I'm going to duel Tomoe. And I'm gonna have my dad watch."


	17. Cherished Blaze

Deep breaths. Labyrinths come and go, but some things will always stay the same. Her home never truly changes at the core.

Ran stands at the gate to the Mitake house, breathing in and out beside Tsugumi. She watches and anticipates; her guardian cherub is currently working up a sweat staring at a phone screen. 

Then, there's a blip. "Oh! Tomoe responded!" She exclaims. "She agreed to it. You said tomorrow after school at 'the place', right?"

"Yeah. She should know what that means," Ran says. "Um, my bad for making you ask her."

"It's ok! That's what friends are for, Ran. Focus on what you're going to say to your dad instead. Do you feel ready?"

"I do. Thanks." Deep breath. "I think I know how I'm gonna word it. I just hope I don't mess up."

"I'm sure he'll listen to you!" Tsugumi encourages. Then her phone buzzes again, and she jumps. "Oh! Tomoe said... wait, this is probably Himari using her phone."

"Eh? Himari's with her?" She asks.

"I'm not surprised... she says she's gonna 'drag Tomoe there even if it kills her.' That's our leader for you, huh?"

Ran can't help but chuckle. "...Yeah. Well, now that we've confirmed it's happening..."

Silence. Her friend waits.

"...I'm... gonna face him."

"Right. I know you can do it, so take in all the courage you can. Do you want me to wait outside?"

"No, it's ok. I'll see you tomorrow." Another deep breath, and another. She turns to face Tsugumi one last time. "I'll make sure I bring him with me. I promise."

Tsugumi gives off the most determined grin she can. "Yeah! Go for it, Ran!"

Ran nods and waves goodbye. Her friend's a little hesitant to depart at first, but that just makes her feel more supported for some reason. Once she's alone, she stares down the entrance. Her own residence has never looked so intimidating. It maintains an upstanding, tradition-prizing demeanor even as the landscape around it changes. If she took a step through, she'd be flanked by green on both sides immediately, watched over by a garden that surrounds every wooden wall of the house. 

She's no stranger to what decorates the grass, but that only makes her clench her teeth. For years now, bitterness and hostility are the only meanings a living flower has conveyed to her. Maybe today, that'll finally change.

...No. She WILL make it change. That's her specialty, after all.

Ran strides down the stone paving and opens the door. She might shake, she might stumble... but this is one case where navigating the labyrinth beats lying on the floor, every single time. Besides, she's known the walls of her house since the day she was born; even someone like her can make her way around them.

She heads into the living room and brews two cups of coffee, carrying them over to the table. The aroma's just what she needs to soothe her nerves. She tries to encourage herself; her friends believe in her, even knowing the troubles she has. The loved ones she's known since childhood are a better reference than any other person... so if they say she can do it, she can.

A door's slid open. Her father walks in, carrying a muddy pair of scissors and a couple of other implements.

"...I'm home, Dad."

"Welcome back, Ran." He looks at the coffee. "Give me a minute to put these away."

Her father heads into another room. Each second that passes makes Ran's breath hitch further, but she bears with it. She doesn't need to rush this.

He's back soon after. "How was school?"

"Fine. Not as bad as yesterday."

"You left your bag at the entranceway. Why was it so stuffed?"

"Oh." She murmurs. "Um... a bunch of the students gave me things."

"...I see."

Silence for a moment. Her father sits down and takes the coffee.

It's now or never.

"Dad. Can we talk?"

"Very well. I'm listening."

Her gaze focuses. Her father; a figure she's ended up hating for years. But trying to constantly deal with him through spite has become exhausting. She doesn't WANT their relationship to be like this. Things weren't always this way; they just changed. And whether she likes it or not, they changed because he was concerned about her, right? 

So, if he's worried about what she's become, then she just needs to... well, show him what she's become. It's always been that simple, really. But it's been so hard to figure out what to say. She still doesn't know if she'll get it right. But what she can do, at least, is let it out; let out what she thinks of all this. She can say what she wants. Maybe she'll miss some details, maybe it'll go on for way too long, she doesn't know. She's not used to this. 

But she's not going to give up her friends and her passion, just because she can't be perfect. Even if she messes up or blunders, she doesn't have to rip herself apart; she's still allowed to stand proud. That's what a certain little fiend reminded her of, just a couple days back. 

Let it out.

Ran takes one last sip of the coffee, and forces it through. "...Are you busy tomorrow? At around the time school ends."

"I have some activities, but my schedule can be rearranged. Why?"

"I'm going to duel Tomoe."

His brow furrows. "What?"

"She's already agreed to it. D-do you remember the place we used to go to, when we were younger? That's... where I'm going to duel her."

His expression is sharpening. "Why now? The Udagawa family is devastated by Ako's disappearance. Do you intend on digging the wound deeper, by reminding Tomoe of the sport that caused the rift?"

"That's not-" No. She could say dueling isn't the reason Ako left, but she doubts her father will see it any other way. So, instead... "...I'm not doing this to beat her down."

"Then why?"

It's scary, facing that gaze. But she's not backing down. Remember; it's concern. It's concern. If that's really the case, he'll hear her out. "I-I..." She pauses, and tries again. "...I don't know what caused you to hate it, Dad. But dueling is what's kept me and my friends together. We're not tearing each other apart when we compete. And I want to prove that to you."

"...Ran."

"I... I want to prove it to you, by showing you what this sport means to us. That's why I want you to watch as I duel Tomoe. So... please watch us play!"

"...Alright."

Her eyes alight. Did he just agree? "Really?" 

"Yes. I'll come and watch your duel. But whatever it is you want to say, you had better be certain it will convince me."

...He did!

"Got it." Her eyes flare. "Don't worry. It will."

It's always hard to figure out the emotion on her dad's face. "I see."

She finally lets her shoulders lose some tension. She's done it. It felt like the weight of a whole world was on her shoulders, but she did it anyway. She pulled it off. Tomorrow, she'll finally have a chance to let her voice really be heard. Finally.

"...Dad?"

"Yes?"

For the first time in ages, this room isn't choking her.

"...Thank you."

\---

Wednesday, the 3rd of February.

It's not out of the ordinary. It's not somewhere special or supernatural. But it doesn't need to be.

It's a lot like one of the fields in Circle's backyard. Dusty gravel sprawled across tens of meters, painted white stripes signifying the arena. Add a towering chain-linked fence to the side, and that's everything one could describe.

But when this place is painted by the sunset, it brings back memories like nothing else. How old was she, when she and her friends first visited this place? 10? 11? It had to be years ago, ages back. It was the first site where they dueled using holographs. They finally became old enough to move beyond just tabletop, the method they had to use since they were children. Here was where their cards first came to life, as if they were waiting to be unleashed all this time. Their parents were watching merrily from the sides as each of them guffawed and gushed over each of their monsters, eagerly showing off their duel disks. She can remember Tomoe's mom yelling in hype at the images of flames, Tsugumi getting surprisingly stubborn, Himari whooping over every monster that came out, and Moca winning way more than she should've over ridiculous reasons.

Nothing but smiles. This place is cherished to her. Ran finally treads the ground of a lustrously time-lapsed fountain once more. It's been ages since she came here with her Dad, to the south-most point of the Haneoka Coast. It's far from the hustle and bustle of the cities, being even closer to the sea than Circle, but the plain expanse of grass surrounding the field doesn't lower this place's popularity; in fact, it's because it's such a naturally beautiful spot for dueling that nobody's built over it, even after all this time. Everybody wanted to keep this place intact.

Her foot hits the gravel, still drying from the rain of yesterday, and she pauses. She closes her eyes and takes in the air, letting the wind blow through her hair. The sound of wave, after wave... landing upon rock, after rock... it's like nothing else. The cliffside's a minute or two from this field, but the sea feels like it's hitting right at her heart.

"It hasn't changed at all," her father says.

"Yeah. It's the same as always."

"Oh, there she is! Raaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Over here!" Himari says that, and then runs towards Ran instead, for some reason. "I missed you yesterday! Oh, Tomoe'll be here shortly! She just texted me!"

"Good." Ran gulps, and tries to let out what she needs; "Um, Himari, I'm s-"

But there's just a pat on the back. "Accepted already! Don't fret about me for now; I'll happily eat up your worrying face later, okay?"

"Uh. Right." What's that supposed to mean?

"Himari, wait up!" Tsugumi follows her. "I-it's nice to see you again, Mr Mitake! Thanks for coming to watch."

"Tsugumi. Has my daughter been causing you trouble?"

"Um! Of course not!" Tsugumi freezes on the spot a little bit, fretting her fingers. "Well, actually... she does still forget to respond to Himari's texts sometimes..."

"Oh, that she does! She just puts me on read half the time!"

"You guys." Ran sighs. "You're not inspiring confidence here."

Fortunately, it's something her father chuckles at instead. "It's relieving to see you're both in a good state. Tsugumi. There's no need to put on airs."

"R-right!" Tsugumi gains a bit of a smile back, and bows. "Sorry about that."

"...You guys," Ran asks. "Is Moca here?"

"No, she hasn't shown up- wah!" Himari's cut off as their phones all buzz simultaneously. Ran looks down to her screen, and yup; Moca Aoba immediately spoke thus:

hey gamers, what's hangin. gracious greetings to ran's papa ~(- v-) ~

"Eh?! Where are you, you fiend?" Himari whips her head around left and right, scanning the entirety of the ground she's standing on; but no such luck. Another buzz.

oh dw about me. i'm busy making batman jealous, himarine~

"Ugh, why is she always like this? Show your face, coward!"

"Ahaha..." Tsugumi laughs. "Even I'm surprised by her, sometimes."

Whew. Ran can breathe a bit. She's worried, but she can see her father's face soften at their hijinks, so that's a good sign. Have some confidence; the plan will work. She knows it will.

well, instead of being concerned about lil' ol' me right now

you might wanna turn around~

"Eh? Why's that-" Himari's cut off.

Ran faces her direction, back the way she came. Afterglow sticks together, no matter what. That's why she knew she'd see a certain red-haired rider, standing atop the grass.

"Tomoe."

Strands of hushed flame fight the breeze. Blue eyes restrict. Evidently, she hasn't really thought much about what to wear lately; the same pair of jeans, another white top... and she's got that black jacket over her again. Her face is a little more relaxed, but the strain remains evident; she's still lost in the darkness. "Hey," she smiles. "I heard someone wanted me here, so... I came. How's it going, Ran?"

"...I'm fine. Sorry for yelling at you the other day."

She shakes her head. "No problem. It's not like I've done nothing to deserve it," she responds. "Mr Mitake! Good afternoon."

"Tomoe," he asks. "Did your parents agree to you doing this?"

"Yeah, they gave me the okay," she says. "They told me not to duel at all on Monday, but things have... mellowed out since. It's been a bit of a wake-up call."

"...I see. Just remember, you're not obligated to this. You're free to leave whenever you want."

"Thanks. I'll keep it in mind," she responds. "But honestly, I'm relieved right now. Dueling is what Afterglow always does, after all." She turns, and it's like everything feels a bit warmer again. "...Ran."

"Yeah." She lets Tomoe's eyes seep into her, and nods. "I'm ready."

Tomoe takes her position on the near side of the field, and the rest of the group travels across.   
But Ran stops and turns to the others midway; "You guys."

"Mm? Everything okay?" Tsugumi turns around.

She leans in. "Um... I have a feeling Tomoe's not going to start out so hot. For the obvious reasons. If she makes misplays or anything of the sort... can you keep silent about it? I don't wanna punch her in the gut right now."

"A-okay!" Himari gives the thumbs-up. "We'll give you both all the cheer we got, right Tsugumi?"

"Of course!" 

"Thanks, guys." Ran turns to face her father one last time before it begins. "I'm going."

A nod is all she gets, funnily enough.

Step. Step, after step, after step. Suddenly, the waves are the only sound walking beside her. The ground feels drier and drier with every step she takes, like the sea below is gradually taking all the moisture away. There's a lot of things riding on this duel. The pressure could be overwhelming to some. But Ran discards her concern; she doesn't need to stifle her breath right now, because this is her field. This is where she can make a difference. There's no hesitation in her right now, no instability. Her steps are the rhythm of confidence.

She takes the position. Tomoe watches her without comment.

The sunset begins to shine. 

The blade of rose blazes, and Orchid does too; without a word, she lets the surface sweep out from the disk on her right wrist, in one clean bloom.

...Tomoe makes a faint smile. It's a simple sword, the one on the rider's left wrist; it's always been the same blue as the standard model's, just with a spare few flames flickering in the edges.

Everyone's watching from the sidelines. A lot's riding on Ran's shoulders now, but she'll carry it.

"Tomoe." She begins: "Let's go."

"Yeah. Ready when you are." 

She stares the face of her beloved friend head-on. 

"Let's **DUEL!**"  
"Let's **DUEL!**"

**4000LP.** 5 cards in each hand. Numbers they've both seen countless times.

"...I'll let you go first, Ran."

"Alright. _My turn_," she says. Her blade takes her first card; "I summon _Aromage Jasmine in attack position._"

The sunset is soft enough to let the flurry of white petals easily become visible. They dance at Ran's command, and form the tiny mage with **100 ATK.** She continues; "then I activate the field spell card _Aroma Garden._" On the edges of the field, a miniature park forms around them. "I'll activate Garden's effect. My life points will increase to **4500,** and Jasmine's ATK increases to **600;** in addition, Jasmine's effect will let me draw one more card!"

Another card flies into her hand. Good, this is just what she wanted.

"That's a classic move from you, Ran! ...Can I adopt Jasmine?" Himari asks.

"No." Ran continues; "When my life points are higher than my opponent's, Jasmine lets me Normal Summon one extra monster per turn. Come, _Lonefire Blossom in attack position!_"

She places the card gently on her blade. The beginnings of a beaming microscopic bulb hint at the ground, and Ran brings forth the other piece she'll need for her plan. "_Lonefire Blossom's_ effect. I'll tribute this monster to summon _Talaya, Princess of Cherry Blossoms_ from my deck!"

The sky's setting colour turns just a bit stronger; the day begs to be allowed its haste. Sails of sakura, each as large as Ran herself, waltz through the air until they form one complete shrouded flower at her front. Slowly, each petal pans outward, allowing the bloom at the center to rise; a graceful empress dressed in tailored flower-adorned garb. "Talaya's effect allows her an extra 100 ATK per Plant-Type monster on the field; with _Aroma Garden_, that's **3500** total."

"Whoa... she's beautiful..." Tsugumi admires. "A **3500ATK** monster on turn 1?"

"As long as Talaya is on the field, none of my other Plant-Type monsters can be destroyed by card effects," Ran says. "Then I'll set one card face-down, and activate another; the quick-play spell card _Frozen Rose!_"

Thorns surround her little mage. "I'm sending _Aromage Jasmine_ to the graveyard, and ending my turn; with my End Phase, _Frozen Rose_ will use her sacrifice to let me draw 2 cards and discard 1."

Tomoe watches as Ran completes her setup. "...That's your first turn, huh? You're really good." The joviality feels hollow. "I don't know if I'll be able to keep up."

Ran just watches.

"...Well... _guess I'll go, then._" Tomoe draws a card. "Hey, Ran. I'm sorry. You want to talk, right? That's why you called me here to duel. I don't want to leave you alone, so... I don't mind opening up about a few things, if you want me to."

"...Do YOU want to talk, Tomoe?"

"Uh." She shifts her gaze away.

"You don't need to. There's no point in forcing it," Ran says. "I didn't ask for a duel to beat an answer out of you."

"Eh? Then why?"

"Simple." Ran leans her head. "Right now, I just want to enjoy time with my friend. That sound good?"

"..." 

Tomoe's smile eases a bit on the cracks. 

"...I'm surprised. But yeah; thanks, Ran. That's just fine." She looks through her hand. "Um... I'll start by _setting the Pendulum Scale with Metalfoes Goldriver and... Metalfoes Silverd._"

Two unmoving vehicular holographs hover by Tomoe's sides; they're the faint blue forms her Pendulum Monsters take when used as spell cards in the Pendulum Zones. "Oh, whoops. I'm gonna need a wider scale than **1-to-1**... I activate Silverd's spell effect. I'll destroy my other scale to set, um, _Metalfoes Counter_ from my deck onto the field."

In exchange for Goldriver's shattered form hitting the Extra Deck, Tomoe gets to watch a new face-down card float into the side of her blade. It's the ability each and every one of the Metalfoes has.

"Okay Tomoe, kick your gears back up..." she murmurs to herself, and stretches. "I'll place _Metalfoes Steelen_ on my empty Pendulum Zone instead now."

Nobody makes a comment; they just wait patiently and smile. "That makes the scale **1-to-8,** so..." she continues... "...that's monsters between levels 2 and 7 from the hand or face-up Extra Deck... okay, I know what I'm doing!" There's a few sparks. "Pendulum Summoning time! _Pedal to the metal_; hit the burnout, _Metalfoes Goldriver_ from my hand and _Metalfoes Goldriver_ from my Extra Deck!"

A glittering hole in space opens a few meters behind her, and two flaming riders burst out mere seconds later. They're hefty monster trucks roaring onto the field, leaving skid marks with their **1900ATK** on the ground as they zip to Tomoe's front. "YES! God, they're still so cool- uh! Sorry!" Tomoe freezes and turns towards Ran's dad. "I-I don't know what I was thinking."

But he shakes his head; "It's fine. You can feel free to enjoy your interest."

"O... oh." Tomoe says. "O-okay, then. I mean! Thank you. Right, how's that, Ran?"

"Not bad. I'll add another monster onto the field myself," she responds. "I activate the continuous trap card _Blessed Winds_, and choose one of its effects to use immediately; I pay 1000 life points to summon _Aromage Cananga_ from my graveyard!"

Winds of remembrance, the sensation of sunnier days; they bring a studious growing mage onto the field with her wisps accompanying her. She adjusts her glasses and greets the field with a Garden-boosted **1900ATK.**

"Eh? Ran, you just dipped to **3500LP!**" Himari says. "Why'd you give up the life point advant-"

"You made a mistake, Ran!" Tomoe raises her voice slightly. "If two monsters with the same ATK value fight, they'll both be destroyed. I can just sacrifice one of my pals to beat Cananga; _Metalfoes Goldriver_ number 1, attack her!"

One of the Goldrivers raises his right arm, a flaming axe where his hand should be, and charges without hesitation towards the mage. Just as Ran predicted; "I activate my face-down, the trap card _Draining Shield!_" The truck's half-baked blaze is halted by an absorbing wall. "When my opponent's monster declares an attack, I can negate it and gain life points equal to its ATK."

"O-oh," Tomoe stumbles. "Oops."

The Goldriver gets bounced back, and he has to swerve clumsily to keep his footing. The shield becomes a current and flows into the podium on Ran's duel disk, carrying her to **5400LP.** "And that's not all," she continues. "_Aromage Cananga's_ effects activate now. My advantage causes a 500-point stat drop to your monsters, and the life point gain lets her return a spell or trap card to the hand! Your _Metalfoes Counter's_ taking a break!"

Cananga swiftly taps her staff. A miasma drenches Tomoe's monsters, and a card leaves her wavering blade to return to her hand. "O-oh. Wow," she says. "So my Goldrivers only have **1400ATK** now. Maybe I should've summoned them in defense position... I'll end my turn, I guess."

"Eh? Aren't you going to- mmph!" Himari's quickly silenced by Tsugumi, thank god. No need to point out that Tomoe didn't set back _Metalfoes Counter_.

"_My turn, then._" Ran subdues her gestures for now. "I'll be destroying your frontline now, Tomoe. I activate _Aroma Garden's_ effect to boost my life points and my monsters' stats. _Aromage Cananga_, attack Goldriver number 1!"

The plants glow as Ran hikes all the way up to **5900LP.** Before Tomoe knows it, a ball of coalesced wisps has been neatly fired into one of her drivers. The truck doesn't even explode like it usually does; the holograph just breaks. "And now I'll attack your other Goldriver with _Talaya, Princess of Cherry Blossoms!_"

Talaya closes her eyes. With all the poise she needs, her towering form twirls in one rigorous motion, and she whips her fan skywards; the motion of her arm summons a glowing swipe of light, and a wave of sakura hurls the other Goldriver into the air like it's a toy.

"..." Tomoe just watches as her other monster's form dissipates. She's already down to **1400LP.** "Wow. I don't stand a chance."

Ran's ready; her rose blade is armed with a veritable ensemble now, just as she needs it to be. Now it's time for Step 2. "I set another card face-down and end my turn."

"Sheesh," Tomoe scratches her head. "Two monsters with **1900** and **3500ATK,** and one's protecting the other from effect destruction... and you've got _Blessed Winds_ and a face-down too. Ran, this is impossible for me. You're really good now."

The waves crash against the cliffside behind Ran. It's time.

...It's thanks to all the recent improvement that she can do this. Her duels with her friends, Moca's advice, watching Hina, braving Ako, staring down the wolf... they've all let her build exactly the board she needs now. They gave her the skills she needed for this. Now... she's just banking on one other thing. She knows there's a flame deep within her orchid eyes, at least. But it's not just her own flame she's thinking about. In fact, the REAL question she's asking right now is...

...Is blue the only colour Tomoe has?

"Yeah, that's right. I want to climb this mountain as much as I can." Ran grows a confident grin. "That's why I've improved. You can't beat me by playing it cool, Tomoe."

...

The waves become louder, and start ramming into the rock. There's a breeze billowing through each duelist's hair. The sunset's colour is becoming intense; all the holographs are being painted in stronger and stronger shades.

Her friend looks surprised at first; insulted, almost. But then she gives a caring smile, one like a knight's. 

"Can't win by playing it cool, huh? I figured. You and Tsugu are getting really good, after all." 

Ran's tempting the sunset. Tomoe idly rests her hands onto the back of her head; the motion hides her duel disk's blade behind her hair. 

Then... Ran's cockiness infects. Tomoe's knightly smile... it's changing. The brow's furrowing a little, the eyes are sharpening. Light is flickering, luring, in those blue eyes. She's barely restraining her face from a full-on grin of her own. "God, I'm stumped. Your side of the field's really got a lot of stuff on it. You're strong, Ran. I'm just not up for this. I don't think I can get past it, y'know?"

"Oh?" Ran tempts. "Are you sure about that?"

"It's like you said. I've gotta play it chill if I wanna look cool to my friends. And I can't beat a field like yours when I'm like that. I just feel too stiff."

Ran whispers. "Then... why don't you loosen up for me?"

The sunset blares. For a moment, only the excited roar of the waves makes a noise.

"...That's pretty forward of you." She hides her eyes in shadow. "Loosen up? Me?"

"Yeah. We all love a calm and collected Tomoe. But that's not what you wanna be right now, is it?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," she responds. "I don't know, Ran. What's gonna happen to my image if I indulge?"

"Beats me. But there's one thing I do know right now, Tomoe..." she finishes. "...I'm hungry. Hungry for you."

"Wow. You mean that?"

A wave rises. Ran digs in: "Yeah. I'm really hungry..." 

"...So feed me a bit of fire."

The wave crashes down, and the wall of rock cracks.

Tomoe grins. "...You want me that bad?"

"Yeah. Go on. Don't keep me waiting."

The sunset peaks.

Tomoe lifts her head. Her eyes breathe blue, but her hair is blazing a deep red. Her form breathes in a barely restrained tail of crimson. Ran isn't facing a knight right now; she's looking at unrestrained inferno. A motorcycle's been put back together, the fuel's been restocked. Tomoe lowers her arms, and her disk's blade has changed colour. Blue's been hidden.

"...Alright then. But don't say I didn't warn you... _because you've set my heart ablaze, Ran!_" She rips a card right out to one side, cutting a line of fire through the air. "I activate _Metalfoes Steelen's_ spell effect! I'll destroy the _Metalfoes Silverd_ in my other Pendulum Zone to set _Metalfoes Fusion_ from my deck onto the field!"

One shattered, another set. She flares; "I'll place my 3rd _Metalfoes Goldriver_ in Silverd's place! Goldriver's spell effect; I destroy Steelen to set _Metalfoes Combination_ onto the field!" It's like a chain reaction; holographic shards fly left and right. Tomoe's field is practically cluttered in fading debris. "Then, I'll place _Metalfoes Volflame_ in Silverd's place; I've made the scale **1-to-8** again now!"

"O-oh boy," Tsugumi says.

"Here's where the duel REALLY starts, Ran!" Tomoe's fangs show, and her fingers snap. Flames dance on her right wrist. "Let's go! _Pedal to the metal, pedal to the metal_; roar forth from my Extra Deck, _Metalfoes Goldrivers, Metalfoes Steelen_ and _Metalfoes Silverd!_"

Ran hears- wait, is the portal emerging behind her?! She gasps and turns; it's hundreds of meters away, but hordes of trailblazing riders have blurred past her in an instant. She and her monsters cover their eyes with their arms until the dust settles... then gaze to the other side.

Two trucks worth **1400ATK,** a sword-handed rider with **1600 DEF,** and a racer on a gleaming **1200ATK** silver jet; the transparent wheels on the underside of Silverd's vehicle are surging with some kind of viscous neon-crimson energy.

"Oh my god! Why's there so many of them?!" Himari yelps. "Wait, but Cananga's still reducing their stats, isn't she? Tomoe can't actually break through."

"Tch, tch, tch." Tomoe wags her finger. "Don't you remember, Himari? My deck isn't just one for Pendulums; it's also one for Fusion Monsters!"

"I-it is?!"

"...Heh." Tomoe gives a soft smile for a moment...

...then unbuttons her black cotton jacket, ripping it right off and tossing it to the side.

"I'm excited. It's been a long time since I did this!" Her arm flies out. The tips of her hair turn into smouldering flames. "I activate my set spell card, _Metalfoes Fusion!_"

The card opens, and one of the monsters shines; he rises from his vehicle and flies into the air with his limbs stretched by his sides. "It's time for an upgrade, Goldy! _Metalfoes Goldriver_, use _Metalfoes Steelen's_ parts as your own to reach an all-new form!"

A finger snaps, and the air gets hotter and hotter. Steelen's form dissipates, and Goldriver's armour flies out. On cue, every individual part of the two vehicles breaks into pieces and joins a raging tempest. 

The audience marvels as parts begin to combine in the air around Goldriver. "Dirt-tearing drifter, find your wonderful wheels even stronger and tougher through your flaming visor! Combine with the red-hot steel of a reclusive racer, and arm yourself with the plates of the inferno you call home! It's time for cool iron bodies to meet burning metal machines; it's time for Metalfoes Fusion!"

ClClClCLINKCLINGCLANKCLINKCLANK! Part after part after part combines, conjoins, melds, breaks, sparks, fixes, it's an entirely new vehicle. It's very evident that it's Goldriver's machine, but... it's something way crazier now, what the hell? The vehicle's become one with the monster!

"_Fusion Summon! Level 8!_ Burn up the soul, _Metalfoes Orichalc!_"

With a flash of light, it's complete. It's the same rider, but his visor blazes, and his armour resplendently shimmers in multiple glorious materials, the colours of gold and steel. He's armed with a molten axe and sword in place of each hand, and... everyone just tries to process the fact that his truck's modified itself into a jetpack??? It's spitting fire from the back, right out from each tire. It's not just the ground he could rip into now; he could blaze right through the sky. Even with Cananga's miasma, he's got **2300ATK!**

"...Now that's good," Ran says. She can feel her blood pumping; this is more like it! What kind of machine is THAT? 

"Ahaha! Isn't this just the coolest?!" Tomoe grins."Why not get a taste of it, Ran? _Metalfoes Orichalc_, attack _Aromage Cananga!_"

With enough force to make a rocket balk, Orichalc's jet sears into the dirt, shoving him skyward; then, he raises his weapons and tears a trail through the sky, diving right down in a lunge towards the mage at a ferocious velocity.

"I'll dig in, then!" Ran throws her arm out; "I activate my face-down, another _Draining Shield!_ I'll stop your charge and eat your monster's ATK right up, Tomoe!" 

The barrier covers her front, and-

"W-what?!" Ran balks; she just saw Orichalc's screech to a halt right before the barrier, and... his armour's falling off?! He just disappeared and left it behind! What's going on?

"Flustered, aren't you? Orichalc can't have his attack negated anymore, because it's not happening; he's already in the graveyard!"

"You're leaving my life points hanging? What gives?"

"What's the matter? Can't handle a little teasing?" A fire-ripped arm points to a card's holograph. "Well, don't worry; I just want to give you something hotter instead! That's why I activated the quick-play spell card _Fullmetalfoes Fusion!_"

Ran zips her eyes to her duel disk's display. "Another version of _Metalfoes Fusion?!_"

"If it's a quick-play, then... T-Tomoe can activate it from her hand during any part of her turn!" Tsugumi says.

"Exactly! It's my secret weapon!"

A finger snaps, and it feels like heatstroke. Ran didn't even notice until now; one of Tomoe's other monsters has been raised into the air. Like Goldriver before her, her armour's falling off to join a mechanical storm. Tomoe triumphs; "Time for a quick fix, Aero! _Metalfoes Silverd_, use _Metalfoes Orichalc's_ parts as your own to reach an all-new form!"

It happens even faster than before; Ran's eyes can barely keep up as- did Silverd's gun just clone itself? Wait, why is her machine being cut in half?! "Sizzling soldier, find your sublight speedjet even stronger and faster through your flaming visor! Combine with the red-hot orichalcum of an unbound drifter, and hit speeds beyond what you know in the inferno you call home! It's time for cool iron bodies to meet burning metal machines; it's time for Metalfoes Fusion!"

CLANKCLANKChchchchchchchchchcicicicicicihchchchchCLINKCLINGclankCLANK! Lights flash, neon blares, move your eyes and you can't see her there; oh god, Ran thinks. Were Tomoe's monsters always like this?

"_Fusion Summon! Level 6!_ Burn up the soul, _Metalfoes Mithrilium!_"

A flash of light, and it's complete. It's the same rider, but her visor blazes, and her armour cockily gleams in multiple glorious materials, too many colours to count beyond silver. There's wings on her legs, wings on her sides... it's plate after plate of metal in place of any feather, viscous red liquid crackling in each window. She's twirling a ray gun in each hand, and her heels blaze with a sword and axe each; it's a veritable ensemble of ridiculous weaponry.

"Whoa, she's still got **2100ATK** too!" Himari yells. "She's so toned! Can I ask her ou-"

She's cut off; she and Ran jump five feet into the air as a pair of molten tomahawks rip right down from above and shatter the form of _Talaya, Princess of Cherry Blossoms_. "Are you kidding? What was that?!" Ran asks.

"THAT was _Metalfoes Orichalc's_ effect!" Her friend's bouncing. "When he's sent from the field to the graveyard, I can target and destroy a card of my choice! I just got your big barrier out of the way, is all."

"Well, aren't you enthusiastic," Ran says, trying not to sweat.

"You like that? I've opened you up now!" She imitates a gun with her fingers and fires; "_Metalfoes Mithrilium_, attack _Aromage Cananga!_"

Before the mage can even react, Mithrilium practically phases through space to her side; her form's so blaring, yet it's so hard to keep track of her. She teleports here and there in bursts of lightspeed, her heels digging attacks left and right. It takes barely a second for Cananga's staff to be torn, and Mithrilium phases away in a barrage of covering fire, easily causing the monster to shatter.

"Oh, wow..." Tsugumi marvels. "That means Tomoe's monsters don't have their stats reduced anymore!"

Ran grits her teeth; fortunately the damage was small, so she's still at **5700LP.** "_Aroma Garden's_ effect! When an Aroma monster I control is destroyed, I gain 1000 life points!"

"You're not gonna keep it! _Metalfoes Goldriver_, attack Ran directly!"

"Ack!" She completely forgot Tomoe had another monster! But the second she finishes processing that, a truck's already roared right past her. Still **4800LP!**

"My turn's not over yet, Ran! Time for Main Phase 2!"

"Th-there's more?!" Himari says.

"_Metalfoes Mithrilium's_ effect!" Tomoe declares; "By shuffling _Metalfoes Orichalc_ and _Fullmetalfoes Fusion_ from their graveyards back into their decks, Mithrilium can target a card on the field and return it to the hand! I choose your _Blessed Winds_ continuous trap!"

"What? Why-" Wait. Didn't Ako do something similar to her before? Right; she missed it back then, but there's a response she can make! "I chain one of the effects of _Blessed Winds!_ I'm paying 1000 life points to special summon _Aromage Jasmine_ back from my graveyard!"

**3800LP.** Winds of remembrance return the white mage; that's all she can do before the trap card's enveloped in two red beams and returned to her hand. "That's pretty sneaky of you, Tomoe," she says. "After all, trap cards can't be activated on the turn they're set. I won't be able to use _Blessed Winds_ again until I end my next turn."

Tomoe just smiles and lets out a chuckle. "I activate the effect of _Metalfoes Fusion_ in my graveyard! By shuffling it back into my deck, I can draw 1 card. Oh, and I'll set another card face-down too."

The rider's blazing blade... it's as clean and sharp as Ran's is now. There's no hesitation in that steel.

"That's my turn over. How's that?" Tomoe stands tall as the waves crash, and sends an alluring glare Ran's way. "Hot enough for you?"

"...Yeah. That was pretty awesome," she says, drawing a card. "_But it's my turn now._ You've left me with a life point advantage, Tomoe; that's not a good thing when you're facing my deck."

"What can I say? You're stubborn as an ox." Tomoe closes her eyes. "Maybe I should've done a bit more."

"Are you saying that wasn't your hottest?"

"No way. I'm not satisfied yet. I want to blaze as much as I can."

The adrenaline hits her. "Really, now. Can I get a look?"

"Oh? You're still hungry?"

"What do you think?"

Tomoe gleams. "Well... if you're that desperate, I'll give you a warning." She opens her eyes. "Get as many life points as you can. Because next turn, I'm going to sweep you off your feet."

...

"...W-well, don't get ahead of yourself," Ran tries to snark. "After all, I could just end you this turn, before you get the chance."

"Oh, don't worry. I don't crash and burn that easily."

"We'll see about that!" Ran arms her blade. "When my life points are higher than my opponent's, I can special summon _Aromage Laurel_ from my hand!"

He's another miniature mage, this messenger; he emerges in a flurry of different leaves and petals. "I activate the effect of _Aroma Garden_ again!" Ran says, as the plants glow once more. "With that, my life points restore to **4300,** and Jasmine reaches **2400DEF!** Now activate, my monsters' effects!"

Jasmine's glowing staff draws Ran another card, but it's not the only action going on; Laurel's form is dancing in a veil of rings. "When I gain life points, Laurel can let me treat one Plant-Type monster on the field as a Tuner until the end of the turn! I'm choosing Laurel himself!"

"Oh? Are you bringing out something from your Extra Deck?" Tomoe grins.

"You bet!" Ran responds. "I summon _Aromage Rosemary_ in attack position!" A flurry of blue petals flickers in for a moment. "When I have life-point advantage, Jasmine lets me conduct a second Normal Summon per turn! I tribute Rosemary to summon _Aromage Marjoram!_"

Velvet-black flows gently in the breeze, and the sound of a door unlocking is heard; a smiling figure with **2500ATK** rises from the messy gravel, as if it were a soft and soothing pool of water. 

The air cools. Nature grants the winds of remembrance, repentance and regret to Ran Mitake. She lets a current of different colours mix through her eyes as she extends her left palm forward and weaves the wind between her fingers. "I tune my level 1 _Aromage Laurel_ with my level 5 _Aromage Marjoram!_"

A bed of roots flies up from the soil, and green beam of light bursts out from Ran's side of the field, enveloping her monsters. Rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 5 stars dancing. "Magus of marjoram, meet the seraph of nature's grace! Your aroma carries the memories that connect lives... and through that distinction, you shall be granted your title as master of your art! Let your expression flourish, and wield the holy light as your own!"

The beam becomes a spread of rays, illuminating a new form at the center. "_Synchro Summon! Level 6, Aromaseraphy Sweet Marjoram!_"

The light settles. Velvet-black in her outfit becomes laced with angelic white. Flowers and blooms of all kinds speak around her. The master magus has a butterfly's wings, the pattern like that of a stained glass window. A fragrance wafts the air with a flavour subtle yet distinguishable to anyone, as she gazes calmly across the field with **2700ATK.**

She can hear Himari and Tsugumi gasp in admiration beside her. "Whoa," Tomoe's eyes glow. "That's amazing. I didn't know the Aromages had Synchro forms."

"If you think that's good, then feast your eyes on this!" Ran swipes. "Sweet Marjoram's first effect! As long as I have life point advantage, none of my Plant-Type monsters can be targeted by your card effects!" 

As her arm moves, the ground beneath her gains a soft white glow, becoming a haven in the world. "Sweet Marjoram's second effect," she continues. "When I Synchro Summon this monster, I can add one Aroma Wind card from my deck to my hand! I choose _Humid Winds!_"

A flick of Marjoram's hand, and a current melds into a card. "And finally, _Aromage Laurel's_ effect! When I send this card to the graveyard, I gain 500 life points!" She explains, pushing herself to **4800.** "Now, Sweet Marjoram's third effect! If I gain life points, I can target 1 card my opponent controls and destroy it!"

"Uh-oh," Tomoe grins. "Looks like my ace's in trouble."

Without any movement from Marjoram herself, the staff takes in flowers... and quietly glows.

In a split second, beautiful incandescent thorns spike through the ground beneath the mechanical angel opposite, ripping through her wings and causing her plates to crackle with electricity. It's an offence she can't take, causing her machine-modified form to burst in a chain reaction of explosions leading up to one final boom. Stuff blowing up really does just run in the Udagawa family, huh-

...Wait. There's a pulsing orb making itself out from the dust of Mithrilium's demise. "What's going on?" Ran asks.

"Does a motorcycle give up after one crash? No way," Tomoe boasts. "_Metalfoes Mithrilium's_ effect! When this card is sent to the graveyard, I can special summon a Metalfoes Pendulum Monster from my graveyard or Extra Deck! Return, _Metalfoes Steelen!_"

Out from the flames, a reclusive rider scorches the ground once more with **2100DEF.** But Ran says; "How about this, then? _Aromaseraphy Sweet Marjoram_, attack _Metalfoes Goldriver!_"

The magus gives no name to her ability, simply closing her eyes. An enormous wreath of thorns rises in resplendence around her, before ripping through the dried gravel and blowing up the monster truck. 

Tomoe's hair and skin still subtly rip in flame, even as she plummets to **600LP.** She moves her arm; "I activate my counter trap _Metalfoes Counter!_ When a card I control is destroyed, I can summon a Metalfoes monster from my deck! Come, _Metalfoes Volflame!_"

From the debris, rings of blue spin round and round until the form of another rider completes; it's the same vehicle as the one in the blurred holograph from one of Tomoe's Pendulum Zones, but this one isn't made of faded blue; it blazes. It's a loud, roaring behemoth of a dragster, armed to the teeth with **2400ATK** launchers on all fronts.

"...Weren't you calling me stubborn earlier?" Ran asks. "You said that, but you're the one who keeps summoning monster after monster. Nothing ever stops your ride, does it!"

"You know it! The Metalfoes aren't monsters who fall after just one skirmish!"

"Yeah. They're really cool, just like you," she responds, and adorns her rose blade once more. "I'll set both the Aroma Wind cards face-down and end my turn. How was it?"

"Awesome and you know it! _My turn!_" A card's ripped out. "But what'd I tell you? I'm still standing."

"You are. It's hard to outblaze you, after all."

"Heh. Hearing that from you makes my blood pump, Ran." The sunset permeates them. "Well? Feel like 4800 life points'll be enough to keep you from fainting?"

"Hm. How about I heat things up? I activate the continuous trap card _Humid Winds!_" The card opens, and another flies out from her disk. "I pay 1000 life points to add _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ to my hand!"

"...Just **3800** again?" Tomoe whistles. "That's pretty bold of you. Sure you can handle me like that?"

"I've ended on worse before. So go on, Tomoe. Show me your flame. I can't get enough of it."

Tomoe giggles. "If you're asking like that, how can I say no? Alright then; I'll make your heart race." Her hair rises from the heat. "Let me show you how Tomoe Udagawa of Afterglow duels!"

It's a familiar sensation, like something is surging through her veins. Her heart's already pumping enough as is, just like it was on that night. It's exhilarating, it's incredible, it's like nothing else. It's that same pounding excitement, the one that just makes her want to climb the mountain as much as she can.

So Ran takes one step forward, and grins. "Gladly! I'll take in every last bit of it!"

"Let me know if it's too much. Because otherwise, I'm gonna kick it into overdrive!" She throws her flames sideways; "I activate the spell effect of the Goldriver in my Pendulum Zone! I'll destroy the Volflame in my other Pendulum Zone to set _Metalfoes Fusion_ onto the field!"

"Uh-oh," Tsugumi says. "She shuffled Orichalc back into her Extra Deck with Mithrilium's effect earlier! She can summon it again now!"

"You're sharp as always, Tsugu." Tomoe snaps her fingers. "But you might be surprised. I activate my set _Metalfoes Fusion!_"

The reclusive rider shines, rising from his vehicle and flying into the air. But the other monster on Tomoe's field, Volflame, doesn't break into pieces; is he not the second material?

...Wait, now she sees it. "You had another Metalfoes monster in your hand?!" Ran asks.

"That's right; a third _Metalfoes Volflame!_ If there's one thing Ako got through my thick skull, it's that consistency helps," Tomoe boasts. "Time for an upgrade, Cooler! _Metalfoes Steelen_, use _Metalfoes Volflame's_ parts as your own!"

The heat wave returns, and the storm of interconnecting machinery dances around a monster once more. Ran simply has to watch as Tomoe assembles those ridiculous pairs of plated wings again; "Reclusive racer, combine with the red-hot wolfram of a dirt-tearing dragster! It's time for cool iron bodies to meet burning metal machines; it's time for Metalfoes Fusion!"

CLANKCLANKChchchchchchchchchcicicicicicihchchchchCLINKCLINGclankCLANK! Lights flash, neon blares, move your eyes and you- wait. "Hang on," Ran shouts. "That's not Orichalc!" 

"_Fusion Summon! Level 6!_ Burn up the soul, _Metalfoes Mithrilium!_"

A flash of light and it's done. It's the same cocky gleam of glorious minerals, in the form of glaring wings and viscous red energy, but Steelen's the one merged with the machine this time. His hands wield a flaming sword each, and rocket launchers adorn his heels.

"Wait, wait," Tsugumi says, "isn't Mithrilium in the graveyard?"

Tomoe lets the grin grow. "I run THREE of them in my Extra Deck! And 3 of every other Metalfoes Fusion Monster, too! In fact, I've got 3 of every single Metalfoes monster!"

"...O-oh. Wow. You maxed out on all of them, huh." 

Ran sighs in endeared exasperation. "Of course she did."

"_Metalfoes Mithrilium's_ effect!" Tomoe throws an arm out. "I shuffle the Fusion and Volflame I used back into my deck, and return your _Aroma Garden_ to the hand! You're not going to get any life points when I destroy your monsters now, Ran!"

Two red beams tag the side of Ran's blade, causing the holographic shrubbery to disappear. "Not bad! But Mithrilium only has **2600ATK.** You can't get past Sweet Marjoram with that!"

"Then how about this!" Tomoe slams another card down. "I activate the field spell card _Metaformation!_ All of my monsters gain a 300-point stat boost!"

Oh, crap. Now Volflame and Mithrilium can run right through her frontline; she can't let that happen, or she'll be wide open! "I activate the continuous trap _Blessed Winds!_ I'll shuffle _Aromage Cananga_ from my graveyard back into my deck, and gain 500 life points!" She hits **4300LP,** and the staffs of her monsters glow. "_Aromage Jasmine's_ effect draws me 1 more card! And _Aromaseraphy Sweet Marjoram's_ effect activates; I'm destroying your _Metaformation_ field spell!"

A few thorns around Tomoe's edge is all it takes to destroy the card. That's good; Tomoe sacrificed one of her Pendulum Scales to set that _Metalfoes Fusion_, so now she can't Pendulum Summon either. Ran should be safe...

"A field spell for a field spell, huh?" Tomoe smiles. "But I'm glad. You've fallen for my bait, Ran!"

"...Wait, what?!"

"_Metalfoes Counter's_ second effect!" Red swelters into fire. "By banishing this card from my graveyard, I can add one Metalfoes monster from my face-up Extra Deck to my hand! I choose _Metalfoes Steelen_..." The card flies right into her grasp, and she sets it alight on one end of her blade; "_...And reset the Pendulum Scale with him!_ With the Goldriver on my other Pendulum Zone, the scale's **1-to-8** again!"

"No! Counter had a second effect?!" Ran balks.

But it's too late to contemplate; another fiery snap, and Tomoe's already opened a seawide portal. "_Pedal to the metal, Metalfoes; Pendulum Summoning time!_ Let's go, Silverd; bring a Goldriver and another Volflame with you too!"

Wind races. There's an uncountable number of skid marks across the gravel now; beside the metal-winged rider's a hovering jet, two gigantic dragsters AND another monster truck! Jesus!

...Ran sweats. She might have maybe, just maybe, underestimated how much she pumped Tomoe up. Just maybe.

"Have another Metalfoes effect from my Pendulum Zone too, Ran! I'll have one scale destroy the other to set a 2nd _Metalfoes Fusion_ from my deck!" Tomoe's fingers flick fire; "I activate _Metalfoes Fusion!_ My materials will be _Metalfoes Silverd_ and _Metalfoes Goldriver_ on my field!"

"ANOTHER Fusion Summon?!" Himari yells.

"Time for an upgrade, Aero! Silverd, use Goldriver's parts as your own!" ClClClCLINKCLINGCLANKCLINKCLANK! Oh, THERE'S the one everyone was expecting earlier; that obnoxious pair of tire jets behind the shoulder blades, just on Silverd's form instead. "_Fusion Summon! Level 8!_ Burn up the soul, _Metalfoes Orichalc!_"

Ran can't help but smile at the inferno. It's such a ridiculous, yet such an admirable blaze; on Tomoe's side stands a **2400ATK** dragster, a **1900ATK** monster truck, a gold-plated soldier with **2800ATK,** and two metal-winged absurdities with **2600ATK-**

...WAIT, TWO?!

"What?! When did your other Mithrilium come back from the graveyard?!" Ran yells.

"Aren't you amazed? I activated the continuous trap card _Metalfoes Combination!_ Orichalc's summon let me bring back the 1st Mithrilium!"

"You're kidding me! That's crazy!"

"No time to gawk, Ran!" Tomoe points just one finger her direction, but there's FIVE monsters revving their engines. "I'm going to sweep you off your feet, just like I promised! I'll start by having _Metalfoes Orichalc_ attack _Aromaseraphy Sweet Marjoram!_"

The new Orichalc gets out a gigantic cannon of a gun, holds it with both hands and charges over while firing a laser forward. God, what's even the point of it approaching?! The attack's a laser, for crying out loud!

There's a line burnt into the ground where her monster was, and Ran covers her eyes as the machine roars past her. "Now, Mithrilium number 1, attack _Aromage Jasmine!_" She tries to open them briefly, but she just sees a winged cyborg sailing straight through her. It's relentless; she lowers her arm again, and finds her LP back at **3800.** Her- oh god, her field's empty! Tomoe has 3 more monsters!

"I hope you're ready, Ran! You said you were hungry, after all!"

"Heh." She can't help but smile despite her awe. "Hit me with all you've got, you dork!"

"Gladly!" Tomoe stands proud. "Volflame number 1, attack Ran directly!"

The behemoth of a machine spits fire at all sides, and there's a barrage of rockets heading her way. But she's not backing down; Ran holds a card bursting with darkness. "Not so fast! Have an Ako special; during the Battle Step, I can special summon the monster _Juragedo_ from my hand and gain 1000 life points!"

At her command, the card breaks and transforms into a bold demon with intimidating claws, folding its arms and staring Tomoe's way with **2200ATK.** "Now THAT'S not what I was expecting," the rider says. "But that's fine; I'll have Volflame just attack that buddy instead!"

The rockets devour it as quickly as it came, but Ran got what she wanted; "Even with Volflame's damage, I've still gained life points in total! I'm back up to **4600!**"

"You're crazy resilient!" Tomoe laughs. "But I've got another; Volflame number 2, attack Ran directly!"

Ran can't stop the rockets from hitting directly this time, but she holds a card bursting with light. "I've still got more! I discard _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ from my hand! I can gain life points equal to the ATK of an Aroma monster in my graveyard; I choose _Aromage Sweet Marjoram!_"

Winds of all kinds billow her coat as much as Tomoe's attacks do, forcing her to duck as the fiery barrage devours her; but she keeps her grin as she claws the dust aside. "**4400** life points still, Tomoe!"

"Heh. Those are some fancy plays you've got. But answer me this, Ran..." her blue eyes burn. "Do you have any more tricks like that?"

A sizzling soldier hovers beside the rider, staring her friend down. 

Ran gulps.

"Thought not. That means you're wide~. Open~. I've pinned your back against the wall now. Are you excited?"

Orchid eyes invite blue. "Oh yeah."

"Then I'll dig right in! _Metalfoes Mithrilium_ number 2, attack Ran directly!"

Sublight Skystrike; the winged soldier soars into the air, and the orbs on her wings gleam a crimson palette in the sunset sky. She stands straight, twirls her guns in three cycles and points them forward; they fire an endless barrage of energy, and an uncountable number of rockets fire out from the backs of her wings as she charges right towards Ran.

Ran throws her arms out. "Go on, then!"

Explosions here, explosions there. She sees the weapons on Mithrilium's heels fly right through her after the barrage ends. Seconds pass; she waits for the dust to settle... and as it clears, she watches in admiration as the soldier soars back to Tomoe's side.

The waves crash.

"WOO, TOMOE!" Himari yells. "Oh, sorry; that was loud! But seriously, oh my god!"

Tomoe flashes a thumbs-up her way, then looks back. "...**1800LP,** huh? That's still triple my count. You're cool, Ran."

"That's my line," she responds. "8100. That's the amount of life points I gained from card effects this duel, Tomoe. You took down every last one of them, and more."

"Over 8000? Sheesh, the Aromas are out of control," Tomoe says. "Hm. I wonder who taught you how to gain that much?"

"I wonder."

Tomoe laughs. "I activate the effect of _Metalfoes Fusion_ in my graveyard; I'm shuffling it back and drawing a card." It flies from her disk. "...Yeah, this'll do just fine. I'll set this card face-down, and end my turn."

The madness ends. "What a turn," Ran says. "You not putting the brakes on, are you?"

"Of course not!" Tomoe responds. "But that's enough from me now. Tell me, Ran; are you feeling the fire?"

"You don't even need to ask. I'm full, alright."

"That's reassuring. I thought I might've been messy," fangs blare. "...Still, all that blazing's left me feeling something."

"Oh? Has it?"

"Maybe."

"Are you hungry too?"

"Maaaaybe."

"Is there something you want from me?"

Silence.

"...Come on, Tomoe," she says. "I'll happily give you my fire if you ask."

A chuckle. "I'm not a demon. Would I be that selfish?"

"Isn't that what friends are for?"

"...You don't mind, then?"

"Yeah. You're obstinate, you're reckless, and you zip yourself shut more than you need to. But I can count the number of times you don't help us through something on one hand. I'm always happy to call you my friend." Ran steps forward. "So go on, Tomoe. Indulge in me."

...

"Heh. I'll admit, I could use the break." Tomoe relaxes, and speaks. "Alright, I'll bite. I can't help myself. Let me get a taste of your blaze, Ran."

"_With pleasure. I'll take my turn!_" Ran draws one more card. She's put herself in a pickle, alright; she promised a fire, but Tomoe's got five bulky monsters on her side, and a face-down too. This isn't going to be easy. Does she even have an out to such a gigantic board?

Wait. She scans the cards in her hand. What if she...

"..._Blessed Winds'_ effect! I pay 1000 life points to summon _Aromage Jasmine_ back from the graveyard!" The white petals fly back, and Ran brings the scenery back with her; "I'll reactivate the field spell card _Aroma Garden!_ I activate its effect, gaining 500 life points and boosting Jasmine's DEF!"

**1300LP, 2400DEF,** but what's really important is; "Jasmine's effect! I draw a card!" Right, one last look at her resources...

...She smiles.

Perfect.

"You'll regret returning _Aroma Garden_ to my hand instead of destroying it, Tomoe. Now I've got everything I need!"

"That's a bold claim. You're going to stare down my sick rides with just Jasmine and a few bushes?"

"How're you gonna pull that off?" Himari asks. "Just how? You have more life points, sure, but- oh."

Ran nods. "Exactly. So long as the Aromas have that, you can never count them out! Jasmine's effect; when I have a life point advantage, I can conduct two Normal Summons per turn! Come on out, _Aromage Rosemary_ and _Lonefire Blossom!_"

Holographs blare at Jasmine's side. The mage of blue waltzes around the field in her petals, twirling her **2400ATK** staff. Below her, there's the tiniest bulb ready to burst; "You're not the only one who runs multiples of her cards, Tomoe. _Lonefire Blossom's_ effect; I tribute this monster to summon another _Talaya, Princess of Cherry Blossoms_ from my deck!"

Sails of sakura hail the end of the day as the sun nears the horizon's line; the shrouded flower at her front blooms in resplendence, revealing an empress. And her striking presence...

...Doesn't elicit a reaction. Interesting.

"Hey, Tomoe. You've got a lot of monsters. But if Talaya battled any of them with her **3600ATK,** you'd lose your remaining life points instantly."

"I would." Tomoe smiles. "What about it?"

"Got nothing to say?" Ran tempts. "Like that face-down of yours, for example?"

"Who knows? Why not attack and find out?"

"...Guess you came prepared, huh? But I've already got all the information I need from you, thanks to that!"

"Wh-what?" It's a fear Ran relishes in. "What do you mean?"

"What did you figure out?" Tsugumi asks. 

"Simple. Tomoe didn't activate her face-down when I brought out a monster that could finish her. That means her trap card doesn't activate when I summon something; I'm free to summon whatever I want without fearing it!"

"Oh?" Tomoe dares to grin. "And what're you going to show me, exactly?"

Orchid blazes. Her beautiful rose blade flashes, its translucent petals fluttering in the wind.

"My voice!" Ran declares. "I activate _Aromaseraphy Angelica's_ effect! When I have a life point advantage and an Aroma monster on my field, I can special summon this card from the graveyard!"

Nature's seraph dances amongst three other plants; Rosemary, Jasmine, and the watching Sakura. But the **0ATK** it holds isn't what's important; what's important is that it's a ray that paves the way!

"Tomoe. You'd better be watching closely."

"Yeah. I know what's coming. Go for it, Ran."

"Right."

The waves crash.

...

...Standing straight, Ran slacks both arms down to her sides, stretches her hands out and closes her eyes. "I tune my level 1 _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ with my level 4 _Aromage Rosemary_ and my level 2 _Aromage Jasmine!_" Seemingly from nowhere, a wind starts to howl at her body, billowing her jacket and her hair.

It's time.

A droplet falls. In a pot of water, petals and flowers of every kind glow. The entire body is slowly enveloped by an overwhelmingly intense light, each and every colour melding together. Then, the peaceful background melds into a blinding stream. Rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 6 stars dancing.

"_Synchro Summon!_ Come unfailingly forth, my blazing heart!" She yells.

Suddenly, a flash of light. It threatens to blind the vision, but a black nothingness quickly envelops all. Then, on the wall, the stem grows. Like a timelapse in a camera, the plant grows at an unstoppable pace; roots and leaves cover the whole wall, the stem grows. Then, a beautiful flower, one unlike any other, blooms forth, and its petals begin to soar up to the stars.

"_Level 7! **Black Rose Dragon!**_"

In the sunset light, five duelists and her father gaze upon an unfathomable beast. The monster's form is scaled, a spine jetted in darkness; lean and thin, adorned with thorns, her figure is subtly imposing. Then, as if to defy that impression, a glorious mane of enormous petals blooms at the base of her neck, doused in orchid flames, and it spreads across each side to form two majestic wings. The ground is dyed with the dragon's colour.

Then, she opens her mouth. 

The Voice of the Black Rose makes itself known.

...

"...O-oh boy." Tomoe starts. "No matter how many times I see it, it's crazy."

Ran takes the sunset into her arms, and every strand of the red streak on her hair becomes a beautiful blade. "Black Rose Dragon's effect! When this card is Synchro Summoned... I can destroy every single card on the field!"

"A-all of them?!" Tomoe balks. "Does that mean it's destroying itself, too?"

"That's what usually happens," Ran says. "But this time, you might want to watch closely!"

The beast of her heart lets out a cry, one nobody could fail to hear. The brilliant flower it calls its mane glows colour after colour, taking in life and dancing it around its withered black scales... until finally, it settles on orchid once more, an orchid so strong that the field is drowned in light. Petals fall from the sky, surrounding this haven on the globe like a gigantic tower.

Then, the light expands. The monsters, the spells, the traps; everything has to face the light. It ruptures everything in sight.

"Ack!" Tomoe has to cover her face. 

All vision turns white.

...

...The sound lightens on the ears.

Two friends, whose bonds have stood the test of time, stand in a screen of white. 

They face each other.

Tomoe's smiling. "...You really went all-out, huh? But I've got bad news for you, Ran."

"...What is it?"

"When this light fades... the effects of my two _Metalfoes Mithriliums_ will activate, since they'll have been sent to the graveyard. I'm gonna have each of them summon a Metalfoes monster from my face-up Extra deck."

"You really are persistent."

"I got that from my friends," Tomoe chuckles. "I realised; Talaya will be gone, but it's effect is gonna protect _Black Rose Dragon_ from its own destruction."

"Yeah."

"Unfortunately for you, that means Black Rose's all you'll have left," she says. "And she only has **2900ATK,** if you factor _Aroma Garden's_ boost. If I summon two _Metalfoes Volflames_ using my Mithriliums' effects... she'll have to attack one, and she'll only deal 500 damage. I'll be left with 100 life points, and that's the only attack you'll have for your turn." She smirks. "You were amazing, Ran. But I'm afraid you won't be the one winning today."

Ran doesn't respond. She just gazes into her friend's eyes.

"What's wrong? Speechless?"

The light begins to fade.

Slowly, everyone else's vision returns. People will finally see what the field's become.

Ran lets her own smirk grow.

"...Wh..." She can hear's Tomoe voice. "...What...?"

In the field, the _Black Rose Dragon_ stands magnificently with a voice unsilenceable. Petals of its colours flutter through the air...

...alongside beautiful cherry blossoms. Talaya remains... and her outfit has changed, too.

"T..." Himari stutters. "...T-Talaya's still alive? It only protects OTHER Plant-Type monsters from effect destruction, doesn't it?"

"What did you do?!" The rider's jaw drops.

"Now that's a good face, Tomoe." Ran says. "Allow me to explain; before _Black Rose Dragon_ used its effect, I activated the quick play spell card _Forbidden Dress!_ It makes a monster lose 600 ATK... but it also protects that monster from targeting or effect destruction for the rest of the turn. Guess who I used it on?"

"Gee, I dunno." Tomoe looks at the display on her duel disk. "...Yup... she's there, **2900ATK...** wow, that's the same as what Black Rose's currently is, h-huh!"

"That's great!" Tsugumi cheers. "That means you've kept two monsters to attack with, Ran!"

"And the highest ATK value your Pendulum Monsters have come from Volflame, Tomoe... just a mere **2400,**" Ran continues. "You can use the effects of the Mithriliums and summon them if you want; but no matter what you bring back, I'll have enough firepower to finish off your life points!"

"N-not if I have anything to say about it! I summon the _Metalfoes Volflames_ in defense position, instead!" Shining cores bring **2000DEF** dragsters once more. "That's two versus two, Ran! You won't deal any damage by attacking monsters in defense position. So I'll survive even if mine're destroyed, and I'll have my next turn!"

...

...Ran just says one thing. "You summoned a monster in defense position against _Black Rose Dragon?_"

Tomoe freezes. "Oh. Ah."

No hesitation; Ran throws her arm out to her side! "_Black Rose Dragon's_ second effect! I banish a Plant-Type monster from my graveyard... to change one of your _Metalfoes Volflames_ back into attack position, and reduce its **ATK to 0!**"

Vines dig themselves into the ground, taking Volflame's vehicle into their clutches, and the rider is slowly raised to the sky. The sight is chilling; the vines crackle with energy, and the rocket launchers on the dragster malfunction and break.

Tomoe smiles.

"_Black Rose Dragon,_ attack _Metalfoes Volflame!_"

Rose Ruination. The gigantic flower glows brilliantly, a light that travels to the head of the beast. Swiftly and ruthlessly, a beam of ferocious energy fires out nigh-instantaneously from her mouth, piercing the rider stuck in its grasp.

With that final move, a shockwave rumbles through the field of Afterglow's treasured memories.

Tomoe falls to **0LP.** The duel concludes with Ran as the winner.

...

...For a moment, only the waves can be heard.

"...Pfft!"

"Ahaha!"

"Ahahahahaha!" Tomoe's laughing. Ran can't help it either.

"Ahaha!"

"Ahahahahahaha!" The rider shines, even as the holographs and the fire in her hair fade. Her motorcycle rested, she runs right over to her friend and holds a palm out. "Ran!"

Ran can barely contain her elation; she runs as fast as she can, all the way across the gravel, and hits the high-five aplomb.

"That was amazing, you guys!" They hear Tsugumi, and Himari's beside her too.

"Wasn't it?! That was so much fun!" Tomoe instantly pulls all of them into a hug, eliciting various yelps and giggles. "It was so fun that we got an audience, even. Check it out, Ran!"

"Huh?" She turns. Behind the chain-link fence, is...

...Students. There's a few of them here. Wait, some of them are even from Circle!

"That was awesome!"

"Ran, Ran! I love that monster so much!"

There's cheers, there's whoops. There's just... wow.

"Awwww, is our Ran a little embarrassed?" 

"H-Himari!" She stumbles. Oh god, is there a blush on her face?!

"Ahahaha!" Tomoe laughs. "Don't be shy, Ran! Eat it up!"

"S-shut up! How do you know they're not cheering for you?"

"...They did just say they liked YOUR monsters, Ran." Tsugumi chuckles.

"S-so? Tomoe was the one spouting stuff like 'burn up the soul', you know!" 

"Hey, you started it! What was it you said again? 'Show me your flame~, Tomoe-"

"Oh my god, stop!" Ran elbows Tomoe in those dumb abs of hers. "Stop talking, now!"

"No way, no way!" Tomoe nudges her. "...You know, for someone who's insecure about her voice, you sure sound awesome when you're belting it out, Ran."

Ugh, vocal complements. That's a critical hit; if she wasn't blushing before, she definitely is now. "...Shut up."

"Ahahahahaha! It made my heart race too!" Himari laughs.

"...Well, I won't deny it was great," Ran says. "Thanks, Tomoe. That was the most fun I've had in ages."

"Right back at you." Tomoe beams. Then she turns to the side and yells to the spectators; "Alright, you guys! Duel's over!"

"Tell me if you have another one!"

"Bye bye! See you at school tomorrow, Ran!"

Ugh. Is she smiling? She probably is. This sucks. Circle's mushy.

"Ran."

"Wah!" She jumps. Right, there's... "...Dad."

He smiles. It's not the restrained one he gives when trying to welcome Ran back home; it's just a gentle, happy expression. "You seem to all be enjoying yourselves."

"Ahaha." Tomoe breaks off from the group and scratches her head. "Sorry if it was a little loud, Mr Mitake."

"I'll live with it. It reminded me of a special I watched, once. A bit over 5 years ago," he says. "...Ran. Do you know why I fear dueling?"

"..." Ran rests her expression. "I don't. But I have a guess."

"There's no need for you to guess anymore. I've held the words back for too long," he starts. "Ran. After watching that duel, I know why you and your friends treasure this sport so much. I've seen another side to it now. But do you know what your sport is like, outside of your friend group and your school?"

"...No. I always thought some people were dumb about it, but I never really considered it in detail."

"To be honest," he continues, "the only reason I let you go to Circle in the first place was because it seemed welcoming. Many students from other dueling schools often get into fights, and spend their days berating each other; they are obsessed with winning."

"Wow, really?" Himari asks. "That's the worst."

Ran's father nods. "I wanted to understand the world of my daughter's interest, like any father would. And what I saw worried me. I worried that my daughter would internalise the toxicity its players emanate."

It was partly as she suspected, then. Afterglow takes in her father's words.

"But I know now that my daughter is in a safe place. Watching your duel made me realise the extent of your sportsmanship. It's a kind I wish people would display more," he says. "...Ran. I would like you to promise me something."

She stills. "W-what is it?"

"Keep that sportsmanship. If you are to pursue your interest in dueling, do not push away the people around you. Stay by your friends and support each other in your competition. Understood?"

"Yeah." That's easy. Of course she will. "I promise."

"Then, I will let you stay in Circle."

...

...Did she just pull it off? Did she do it? The words feel so sudden. "R-really?" 

Her father nods.

"Woohoo! That's great, Ran!" Himari cheers.

"Congratulations!" Tsugumi joins. "You did it, Ran! It worked out!"

"Y-you guys!" She says. "...D-dad. Thank you. I really mean it."

"It's fine. I've been stubborn for far too long; I know I can trust in you now. I've seen your resolve."

"...Stubborn..."

She thinks. All this time, neither of them had said a word to each other about how they felt. All they did was argue, letting the walls grow between them. Neither of them were brave enough to reach out to each other.

...Until now. Now... Ran has something she wants.

"U-um!" She starts. "Dad."

"What is it?"

She breathes. Take in one last bout of courage. "...If it's okay... can we resume flower arrangement lessons? Starting tomorrow?"

The waves hit the shore.

It's silent. Everyone looks at her, for a moment.

...Her father smiles. "Naturally. You're the heir to the Mitake School of Flowers, after all."

...It's... it's all back with her, now.

Her friends hover around her. Her father watches over her.

She remembers. She remembers the first days of her adolescence, where her lunch preceded dueling with her friends, and her dinner preceded flower language with her father. Days filled with smiles, with shared happiness, between everyone. Ran could barely speak at all, and yet she had everything to say her mind with.

And now, those days are finally coming back. The sunset starts to wave her goodbye, as the other side of the horizon begs to begin blue. It promises it will return, again and again.

Ran has everything she needs now. So all she says is one word:

"...Thanks."

Everyone smiles.

The current Mitake head turns his back, and faces the lane next to the field. "Do you plan on staying here?"

"Yeah. For a bit longer." Ran looks to Tomoe. The rider nods.

"Hmph." It's an endearing grunt. "Very well, then. Don't come home late, Ran."

"I-I won't. See you later, Dad."

A second's pause. Then he walks, his pace solid and calm. Ran watches the robe at her father's back flow gently in a petal-scattered breeze, until he disappears from sight.

She gazes upon the empty road, for a while. After all she's done today, she just wants to bask here.

A minute passes.

"Ran."

...

"Ran? You there?"

"Guys," she hears Tomoe. "Give her some time. Look at her."

"...Oh. R-Ran..."

...

A tear.

Everything's... finally back. Finally.

"Ran." She sees an arm inviting an embrace; it's that dork's, isn't it? Goddamnit.

"..." Wordlessly, she throws herself right into Tomoe. She lets the tears flow. "...I did it."

"Yeah. Thanks, Ran. I mean it." There's a hand on her head. Goddamnit.

She lets herself cry, just for a bit. All of her friends are with her.

...

...

"...T-thanks." She wipes it off, and lets go. "Tomoe. Let's not be morons again."

An infuriatingly toothy grin. "Don't worry. I'll make a vow on it."

"Good." Deep breaths. "...I'm fine now. I'm just happy we're together."

"That's Afterglow for you," Himari boasts. "We're inseparable, in the end!"

"And welcome home, Tomoe!" Tsugumi says. "I'm glad you're feeling better now."

"Glad to be back. Sorry, you guys. For everything."

"Enough apologies!" Himari beats at her arm. "We're just glad you're talking to us again! We were so worried about you."

"Ahaha! Yeah, I messed up big time... real, real big. So big that I couldn't forgive myself for it."

"So?" Ran asks. "Are you going to run away, or what?"

"Nah. I'm too greedy for that, I realised. I don't ever want to spend a second without you guys."

"Right back at you!" Himari cheers. "Whether you're helping us or not, we'll always be with you, Tomoe! I swear it as Afterglow's leader!"

"Heh, thanks. A leader's pledge, huh? That's comforting," she says. 

The rider lets the breeze go through her, and she walks over to one side of the field. There's a black cotton jacket sitting on the ground; she picks it up, looking at it longingly... and puts it back on. She doesn't re-button it, though.

"I knew. I knew you guys would still want me to stay, even if I messed up. I just couldn't stop beating myself up, is the thing. Even if you guys kept liking me, I hated the idea that I could drag you down instead of helping you. I didn't want to be a burden to my friends."

"Idiot," Ran says.

"Yeah, I know. That wasn't the right way to look at it."

"Um, Tomoe!" Tsugumi speaks up. "We... we all have things get bad sometimes. I-I get worried about talking about it, too. But, that's why we have each other! We don't mind shedding tears sometimes if it helps our friends recover."

"Yeah," Ran nods. "We've spent too long trying to strain happiness. It'll come naturally if we cry when we need to, instead."

"Right," Tomoe responds. "I know that now. I'll keep being the cool big sister, no matter what... but don't mind me if I get a little sappy sometimes, okay?" She winks.

"Oh, you'd better," Ran says. "Else I'll kick your ass in a duel again."

"Ahaha! Don't count on it. That one was close, after all!"

"...Heheh."

Afterglow's back together. The walls between them have crumbled in places; they can finally watch the beauty of the world through all the tunnels in this maze. They might fight, but they'll always love each other at the end of the day, no matter what. They'll stick together forever, finding their way to each other no matter how much the walls shift. That's why they're all here now.

...All of them, except for one. Is she still watching? Or did she just disappear?

"A-hehehehem!" Himari coughs. "We! Need! A! Meeting! Afterglow's leader declares it; it's time for a round table!"

"Right behind you," Tomoe says. "We've got a lot to cover, after all. And there's a lot I want to talk about with you guys."

"Tomoe." Ran turns her way. "Does that mean..."

"Yeah," she nods. "I'll take the 'opening up' option now, if you don't mind."

Night begins to approach.

"In fact, I think you guys need to know this."

\---

The four of them stand at a building's wall, right on the edge of a city. The cement between the brick makes chains.

She has to process what Tomoe just said. She has to try and stop her heart from hurting.

It's like a sword's run right through her chest. "...I didn't want to believe it when I saw you two," Ran says. "That's..."

"...Lisa..." Tsugumi's crestfallen.

"Y-you're kidding, right?" Himari's crying. "Lisa's the kindest person we know! Would she really do that?"

"..." Tomoe breathes in and out, clutching the arms of her jacket. "Yeah. I wish it wasn't real. She tried to block me from finding Ako. She wanted Ako to keep running away."

"Th-there's no way... come on," Himari says. "Earlier that week, she promised she'd help us find her, right? I was smiling and having fun with her just a couple minutes before! I... I can't believe it. Why would she lie to you?"

The night slowly creeps over the sky. 

"Ah... ahaha." Tomoe shakes. "Hell if I know. I never... never, never saw it coming. She stabbed me right in the back. I want to hate her for it, but I just feel sick when I try. I-I..." There's a couple of tears. "I k-know why she did it; she'd do anything for that person. But it hurts anyway. She just discarded us."

Everyone waits. They're all here for her.

She wipes her face. "Ask away. I'm not gonna fall apart."

"...That Sunday... Lisa was trying to stop you from reaching our duel, right?" Ran asks.

"Yeah. Ako was taking a test to join a group named Roselia. Lisa's a member, too... and her friend Yukina leads it."

"!" Amber eyes cut right into Ran. "Yukina Minato."

"Yukina?" Himari asks. "Who's that? Wait, is she-"

"You got it. The secret friend Lisa always talks about." Tomoe sighs. "Sorry. She told me more about Yukina than you guys, but she made me promise to keep it a secret."

"...That person," Ran says. "Tomoe. Do you know anything about her?"

"Yeah, plenty. Lisa cherishes her. I... I remember a lot of conversations I had with Lisa about her," Tomoe mourns. "Apparently, she's a professional duelist. She's going to get a whole paying career in the sport, one day."

"Really?" Tsugumi asks. "Is she a student at the SDA?"

"No, she's completely independent," Tomoe responds. "From what I could tell, Roselia's a rogue dueling group."

"A rogue group, huh..." Tsugumi says. "There's a fair few duelists who take that option nowadays. There's some kind of animosity surrounding the SDA, from what I hear at the cafe."

The wolf. Ran won't ever forget the eyes she saw on that night. And if what she's heard is true, then this person encouraged Ako to keep running away from home. 

...Ran was a part of her scheme the whole time, without even realising.

She remembers Ako's smiling face, and grits her teeth. Fists threaten to strangle themselves. 

Just... what the hell? What kind of way is that to establish a team? What kind of dueling group's desperate enough to rip a child from her family for the sake of a sport? Just who the fuck does this person think she is?

"I saw their base for myself. It's way out there," Tomoe says. "That's where Yukina and Lisa currently are. Ako and her friend Rinko are there, too."

"Rinko too?!" Himari balks. "Well, that's a silver lining. I'd be worried about Ako otherwise."

"Yeah, that's why I don't feel completely awful. Without Rinko, I would've gone haywire trying to get her back. I don't trust anyone else in Roselia." Her eyes dip into the shadows. "...I really messed it up. I straight-up shouted at Ako that night, for all the stupidest reasons in the world. I don't think we'll be able to make up for a while."

The wind howls. It's beginning to get cold.

"Sorry," she says. Ran places a hand on her shoulder. "...Thanks."

...

"...I was so terrified that night. I felt like everything was falling apart. But I know what to do now," the rider says, staring at the wall. "I want to make it up to Ako."

"What do you mean?" Ran asks.

"I didn't get how much dueling meant to her. Should've been obvious to me, really. But I didn't realise how much school was suffocating her, so I couldn't understand why she was so determined to pursue it. She got mad at me because of that... so I want to get my act together, and prove to her I'll support her interests." She sighs. "I just... I don't know how I'm gonna do that, really. I don't even know when she's gonna come home. My parents are worried sick about her; I didn't tell them anything about Roselia, for Ako's sake, but... I don't want our family to be torn apart forever."

Silence, for a moment.

"I-I think it's a great idea. Making it up to her, I mean."

"...Tsugumi?"

She stands by her friend's side. "I think Ako'd be really happy if she heard you say that. I know she'd never hate her family. So I know you can do it!"

"...Thanks. It's nice to hear that coming from you. I wonder how I should go about it though," Tomoe says, gazing to the stars. "After all, I don't even know if she wants to see me. I need to talk to her sooner or later, but I dunno when. It just aches at me, not having a plan in mind."

"Th-then!" Tsugumi raises her voice. "The Haneoka Qualifier Cup!"

They all turn to her.

"It's the most important event for every duelist in the dual-district. That means Roselia will definitely be there, right? Why not set it as your deadline for getting Ako home?"

"Eh?" Himari frets. "That's not until the 1st of March, though! Is Ako gonna be okay with them?"

"Tomoe actually let her stay there. So she's not going to be hurt, at least," Ran says.

"And I doubt Ako blocked your number either, Tomoe," Tsugumi continues. "I know she'll want to make up with you, so she can always call you if she wants to come home earlier."

"...Yeah." Tomoe grows a small smile. "That's great, Tsugu. I hate to say it, but she probably needs the space. Besides, entering the same tournament as her's a good way to show support. Maybe I could even get matched against her."

"We'll be right behind you!" Himari cheers. "We all promised to enter the Cup, after all. Even Moca did! So that's what we'll do; I declare it as Afterglow's leader!"

"Sounds like we have a plan," Tsugumi says. "Let's resume our practice at Circle, then! I want to up my game too!"

"We all will! Besides, I need to beat some sense into Lisa, if what I've heard is true. As the honorary 6th Afterglow, she's under my jurisdiction too!"

"...Heh. Thanks, Himari. And the rest of you guys too. We'll all work together from now on, I swear it." Tomoe shakes her head. "Right! Let's not wallow anymore; we're back together for real, after all!"

...

...Ran looks to the night sky. She can see the back of a silver wolf, one whose amber eyes look to the stars above. 

...She knows what she wants to do.

"Me too," she says. "I need answers."

Her friends smile at her.

"Then it's settled!" Himari pulls them into a huddle. "Henceforth, Afterglow will spend the rest of February training for the Haneoka Qualifier Cup! All together now... Hey, hey, hoh!"

Silence.

"...Hey, hey, hoh?" She says again.

Oh god, Ran can't take it. "...hoh." She murmurs.

But she instantly regrets it; her friends are all looking at her.

"...Bwahahahahaha!" Tomoe laughs. "What's gotten into you?"

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!" Himari tackles her immediately. "I always believed in you! Thank you!"

"Get off! You didn't hear a thing!" She barks.

Laughter dances away from the brunt of the night. It's getting dark, so they all agree to head back. Their courage renewed, Afterglow readies for the next dawn.

Ran looks to the stars in the night sky.

She thinks.

Yukina Minato. I'll find you and make you explain yourself, no matter what. One day, our blades will clash.

And I will find where your heart lies.


	18. The Disaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Imagery involving blood, death, near-death experiences and body horror.

Once upon a time, there was a young girl.

Her eyes were blindfolded. She walked up the ground, taking in what the world had to offer. She lived a strained but ultimately unturbulent life under the eyes of those watching from above.

4 years of age. She received a set of cards. This was her blade, they claimed. She accepted it, and learned everything she could about it.

Her life continued. The taste of caviar. The elegant ball. She wandered obediently through it all. In the meantime, she learned more and more about her blade, taught by the eyes of those watching from above.

It interested her. She became gripped by the power it had. She became curious about its purpose. Sometimes, she wanted to take her blindfold off and behold its form. But it wasn't an aching desire. She could live without seeing it. So, she kept the blindfold on. 

Her life wasn't bad this way. She spent time with her siblings, diligently maintained her studies and followed her duty. Training with the blade wasn't easy, but it was her central talent. This blade was the key to a stable future, where she could maintain her life by continuing to wield it.

Age 10. The academy. She started training with others. Often, they were terrified or scared by her. Sometimes they'd be filled with rage, and sometimes they'd just collapse, losing the will to move. One thing was consistent, though; she always won. She was ahead of her peers in the art. No blade was sharper than hers.

She didn't stop swinging. That was her duty, after all. She was told to be an exemplar to others, and she followed every instruction like it was a mantra. Dragons are powerful. Dragons are regal. Dragons are solitary. Dragons are deadly.

Age 13. One day, the blindfold was ripped right from her face. A silver-haired student joined the academy, one who was too righteous, too pure. One who was ruthlessly cut off before ever having the chance to shine. 

The consequences came fast. She ran into the bloodshot eyes of wounded crows. They wielded no blades, but their words communicated something to her.

She put the blindfold back on. But she remembered the burns and the scars on the crows. And she remembered the flames and the fangs on the dragons.

Clawed wounds. Clawed hands. A connection crept into her brain.

...The blade is her future, they said. So she continued to swing. It was her duty. The consequences are not your concern; this is what you must do. That's what the people in the black suits said.

One day, the blindfold was ripped from her again. The hand that did it belonged to an article of paper.

She put it back on. On another day, it was ripped off. This time, she saw a dragon devour its prey in front of her very eyes.

She put it back on. On another day, it was ripped off. She saw her own blade infect an innocent animal.

She put it back on. It was ripped off. She saw the stars.

She started taking it off herself. Her eyes could finally look at the world around her. This time, she could finally look at herself, too. She cast her gaze down to her body.

But what she saw wasn't human skin. The arm that held her blade... 

...Was a callous, cold-blooded claw.

...

...

...Age 14.

Her eyes are faded, but unbound. She looks across her surroundings with a gutted gaze.

Barren. Dust ruthlessly tears through the wasteland, choking the empty ground. There is no life that can bloom in this place.

The clear sky feels like an insult. She looks around; blades, blades of all kinds, are buried into the ground. They're broken, worn, rusted and damaged in every way imaginable, blades of different shapes and sizes. Most of their deceased steel is sullied with ancient blood, blood which splatters the ground around them.

She walks. Canyons and crevasses pass her constantly, leading into an abyss below.

'...no... why...'

She hears a voice. It's so faint she could swear it's an illusion. But she follows it. Sweat forms on her face as she runs. It's hard to hear it, but she knows it's calling for help. 

'...please...'

She finds the source. It's a pit, an incredibly deep one. She leans over, careful not to fall in, and tries to focus her eyes. It's drenched in black, but she can barely make out a crying face below.

'...h-help... I'm in trouble...'

It's only natural to help. 'Wait right there.' She reassures, and throws the blade on her wrist aside. With barely a moment's hesitation, she retrieves a large and sturdy rope from her bag.

'...a person?'

'Yes. Don't worry, you'll be safe soon. Please focus.'

'...thank you.'

The rope's long. The pit is frighteningly deep, but she's confident it can reach the bottom. She looks below; the wounded, pleading face belongs to an ordinary person, a person just like any other. There's no reason for them to be stuck down there. 

'I'm sending a rope down. Muster your energy!' She throws one end in and holds the other, standing firm on the ground to get a strong grip. She can make out the bottom of the pit; good, the rope's reached down to them. 'Grab onto it!'

'G-got it...'

She'll get them back out. She readies herself as the person at the bottom grabs the other end.

'I'll start pulling now. So hold on-'

.

...What?

She can't feel the ground beneath her feet. She's staring right into the center of the pit. 

She's falling.

She felt a push on her back. Something pushed her in. Something threw her mercilessly into the abyss.

'...!'

The pit. It's deep, it's deep, it's deep,

she closes her eyes, she begs, please, please, no, no, no, NO-

"AH!"

...

...

...

"...A dream."

...

...Breathing when your lungs are constantly filled with flame is a difficult task. In, and out, in, and out; it's the best she can do.

She doesn't want to remove her hands from her face. But she doesn't have a choice. Her duty calls.

Age 18. Chisato Shirasagi lowers her arms, and opens her eyes.

Thursday, the 4th of February. It's the morning. Harrowingly bright. She doesn't have a second to waste, unfortunately, so she moves from her bed and perches upon the metal-tiled floor, pushing herself up. Step, after step; there's a forced confidence in her rhythm.

She turns to her right. At this end of the room, the window covers the entire wall; it's the world's largest looking glass. She stands in the Dragon's Left Eye, a building surpassed only in size by the Haneoka Haven Stadium. Combined with the Right Eye and Mouth, it creates the face of the renowned _Blue-Eyes White Dragon_ when looked at from satellite view. Even the staircase leading up to the Shirasagi Duel Academy is meant to resemble the iconic monster firing an enormous, devastating stream from its mouth. Within the split of SPACE River, an imposing circular wall of steel surrounds this realm, encroaching all stuck inside. The three sections of the SDA are connected at ground level by a luxurious, windowless corridor, but otherwise there's nothing but an empty stretch of verdant green.

A sigh. One'd call it beautiful. The sky is clear, shimmeringly bright blue, and the Sun shines down with nary a care in the world.

It doesn't suit her, yet she sees it every day. She closes her eyes and imagines; the same room, the same wall. But instead of seeing her family's academy outside, the window is completely blocked by the bodies of crows. They fill every inch of the glass with black. They demand vengeance.

That'd be a much more comforting sight than an innocent blue.

She opens her eyes again.

Immediately, she's spotted someone. The Dragon's Right Eye is a tower only slightly smaller than the one she's in, but she sees a figure standing boldly at the top.

...It's the Watcher. The same figure as before, dressed from head to toe in black. Their cloak is riddled with countless holes at the bottom, giving the human mind the impression of ruined wings, and the same confident, fanged grin is blaring on their face.

She blinks. They've disappeared again.

...Maybe she's just seeing things. Enough contemplating.

She turns back around, and looks across her room. It's the most egregious 'apartment' space one could ask for. The Dragon's Left Eye houses the living quarters of every Shirasagi sibling and their respective personal agents, close to the top. Further down is nothing but a range of restaurants and ballroom spaces for events hosted by the corporation, marking the building as an emblem of regality.

This expansive room has all she could need. A bed, a few couches with a carpet and TV, a functioning kitchen, a washer, a dryer, cabinets, dressers, a mirror, closets for posh outfits and The Dragon's uniform... the furniture's rather plain, in a way. There's no emblem or unusual colour scheme to them, though, since it only serves to give a roof over her head. Her office, the room adjacent to this place, is where all the real flashiness happens; that's what people actually see when they want to visit her, after all. If she went through the door, she'd be surrounded by draconic banners and potted plants on either side of the metallic wall, and a desk would cut right through the center. It's the kind of office that screams of money.

She rings the bell and gets changed. A person in a black suit comes in wordlessly, sorting her hair and appearance at the mirror, then leaves her alone again. She makes herself a scant breakfast and heads to the office. She'll need a couple of hours there, before she joins the activities of the other students and exemplifies herself as the model to which they should aspire.

And so another day begins. A regal uniform of black and blue, one only The Dragon wears; it carries four translucent capes, two flowing from each shoulder. Her blonde hair is neatly arranged to her back, forming a long ponytail at the bottom that reaches down to her knees. The ends of each strand form an army of sharpened blades. She appears as an invincible, blunt and cut-throat monarch to all who see her, one whose accolades and authority are emblazoned at her front. She takes her seat on her throne, and begins correspondence on the laptop at her side as she waits for the visit she knows will come.

A buzzer rings.

"You may enter," she recites.

The thick metal doors slide open, and in strides a furious figure; the oldest Shirasagi sibling. The one who handles corporate dealings, negotiations and public appearance through control and personal attendance.

"Chisato. We're talking, now."

"...Good morning, Asami," she gives a faint smile, and looks at her sister. "You seem agitated. Is something the matter?"

"Can I go without the shade?" A long curly mane of hair is being untangled, one of the same yellow as her own. "I don't have time to humor your 3D chess. Do you have any idea how many panels and interviews I've got to attend?"

"Seems you're having a rough start. The Fathomer never stops selling our media image, does she?"

"Oh, shut it already. Just tell me about this," she shoves a paper to Chisato's front. "The draft for Aya Maruyama's dismissal form. You were supposed to bring it up with the Elder Council's agents."

"Is that so? I must have forgotten. It wasn't a particularly memorable request, after all."

"Oh, for god's sake. You have a job to do!"

"As the Dragon that exemplifies the academy. I'm well aware," she responds calmly. "That's exactly why this seemed... rather beneath me."

"Chisato, ruthlessly kicking people down is what you do. If someone's not following the group, you either break them until they do, or boot them out! Are you really going to let that buffoon stay?"

"Is it such a major issue? Besides," she says, "I thought she was rather useful to you."

"Yeah, sure. She's great for PR, whatever. But she's pathetic! She messes up and stutters all the time on TV, and that makes me look worse. I'm not going to risk losing the life I've made for myself because of her." The messily-dressed monster looks Chisato in the eyes. "Even if we don't expel her ourselves, the Elder Council will order us to sooner or later. She's too bubbly; she's not fitting the academy's image of dog-eat-dog."

"I do not see the threat she poses," Chisato waxes. "If she's such a vulnerable mouse, why not simply let the dogs eat her, instead of dirtying our own hands? Besides... her story of surviving and remaining here through the support of her fans, despite being the lowest-ranked student... it may lure more innocent citizens into joining the academy."

There's a snarl. Asami shows disturbing fangs beneath her lips. "You know her presence is more of a threat than a boon, you idiot. Have you gone soft?"

Code red.

Chisato exaggerates her sigh. "I've received a lot of unnecessary interrogations from you lately. Know your place," she cuts. "Accusing The Dragon, the Shirasagi family's dueling star, of mercy... you seem to be spending a lot of time doing that."

"Am I wrong?"

Venomous magenta drips in Chisato's irises. "Of course you are. I'm the reason the Shirasagi Corporation is perceived as the true king of Duel Monsters. Rank 2 of our academy, undefeated by our students barring one... it is through my might that the world sees our family as a name to fear. Do you really think I'm pathetic enough to waste my time on empathy and kindness?"

"THIS is why I can't stand you. You always talk a big game, but lately I've seen you avoid breathing fire more times than I can count. Students who should've been expelled, duels you needed to be crueler during, fights you've avoided... you're blunting your blade lately. Are you trying to be a goody two-shoes?"

"I wonder. Does telling a student she's worthless garbage in front of her peers count as 'goody two-shoes?' Or is there something I'm missing?"

"Give me a break. There's a reason the Elder Council's agents have been pushing you for more lately. What do you think they're going to do to you if you keep making excuses?"

...

"No response? Ugh, you're infuriating," she drolls on. "Chisato. It really is a dog-eat-dog world, when it comes to our lives. Stop worrying about stuff that doesn't matter and do your job."

"...I have no idea what you're talking about," Chisato smiles. "Instead of being concerned for me, why not simply drown your sorrows like you always do?"

"Says the one who clings to the Supernova like glue. Are you so scared of your own image that you seek that girl's comfort whenever you can?"

"Scared? Why," she says, "that sounds much more like you, doesn't it? You seem to adore indulging in deliberate ignorance, after all. You've made a hobby out of ignoring what you don't like."

"...Tch. This really is why I can't stand you."

The feeling's mutual, dear sister.

"Ah, screw it. If you're going to be this obstinate, knock yourself out. I'm not sticking my nose into stupidity." Asami dumps a bunch of papers on her desk. "The monthly rankings list, forms for facility requests, stuff you've got as student council president, the academy's dueling events during February, parties you need to attend, etcetera, etcetera. There's some stuff you'll need to pass on to the Supernova, too. Oh, and don't forget our little pink mouse's dismissal form again."

"Is that all?"

"Yup. Unlike you, I'm an adult; I don't have time to be messing around with card games. Bye."

She primps her hair and leaves the office as quickly as she can. Chisato sighs; she wants it to be one of relief, but there's cameras in this room. It's possible they're monitoring her right now.

Another buzz.

"You may enter," she recites.

"Is our lovely lion having a weary start?"

...That voice.

The Dragon's personal agent enters the room. Hand-picked by the Shirasagi Corporation, she's an adonis wrapped in a mane of sleek purple, her charming red eyes enticing the hearts of the maidens around her.

"Kaoru."

"Good morning, my queen." She bows. "Your loyal aide, at your service once again."

"I'm surprised. Normally, you're waiting at the office before I even wake up."

"Apologies for the fleeting delay. The corporation is often in need of my assistance," she smiles. "I saw the alluring Asami storm out. Another one of her mighty maelstroms, I imagine."

"She's exhausting. I don't know where her appetite for malice comes from."

"Her claws have become sharpened! It's quite the change from when I last saw her," Kaoru says, looking her childhood friend earnestly in the face.

...

...Kaoru Seta. Merely 4 years ago, she returned to Chisato's life. Chisato will forever treasure their childhood together, the childhood they maintained up until the corporation cut their ties. But why did she come back? Why did she find her way into the position of personal agent? For what possible reason would she take such risks, and no doubt gather countless qualifications, just so she could enter a den of callous dragons?

It makes Chisato suspicious. Paranoid. The persona Kaoru's developed since their childhood... it's like nothing she ever knew of the shy and frightened young girl. Is this Kaoru really the same one she knows? Or is the person standing before her yet another eye of those who watch from above?

"My queen. Is something bothering you? I can always lend an ear."

Chisato sighs.

"Woe is me... it would appear my charms are distracting you. Would Hina be jealous?"

"Quit deluding yourself," she says, trying to suppress the longing she feels hearing that name. "For a personal agent of the Shirasagi family, you seem rather content to converse with whoever you please."

"A fleeting circumstance, truly. It's simply a consequence of my appearance... my poor kittens are bewitched by my devilish visage." She flicks her hair. "Fortunately, it does not merit complaints from the Elder Council. My charm makes for a good image, does it not?"

Chisato sighs. Of course; that's the reason this academy is the way it is, after all. That's what it prizes above all else, thanks to her.

"Kaoru." She shifts some of the papers aside, and starts packing a bag. "There's a number of events I've been asked to speak at. Please sort them, and throw out any that don't look 'worthy' of The Dragon's presence. Look after Yui again, too."

"My pleasure. It is always lovely to see her smile," she responds. "Are you departing?"

"I will be joining classes for the morning, as is my duty. I'll also be having lunch with Eiji."

"Ah, your... um... right, your brother. I remember him now, I think. Give him my greetings," she says. "And let me know when I can lend you my aid again. You need not hesitate to request it."

"...Am I the only reason you came back?"

"Of course. Consider it a part of my nature."

"I see." 

Hoisting the bag, Chisato begins to walk out; her wings flow behind her as she heads to the doorway and displays a card over the reader. 

She walks through the door. "Kaoru."

"Yes, my queen?"

Deathly silence.

"If you really only entered this den to support me... then leave as soon as possible." She looks into Kaoru's eyes. "This place will destroy you."

A chuckle. "Do not worry. I'm not so easily wounded by a lair of beasts."

"Is that so." She turns back. "Then I suppose I'll be seeing you later."

"Safe travels, my dear Chisato."

The door closes, separating them. Chisato remains silent as she heads down the tower and into the Dragon's Mouth.

\---

The morning passes by. After a few hours of infection, she gets to leave.

It's still sunny despite the temperature. She walks down the academy's endless exit of a stairway in a much simpler outfit; a beige sweater and a dress, well-suited to blending in with the crowd. The restaurant her brother's at is located on the rightmost edge of Central City, in a rather muted area, so it'd be best not to look attention-catching. 

It's the same kind of journey an average school student would have. She tries to ignore the scenery surrounding her, but she can't help but scan certain areas, ones where people could easily hide from the light and get a clear view of her. It takes about 20 minutes to reach her destination.

Her first thought upon arriving there is 'homely'. The front isn't decked out in stars or anything of the sort. Rather, it's just a sleek entrance that she walks through, passing under a wooden board displaying the restaurant's name. He didn't tell her where he'd be sitting, but it's easy enough to guess; there's a few reserved spots with walls on all sides, made for people to have conversations in private. It's exactly his element. She asks a waiter, and apparently it's the one furthest at the back. 

She opens the curtain, and inside's a friendly figure. 

"Hey, sis. You showed up." He gives a wave. Unsurprisingly, he's still in that messy waistcoat. Far from an exemplar of diligence, despite one of his roles as teacher at the SDA.

"...Good afternoon, Eiji."

"Hey, quick thing right off the bat," he gets a box out. "Check out what's inside."

She obliges. It's a pair of glittering planet-shaped earrings.

"Found it at a store display on the way here. If you gave that to a certain special someone," he winks, "she'd be pretty chuffed, right?"

A sigh. "You never change."

"I'm just happy for you. Ever since she joined the academy, she's been the only person your face softens around. If spending time with her makes you happy, then I figure a little pitch here and there wouldn't hurt, y'know?"

What an understatement. That shooting star means more to Chisato than anyone could ever know. "...What did you call me here for?"

"Wanna sit down first? Can't talk on an empty stomach, after all."

"Fine."

"Hmmm..." he's scanning the menu. "Oooh, that looks tasty as hell, I gotta try that one. Feel free to pick out whatever you want, Cheese. This meal's on me."

"How are you paying for this? The Elder Council decides every one of our purchases. I doubt they funded this lunch for you."

"I got a double-digit stash of my own sitting around. Not much, but it means I can actually buy things for me and my siblings sometimes."

Of course. It makes sense he'd be able to find a way. The second-eldest Shirasagi sibling, the one who works beneath the shadows.

They call a waiter in to order. Then Chisato doesn't waste any more time; "I doubt you picked this location for a friendly chat. You've deliberately set this up, haven't you?"

"Yeah, it's completely safe here. Somehow, I actually managed to swamp most of the agents with work," he says. "I mean, it helps with the friendly chatting and all. But it also means we can say stuff we wouldn't say anywhere else."

"And how can you be certain of that?"

"Are you worried?"

She can feel the sweat on her brow. She has to check.

She storms out from the curtain, and whirls her head left and right. He wasn't kidding; there isn't a single person in a black suit who's followed them here. At least, not in plain sight. For all she knows, they might have other means of spying.

She walks back in. Her brother's lax; "No tracking chips, either. The agents don't use that stuff on me. My enemies do sometimes, but I get them off."

"..." She can't be certain. But at the very least, it's safer than inside the academy's walls. "...Talk. Now."

"Lunch first, if that's chill."

The food arrives. Eiji thanks the waiter with a silent nod, and they begin eating. He takes a sip of his drink. Then his face turns to concern.

"...Hey, Cheese. Are you okay?"

"Get to the point."

He smiles for just a second. "I mean that seriously."

Deathly silence.

"Chisato. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Her blood boils. "Do what, exactly?"

"Defy the Elder Council."

Her heart-rate crunches. She peers briefly outside the curtains, just one more time.

"You look wearier than you've ever been lately," he says. "Keeping a few unlucky students safe from expulsion, avoiding orders to humiliate them, hiding from public events if you can help it... Asami's ranted on and on to me about the stuff you've been doing under the Council's nose."

"Of course she has."

"Just like her, huh?" He looks to the ceiling. "I wonder. What do you think the Elder Council looks like? We've never seen their faces."

"Who knows."

"I doubt we ever will. They're probably just a bunch of old farts, though. That's what billionaires usually are."

It's small talk, meant to make her feel calmer. But Chisato has another feeling suppressing her fear right now; resentment towards her older siblings.

"I wonder why they do it. Make us set this draconic aura and everything, I mean."

"Money."

"Makes sense. I hate that you're right," he sighs. "But... no matter what the reason is, Cheese, there's nothing we can do about it."

"And that's why you've chosen a path of obedience?"

"It's the best solution, sis," he responds. "What we do is shit. It makes us living garbage. But you already know we're not exempt from the Shirasagi Corporation's ruthlessness. If we defy them, and they decide we're more of a threat than a boon, then..." He presses a finger and thumb together. "Pop. Into the abyss we go."

"What a dramatic way of wording it. There are countless people we've put into that abyss because of the environment we've created. They manage to survive despite everything that happens. I hardly see the issue in falling down there myself."

"Yeah, you're right," he says. "But you and I both know you'd never willingly cast yourself into there. It's not a hell any person should have to live with."

Cowardice. It's what Chisato hates about her family. She lets the anger flow inside. 

"...And despite that," she cuts, "you continue to send people there yourself. Holding the careers of experienced duelists like puppets on a string, through your manipulation and backdooring... that's how you became known as The Vanisher. Professionals like Silent Phase and Molten Steel... they've all lost their chosen future because of you, have they not?"

"I'm not proud of it either, Cheese. But I can't discard this life. If I stay up in my ritzy room and do my job, I can continue living. I can eat at the end of the day, and I can check up on you, Asami, and little ol' Yui as much as I want. I can always make sure you're all doing okay."

"You're a monster."

"That's fine by me. It's the path I've chosen. And I won't judge you if you choose that path too."

It's exactly why Chisato hates them.

"After all, if the Council casts you out," he continues, "Yui will have to take your place as The Dragon. That'd be awful to watch. She's the nicest baby sister we could have, after all; 13 years old, and she's already smiling at everyone around her."

"That's the one thing I agree with you on," she responds.

"But it's not enough to convince you, is it?"

Of course not. What a joke.

Venomous magenta sleeps in Chisato's irises. "...Indulging in a happy, idealistic high-class life, surrounded by your family, all the while bringing ruination to everything around you," she stabs. "That's exactly how monsters like the Shirasagi Elder Council are created. Do you intend on following in their footsteps?"

"It's not a matter of intention. We're just blades to be used by our wielders. It's not by our hand that we cut down innocents."

"Does a blade not mourn for the blood it has marred?"

"...Heh. Not in my case; I'd break if I let myself process all that," he responds. "But you're different. You're strong. You look the destruction you've wrought directly in the eye, no matter how much it pains you. That's why you've chosen a better path than mine, haven't you?"

"I do not feel pain." Her eyes are closed. "But otherwise, you are correct. I have a responsibility for the damage I've caused. I won't run away from my sins like you and Asami have. So if open defiance will cast me into hell... I'll simply neuter the poison I spread behind the scenes, instead."

"Shadowy work," he smiles. "That's right up my alley. I can't lend a hand in that regard though, Cheese; if I help you risk your hide, I'm risking mine too."

"I wasn't expecting anything from you."

"Not surprised by that!" A stretch. "But your margin for defiance might be pretty low this month. From what I've gathered, the Council's concerned your image is slipping, so they're gonna have a lot of work for you. They want you to be as cut-throat and cruel as you were in your heyday, especially with the Haneoka Qualifier Cup coming up. I've even heard they want you to surpass Hina and win the whole thing."

"That's a laughable prospect," she says.

"Yeah. She's a beast; strongest duelist I know, even among adults," he responds. "Speaking of Hikawas, though, she's not the only one you have to worry about. Asami did a LOT of PR work covering up Sayo Hikawa's great escape."

She grips her drink. There's a name she didn't want to hear.

"It's surreal," he continues. "She just... left a note at home saying she was leaving, and now nobody knows where she is. She's got some guts, willingly ditching the SDA."

"Guts would be one way to describe it. Self-destructive would be another." 

"It's a self-destructiveness neither of us would follow," he says. "And that's the thing, Cheese. We've worked hard enough to shield our academy's reputation lately, between the disappearance of Rank 5 and the controversies spreading around. The Council doesn't want any more complications prior to the tournament, so they're going to be on red alert regarding your behaviour. Your mask of royalty's the lynchpin for their presentation of Duel Monsters, after all."

Chisato doesn't take another bite of her food.

"I'll ask you one more time. Are you sure you want to keep fighting them?"

"My answer will never change, Eiji." She stands. "Rot in your luxurious hell all you want."

He leans back against the wall. "Then good luck, sis. I hope there's a light at the end of your path. Are you off?"

"I am. I have nothing further to discuss with you." She opens the curtain, and steps back outside. "And I have the rest of today's classes to attend, now."

A friendly wave. "See you later, Cheese."

"I hope I don't."

She closes the curtain and leaves the ordinary restaurant behind. The mask soon returns.

\---

It's funny. She was weary of the bright blue sky. But now that night has come, she can't help but yearn for the Sun again. It's the only star she longs for in this realm.

Thursday's concluding with some after-school activities, for the students of her age group's Horus LV8 division. She's already spent the afternoon alongside them, but that fortunately hasn't required much cruelty from her; after all, her mere existence injects the students with fear and resentment. With the image she carries, all who look upon her grow scales on their skin, an infection that quickly spreads across the entire academy... and even beyond. The desire for cut-throat superiority truly is a plague.

She walks down Heaven's Passageway; it's an incredibly luxurious set of windowless, open-air corridors, floored in marble and a center strip of glass. It connects the buildings and facilities comprising the Dragon's Mouth with the Left and Right Eyes. The leering white lights dotting either side of the floor are an intentional design choice; under the stars, they make the structure resemble lines of shading on the _Blue-Eyes White Dragon's_ face. 

As she takes each step, she looks to her right, gazing between the pillars she passes. It's a hollow, verdant field, husked blue by the night. The stars are in full force; the winter evidently isn't letting up on its early darkness, not even as March looms on the horizon. There's a chilling breeze sifting through the air, making each blade of grass sway in an intermittent depression, but it hardly even bites at Chisato's exposed face. Her nerves are rather worn on the sensation.

She takes a small stairway down into the endless ocean of empty greenery, the boots of her uniform trudging into a thin layer of mud, and she slowly distances herself further and further from any building. Horus LV8's currently located close to the academy's edge, right near one of the walls; likely because it lets them exact their full cruelty without the teachers moderating them. There's a few strip lights here and there to make the field visible, but it's overall far darker than the corridor she was just in; her entire body save for her eyes is painted in a translucent shade of shadow.

Eventually, she sees holographs come into sight. The walls surrounding the academy become pure black with the night's onset, so it's easy to see the monsters facing each other down.

The Dragon approaches.

"How do you like that? You've been slacking lately, haven't you?"

"Are you looking for attention? Sorry, but nobody'd call what you just did skilled."

"Why, you-!"

It's the same as always, regrettably. 

She takes step after step. She doesn't need to say a word, either; her wings flowing in the wind are eye-catching enough.

"Hey, you guys-"

"You! Shut up and watch this, watch this. I'm going to summon-"

"Y-you guys!" It speaks up.

"What do you want, Aya?!"

"S-she's here!"

"Who? Who-"

All sound is immediately cut off.

It's the typical reaction. An invincible, terrifying figure stares the horde of students down. Each and every one of them has the reaction of an animal spotting a predator in the wild. Some of them furrow their brows and scowl.

"...My, whatever's the matter?" She smiles. "I'm simply here to observe. Why not continue?"

Nobody moves.

Her tone takes on a husk. "Continue."

Everybody immediately starts moving. "R-right!"

The duels resume, and the atmosphere gradually restores itself. When holographs come into play, it's not just a student's skill that everyone monitors; it's also their image. Do they exude enough drama, or tension? Do they have something that lures the audience in? A duelist who simply plays well does not interest anyone, when it comes to the crowd the Shirasagi Corporation has cultivated; they must also possess a particular kind of charisma, something that brings people to their side.

Her eyes move to one student. A nervous mess of a girl, whose pastel-pink hair quivers in a dishevelled mound around her face; Aya Maruyama. Save for her lack of cruelty, she's a good example.

"I... I-I... what should I do?" She's staring through the cards in her hand. "None of my monsters have enough ATK here..."

"Hah!" Her opponent laughs. "Good to know! Thanks for the free information."

"Oh, great! I messed up again..."

"Ahaha! Classic Aya!"

"Can you imagine if she actually won this, though? That'd be funny."

"Aya, winning a duel? Nahhhh."

"Uuuuu..."

There's a few shrill laughs. But some appear to border on jovial.

"Ahhh, I'm stuck, I'm stuck! What should I-" Aya's words cut cold when she sees Chisato. "U-um! Sorry, I'm! I'm doing my best... I just..."

The Dragon doesn't respond, merely walking elsewhere. She can hear the sigh of relief behind her as she creates some distance. The words surrounding Aya dance the line between appreciative and malicious; such has been her perilous life at this academy so far. But because she earnestly works hard no matter how terrible her situation gets, she has gained a small following at the bottom rung of the SDA. Chisato can only hope that the following is not a false one... for Hina's sake, at the very least.

The other duelists give off similar reactions when she passes them by; momentary tenseness, followed by a sudden desire for a stronger performance. Chisato can analyse almost every flaw in a student's decisions immediately, but she doesn't comment when she spots one; rather, her wordless, intimidating gaze is a voice all on its own. The Dragon must make sure that no student ever feels like their performance is enough. That way, they will continue to shed the blood of their peers in order to further improve. And as she was taught, there's no better way to push them in such a direction than to say nothing at all. No affirmation, no conversation. Just a soft, unmoving smile.

Eventually, it seems like the activity is dying down; in a couple of minutes, she'll probably be giving them permission to leave. And as she waits for that time to come, she addresses the strange sense of unease she's felt all day. She turns to the academy's walls:

...Nothing. There doesn't appear to be a person standing on them. It's not as if scouting the surroundings is an uncommon thing for her to do. But ever since the month began, the Watcher with the ruined wings has particularly haunted her mind... for a reason she can't quite discern.

Still, it appears nobody's there. After one last scan, she-

Stop.

"Who's there?" Her voice freezes the entire field in an instant; every holograph disappears, and the students all turn the same direction as Chisato, facing the unknown.

Though her heart rate has spiked on the inside, she keeps her appearance completely calm and collected, gazing her cold eyes towards the bottom of the wall. There, inside the academy's boundaries... is an intruder standing upon the grass.

"Step forward. Now."

The stranger follows the command. They seem rather energized, considering how they jog their way over to Chisato's location until the light makes them visible.

...Good. It's not the Watcher, at least; this person's appearance could hardly be called a disguise, and it doesn't have a hint of black on it. It's more akin to a sports outfit. They look like they're about Chisato's age, but it's hard to tell; the short orange hair poking out from their cap makes them look a bit childlike. "You're not a student here. State your name."

"..." Tenseness. "...Don't have one! The girl standing before you? She's just a random stranger." 

"What're you doing here, little girlie?" One student takes the opportunity to jeer. "How'd you even get in?"

"I climbed over."

"Eh? You serious?" There's a few murmurs.

"That's right! I'm here to be a hero."

...

...Silence.

Some of the students begin to laugh. Chisato takes that as an opportunity to slice through.

"My," she starts. "I wasn't aware the academy was having an open day. What is your reason for visiting, little hero?"

"I'm not visiting. I'm intruding."

"Oh? And why would that be?"

"I'm on a secret mission. I can't talk to anyone about it," she responds, covering her eyes with her cap.

There's more laughter. Nobody is intent on taking this girl's words seriously. And who would? Chisato feels her shoulders lose all tension; this person could hardly be considered a threat.

"Then let me give you a lesson, little hero," she whispers. "It's not wise to wander into a dragon's lair. Scurry back up the wall and run, or I'll have you captured and interrogated. I assume you wouldn't enjoy the sensation of shackles crushing your wrists."

Silence. It's a lie, of course; the agents would likely take one look at this unassuming intruder and just escort her off the premises, launching a legal complaint to her parents if possible. But the threat helps maintain her image. She's near the Dragon's Right Eye, the building that houses all the agents working for the corporation... so playing up her hostility is a safe maneuver. 

The girl starts to shake, eliciting stealthed laughter from the vultures. She doesn't move.

"Why, are you scared? How precious," Chisato continues. She slowly takes a step forward. "But I'm afraid I don't care for toying with my prey. I'm rather busy, you see. So be a good little hero, and prance elsewh-"

Whap! 

Something's hit the ground in front of her.

"...What?" She makes an exhausted scowl. She can hear gasps, so does that mean...

She looks down. On the grass lies a white glove.

"Ooooohhhhhhhh..." One student murmurs. "A glove. That kid's crazy."

"E-eh?" She hears Aya. "Is that glove special?"

"Idiot! Don't you know? If an SDA student's thrown a glove, that means they're being challenged to a duel!"

"What? Really?"

"Think of it like an insult, dude. She's basically saying 'if you don't fight me, you're a weakling,' you figure?"

Great. The symbol of her academy's fragile superiority complex has been thrown her way by an insignificant stranger. This situation has suddenly become much peskier.

The stranger points at her. "You're Chisato Shirasagi, aren't you? I'm challenging you to a duel! Let's play!"

Chisato doesn't move. "Play?"

"That's right!"

...For a moment, Chisato looks to the Dragon's Right Eye. Unfortunately, she has no power to refute the glove's symbolism right now, due to the number of students watching; if she walked away, it could severely hamstring her reputation. An uncaring demeanor would be best suited instead.

A sigh. She extends her left hand out, and addresses the others. "A deck and a duel disk. Now."

"H-huh?"

"Now. Do you think I will waste the cards and blade that forged my fame on a mere toddler?"

Silence. Nobody wants to approach her, so she turns her gaze upon a random student; the student jumps on the spot, and quickly runs over to Chisato. "U-um... is this fine?"

A standard disk model and a deck. It takes 2 seconds for her to flip through all the cards. Passable. 40 cards in the main deck. The consistency's decent. Pathetic recovery, but she doesn't need that attribute here. "It'll do. Sit down and watch."

The student promptly obeys. Chisato draws the blade and stares the little mouse down.

"..."

"Quit wasting my time," she commands.

"..." The stranger draws a simple blade of her own. "...Okay then! Let's have fun, Ms Shirasagi!"

The giggling begins to return. "She really is a kid, huh?" One student jabs.

"What a bother," Chisato says. "We're going. Now."

"Alright! It's time for..."

...

"A **DUEL!**" The stranger shouts.

**4000LP,** 5 cards.

"Two turns."

"H-huh?" Genuine surprise.

"You will take your turn, and I will take mine. Then you'll lose. That's all," Chisato says. "I won't spare another breath on such an insignificant insect."

"...You never know what will happen! _My turn!_" The stranger's full of cheer. "I activate this card, _Hand Destruction!_ We'll both discard 2 cards, then draw 2 more."

It happens.

"Um... I'll put away... _Zoodiac Whiptail_ and _Zoodiac Combo_ for now! Later, you guys!"

"What? Is she addressing the cards like they're her friends?" A student laughs.

"Maybe she's the sort that doesn't have any," another says. There's a few hushed giggles.

"All my cards are my friends!" The stranger gives an innocent smile. "Now, my ace player; I summon _Ultimate Baseball Kid in attack position!_"

An almost comedic monster takes position. **500ATK.** Some of the students fake woos and cheers.

"Then, I set two cards face-down and end my turn!"

"_My turn._" Chisato draws. "Go."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Your face-downs. You're going to activate them."

"You knew? Wow, you're smart!" She's actually surprised, again. "I activate _Scapegoat_ and _DNA Transplant!_"

A quick-play spell card that summons 4 **0DEF** tokens, monsters who aren't represented by any actual card in a deck. And a continuous trap that changes all monsters on the field to the Attribute of the duelist's choice. "I'm making every monster FIRE Attribute," she yells. "Now, _Ultimate Baseball Kid_ gains 1000 ATK for each FIRE monster on the field other than herself! Isn't that amazing? That's a total of **4500-**"

"Are you finished?"

"A-ah!" The stranger jumps and shivers a bit. "Y-yeah! It's cool, isn't it?"

A cacophony of vulturous laughter. Some of the students have fallen onto their sides, trying not to cough their lungs out from hilarity. Chisato attaches a smug smile to her face and turns to observe; they're all shaking their heads or shrugging in glee. Aya's just trembling.

It's a shame. If Chisato was outside the dragon's den, she'd probably affirm this person. It's a charming play, after all. 

But she has a mask to wear. The students are watching, as might be others. She blends her callousness with the laid-back sharks; stoicism would make her seem too uptight. "A good circus act, I suppose. Are you proud of yourself?"

"Of course! It's the _Ultimate Baseball Kid_, after all!"

The imitation of a sigh, mixed with endearment, exhaustion and malice. "I see. Then rot. I'll make you regret ever showing your face to the stars." A quick scan of her cards. She's already won. The first; "If my opponent controls a monster, I can special summon _Cyber Dragon_ from my hand."

Intimidation. A serpent with metal sections like jagged spines emerges from a glittering portal. A **2100ATK** beast with no blood stares the stranger down, towering with thrice her height.

"I summon _Cyber Dragon Core_ in attack position. With its effect, I'll add the spell card _Cyber Repair Plant_ to my hand."

**400 ATK.** A measly cybernetic serpent. "The spell card _Machine Duplication_," she says. "I special summon two more _Cyber Dragon Cores_ from my deck." 

More whetstones for the blade. "Whoa," the stranger says. "That's 4 monsters already! You're-"

"Thank you for letting me discard _Cyber Dragon Zwei_ earlier with _Hand Destruction_," she interrupts, holding another card; "I activate _Cyber Repair Plant._ If a _Cyber Dragon_ is in my graveyard, I can add a LIGHT-Attribute Machine-Type monster from my deck to my hand. I choose _Cyber Dragon Nachster._"

It's added. She continues. "By discarding a monster, I can special summon _Cyber Dragon Nachster_ from my hand. Come."

Another serpent. **200ATK.**

"5 monsters! That's awesome! Oh, you made a mistake though!" The stranger comments. "_DNA Transplant_ treats all monsters on the field as FIRE-Attribute, and _Ultimate Baseball Kid_ gains 1000 ATK for ea-"

Chisato narrows her eyes, and the stranger yelps in fear. 

"I activate the spell card _Overload Fusion._ The materials I banish are _Cyber Dragon Zwei_ and _Cyber Dragon Vier_ in my graveyard, along with all 5 _Cyber Dragons_ on my field."

A gigantic thunderbolt tears through the ground. 

Every person jumps like their heart's flown out their body. The ground quakes. But Chisato simply raises her hand, as if it's the most natural thing in the world... and bloody-black lightning crackles at her fingertips. It threatens to eviscerate anyone who dares step near, calmly and overwhelmingly expanding outward until it mercilessly tears through all of the machines on her side of the field.

Wails of agony can be heard as explosions and bouts of electricity choke the air. There's a horrific clanging, as if something is being bloodily hammered into existence through spite. The dust means that people can only imagine what abomination is causing such a terrifying noise. It's a throe far beyond the sensation of death. "_Fusion Summon_," Chisato says. "_Level 9, Chimeratech Overdragon._"

CRRRRRNK. There's another scream, one lasting even beyond the clearing of the debris. Mechanical parts thrash, and before Chisato stands an unholy mess that could level entire buildings. From a singular metal-plated core emerges the broken bodies and hacked heads of 7 different Cyber Dragons, finished with a bluntly cut tail. A miserable, tortured hydra wails in a cacophony of agony. And alongside it, the cacophony of snickering from the students continues, shredding into the poor stranger.

"..."

"_Chimeratech Overdragon's_ ATK is 800 multiplied by the number of its Fusion Materials. **5600.**" Chisato uses one last card. There's still another in her hand, even. "I activate the quick-play spell _Limiter Removal. Chimeratech Overdragon's_ ATK is doubled until the end of the turn."

A horrifying throb pulses through every spine of the heap, and it becomes paralysed on the spot, convulsing. For a few seconds, people can only watch in fear as it juts and snaps. Chisato gives a sociable expression the whole way.

The energy surges out as a pool from underneath, soaking the mud, and the thing roars once more.

"...That's..." The stranger's jaw drops. "...that's.... th-"

"**11200ATK.** Are you finished gawking? It's nothing but a bludgeon, after all." Fangs show. She turns to the other students; "I'm tired of this farce. There are no objections to me tossing away our mangled hero, are there?"

Aya tries to speak, but it's drowned by someone else; "Aw, come on, Dragon. Uh, I mean. Can't we laugh at her for just a bit longer? This beats a physical fight any day."

"Right?" Another pipes up. "It's a good way to vent."

She can hear gritted teeth from the stranger.

"Yeah, yeah! How about we take a look at her deck? See what all her 'friends' are like!"

"Charming suggestions," Chisato says. "But that wasn't a question you're allowed to answer."

"O-oh. Uh, sorry, please." The students step away.

"Good." She turns back to the stranger. "They've had their fun with you, little hero. But I make it a habit to avoid dirtying my boots with insects," she glides a hand through one of her capes. "You see, I have no time to waste on worthless amateurs like you. Working a retail job would be positively riveting, in comparison."

"That so?"

"Yes. So perish." She gently moves her hand forward; "_Chimeratech Overdragon_ can make multiple attacks per turn, equal to the number of Fusion Materials used for its summon."

A horrific monstrosity covers the stranger in its shadow.

"Chimeratech," she leans her head, and smiles. "Raze everything to the ground."

A scream that segments the ears. Every head shakes and jutters, and a ginormous surge of red-hot light forces itself up the spines. 7 heads of fire that will burn down all in its path, emotionlessly ripping through all. 

"You're mean." The stranger raises her cap, and sends murky eyes from beneath her orange fringe. "You should be nicer when you duel someone."

"How naive," she responds. "It seems you know nothing about the sport you play. This is a bloodbath where only the strongest survive. That's what a competition is, in its most ideal form."

"...No." The gaze meets gaping maws. "I thought that way first, too. But you're wrong."

"Oh? What directed you to delusion, little hero?"

"I learned something important from someone. People don't have to beat each other down when they compete!"

"Then that someone's as naive and helpless as you are." Venomous magenta drips. "You're not a hero. Nothing you've done has been of any worth. And this duel has served no purpose for you whatsoever. You've lost."

"Yeah, I've lost. But that doesn't matter. Because..."

Wait. Is she preparing to sprint?

"...I can change the world! I can change it so people don't have to beat each other down! That's what it means to be a hero!"

_Chimeratech Overdragon_ unleashes. A merciless stream of fire blows up the entire field beneath, exterminating all life within. The stranger is no longer visible, but there's no doubt about it; her LP's fallen to-

The holographs and blades instantly disappear. The students gasp; the stranger is nowhere to be seen.

"What?!" She preys through the night. Did that person leave dueling range? 

...Oh, for god's sake. She's been a fool. This entire time, the duel was just a cover, wasn't it?

The sound of glass shattering. 

The students turn to the Dragon's Right Eye. "Holy shit, did that girl just break into the building?!" There's a storm of murmurs, all of a sudden. The image of superiority has been torn astray.

...How smart, little stranger. You used the flashiness of the holographs as a smokescreen!

Act fast! "Quit your yapping," Chisato sends fangs the students' way, and tosses the duel disk off. "Return home now; by the time you attend tomorrow, I will have already purged this nuisance." Immediately she's walking; the students mutter, but another glance back their way quickly convinces them into leaving. Chisato rushes towards the Eye's entrance the second they're out of sight.

The door's slammed aside, she's entered a posh-looking reception. The lights have been shut off, but she can make out a few agents fretting in the foyer; "The intruder's in the west side of the ground floor! After her, now!"

They immediately follow her. Once they course to the corridor's maze, the lights flash back on. Then, eerily on time, an adonis flies right in. "Don't concentrate your search," Kaoru commands, stopping the agents in their tracks. "Split up and cover the entire floor!"

They look at each other, and diverge. Chisato runs alongside Kaoru. "There was no need for that. Splitting up was the logical course of action; all you did was waste a few seconds of their time."

"My apologies. A fleeting heat of the moment," she bows.

There's another sound of glass breaking, coming from the path on their left. "One of the rooms down there! Move!"

"As you wish!"

It's found pretty quickly. "Was this door kicked down from its hinges?" She stares at the wreckage in disbelief.

"My, our intruder is a feisty one. Let's enter, Chisato!"

But the stranger's already gone. It doesn't take long for the other agents to gather at the site, but they're too late. They immediately search around the area, checking if anything was damaged or stolen. "How infuriating," she sighs. "Kaoru. What is this room?"

"One for storing... certain kinds of records. I'm afraid we'd be in a lot of trouble if I gave you the details."

It makes sense. Though its offices are clearly visible through the glass walls, Chisato has never been told what lies inside the den of the Shirasagi Corporation's agents.

If anything was stolen, the agents don't tell her; rather, they request she inform Asami immediately. She heads back to the reception with Kaoru by her side, who brews her a cup of coffee as she makes the call. No doubt this conversation is going to be ugly.

...Soon, an aroma's set on her table.

"How did she respond?" Kaoru asks.

"I've had my ears blown off," Chisato sighs, shutting the phone. "She was extremely distressed. Somehow, she drowned her room in noise for 3 minutes straight, and she never even told me what the problem was. All I know is that I'm getting a visit from her the next chance she has."

Kaoru smiles, after quickly confirming the other agents are still busy. "A mysterious and rambunctious intruder, sauntering into the dragon's den and braving a tower full of trained spies... oh, how fleeting! A passionate scene, don't you think?" 

She knows what Kaoru's hinting at. After all, she would normally relish in any damage her accursed corporation takes. 

But she has a personal stake in this matter. "Your tone isn't welcome for the gravity of the situation. I was dueling that stranger as a display of might before she ran off, with many of the students watching. This is going to damage my reputation. And once the Council finds out, they'll know the fault lies with me for the intrusion."

"Ah. The visage of the courageous sports warrior, stared down by the mechanical menace... that was your doing then, was it not?"

"You could see a monster that small from this building?" She can't imagine a card like _Ultimate Baseball Kid_ being all that visible from this distance...

"Consider my hawk's vision one of my many charms," she winks. "But I imagine the agents will be scolded as much as you are, if not more. We have shown an unprecedented sloppiness tonight in letting that firebird escape. I may have to write a rather fleeting apology letter, even."

"Are you planning on shifting the blame to downplay my mistake?"

"Why, I have no idea what you're talking about."

She takes another sip of the coffee, letting her eyes travel across the foyer. 

...It bothers her. 

"Kaoru." She cuts. "Where do your allegiances lie?"

"What do you mean, my queen?"

"If you've forgotten, then I'll remind you. Do you know what makes our corporation's agents so effective?"

"I would love to be enlightened."

"It's simple. There are hundreds of agents stationed at this building and underneath the academy, are there not? Countless pairs of eyes, to watch over the Shirasagi siblings and their surroundings with."

"You are correct."

"But," Chisato frowns. "That is not what's truly fearsome about them. The real power they have is in ambiguity." She focuses her gaze. "The corporation uses them all for countless tasks such as bodyguarding, monitoring and surveillance. But I have realised something over the years from observing their behaviour; not all of them work directly for the Shirasagi Elder Council."

"Oh? Do tell," Kaoru responds.

"I estimate only around a quarter of the agents work under the Council's orders. The others are tested by them, but ultimately sit on a much lower rung in the corporation." She sips the coffee. "...If an ordinary agent notices a Shirasagi family member act, say, contrary to their established image, they are unlikely to pay it much heed. It's not related to their salary, after all. But if an agent working directly for the Elder Council finds a family member is not following the Council's will... then I imagine you might know the consequences."

"How elusive of them. A secret unit, blending in with an otherwise innocuous group of black suits. The goal of this chameleon team is to lace the Shirasagis with perilous paranoia, as to whether or not they are safe to remove their assigned mask," she responds. "That is what you are suggesting, no?"

"Maybe. Were you truly unaware of this distinction?"

"Of course," Kaoru smiles. "After all, I am one such ordinary agent. It was your siblings who hired me. My contact with the Elder Council has been rather scant, so I was not aware there were two separate units."

"This isn't a good joke, Kaoru." Chisato gazes into her oldest associate. "You expect me to believe a Shirasagi's personal agent isn't aware of that? You're as bad at lying as you used to be."

Silence, for a moment.

"...Ahahaha!" Kaoru laughs soothingly. "And you're as perceptive as always, my dear. I am not naive to the way certain agents keep their eyes on you. But at the very least, I tell the truth when I say I was not hired by the Council itself. It was Asami and... right, his name was Eiji, who signed the form; you could even get their testimonies to confirm that fact."

A bead of sweat; "I've already asked Eiji before. But even if they were responsible for your place at my side," she responds, "it is still possible you are operating under the Council's orders. After all, I don't know the process through which my siblings hired you."

"Why, it was an ordinary application. They didn't expect to see me at all when I attended the interview. Their faces lit up in surprise," she says. "It was a process like any other. I was sized against a number of suitable candidates, and became crowned as the victor. Although I admit your brother may have been... biased by my childhood memories with you." She flicks her hair. "Ah, such are my connections."

That fits with Eiji's testimony. And The Vanisher doesn't lie to his siblings. 

"...You shouldn't have gone through such efforts, just to stay by my side." Chisato hides her wistful nerves beneath her face. "The person I've become is hardly deserving of it."

"Ahaha. Consider it a part of my nature."

"I see. You truly haven't changed, if that's the case. But..." Chisato pushes the cup of coffee aside. "You are oddly lacking in presence at times. I can't help but find your frequent absence from the academy rather eerie. And even Eiji admits he doesn't know much about your recent background. Kaoru. Are you truly just my personal agent?"

"Hmhm. I see. Misfortune has befallen my heavenly form," she smiles. "It would appear my queen suspects me of treachery, no? You perceive me as a potential eye of the Elder Council."

She's right. Chisato doesn't respond.

"Do not feel worse for it. After all, it is only natural someone in your position would remain wary, even of her closest associates. And I imagine my striking figure must be disconcerting, when compared to the mewling child you once knew. What a fleeting predicament for me." Kaoru continues to smile. She quickly scans her surroundings again; "...For what it is worth, my dear, I have no intention of unveiling your secrets to those who watch from above. I will not illuminate your hidden face to them."

"I can only hope that's true."

Silence. The wind howls on the glass.

"Dragon. We have news to report."

They turn; every Council-hired agent has a way of concealing their presence. Is this person one of them?

"Speak," she says.

"The Fathomer cannot match the intruder's features to the profile of any citizen." 

"...What?"

"How strange," Kaoru says. "Does our rambunctious rapscallion have no discernable identity?"

"That is correct. We could not find sufficient information from what The Dragon described." The agent looks to Chisato. "As a result, The Fathomer has requested you write a full report on tonight's sequence of events, including every detail you observed about the intruder. In addition, she will visit your office in 2 days to inform you of the Elder Council's direct orders for you, in light of current and upcoming events."

"I see. Is that all?"

"We have informed the Council of this incident already. They have one message to give to you now."

From beyond heaven, a chill pierces the air below.

Chisato steels. "And what would that be?"

Eyes can't be seen through dark lenses. 

The words strangle. "Disobedience will not be tolerated."

...

"...I see."

Conversation is cut off. The agents recommend she returns to her quarters immediately, and they escort her back to the Dragon's Left Eye as Kaoru waves her off. She walks through Heaven's Passageway with countless eyes surrounding her, before they leave her at the tower's entrance. From an endless elevator, Chisato watches the world outside, the buildings beneath falling further and further away.

She's left alone in her office. She sighs; it's like the coffee had no effect at all. She's far too drained for any further work, so she simply trudges back to her room, collapsing onto the couch. The next few days will no doubt be chaotic.

Though she hates her lack of energy, she feels nothing but the desire to lie there for the next half an hour. Her gaze drags towards the window, staring out into the night sky. 

She's cut off at one point by a call from an event organiser. Another comes from a sponsor interested in a last-minute investment. She remembers she hasn't read February's Duel Monsters schedule yet, either; there's a number of events before the Cup that will be critical in the academy's readying of students for the world of entertainment. Chisato will no doubt be attending every single one, and injecting her mask into them.

Eventually, the exhaustion overcomes her, and she changes her clothes before walking to the looking glass. She sees miles upon miles of the night-lit city. Thousands of buildings are condensed into a size that just her index finger could blot from her vision.

She reaches a hand out. Though she's loathe to admit it, she already misses the Sun in the bright blue sky, the star that shines brighter and closer to the world than any other. Why must the Sun be out of her reach once the night comes? She wants nothing more than to grasp it again and throw herself into its embrace. Why must they be distant for so many of their waking hours?

She can't help but smile wistfully. No doubt, the Sun wishes to embrace her again too. It's a curse, in some ways.

...

...

...Her brow furrows. She can't quite untangle the mix of feelings within her. The only thing they point to is a premonition.

It might be a coincidence. The disappearance of Sayo Hikawa. The intruder who broke into the Dragon's Right Eye. The Elder Council's ruthless drive...

...And the smirking Watcher, the one with ruined wings.

It's ominous. She'll be incredibly busy in the upcoming weeks; the Elder Council will use her brutal, cut-throat and charismatic image to issue a challenge across the entire dual-district. Chisato will be obligated to take the Qualifier Cup for herself against all those who would face the SDA, and reinforce the corporation's iron grip as the master of Duel Monsters. Is there a reason all these events are occurring as the tournament approaches? Or is it just a coincidence? There's no common thread among them, but she doubts the likelihood of the latter.

And she doubts the Elder Council's agents will let her continue playing rebel in light of such events. It will become increasingly difficult to claim that she forgot to sign a dismissal form, or forgot to pressure a student into growing scales. Chances are, Chisato will have to plunge her blade into more stomachs than she would like.

But no matter how much she screams, silent resistance is all she can ultimately muster. After all, Chisato's goals are far too grand to let her rebellion be caught. She cannot risk open defiance; she can only await the day in which such defiance is possible.

She looks into the Shirasagis' cold, empty world. The stars shine, their existence mocking the earth for having no light.

But she swears. One day, she will find a way to end the world's ascent to stardom. 

Chisato falls back to sleep, unable to name her emotion between hope and fear.


	19. Trishula

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: This chapter sets the benchmark for what's generally the lightest level of imagery involving blood. This level will be fairly frequent in comparison to more graphic/morbid imagery, so I won't put warnings for it before chapters it appears in, in the future!

Ice.

A thick sheet of the arctic stretches for miles and miles. Layers, boulders, walls and even mountains of frost and snow all settle on top. This chaotic and tumultuous winter wonderland is the closest thing she has to a home.

Here, order strains to maintain. The night air is thick with aurora, even close to the surface. It's a barrier that brings a halt to any blizzard or storm. The weather is calm, composed; a weaponless emptiness can't hurt any visitor. It's a stark contrast from the rest of the wonderland, which delights itself in an ever-changing scenery.

And in this silent coffin, there's a cage. The remnants of a star.

It's a sphere of ice, rising from the sheet below. There's not a single gap letting anyone see what's inside; the surface wields hordes of glacial spikes, spikes painstakingly forged with an imposing size to deter all connection and closeness. With a wounded podium like stagnated honey, the cage stands upon the surface and holds its willing captive to planet Earth. Any damage it takes will be fixed, no matter the effort necessary.

All so that she may never become a star again.

...

...Voices play at her eyes.

'I'm glad I could help! I didn't realise you'd be so interested, though. I'm kind of flattered.'

...

'Wh-what? You really think so? I... hearing that from you makes it feel so much more certain, for some reason. Thank you!'

...

'Aw, shucks. I-I'm just working behind-the-scenes though, really. I'm not anyone special.'

...

'...Yeah. You're right. I don't know if I'm really satisfied with this. B-but talking about it with you... makes me feel like I'm not wrong for doing this. Thank you.'

...

'It's ok. I know I'm a bit of a coward, really.'

...

'W-wow? Really? I... I'm glad to hear it.'

...

'Oh no, no! I don't think it was out-of-nowhere. I'm just surprised. I don't really think of myself as someone who can help with these kinds of things.'

...

'Don't worry. You have my support... for whatever it's worth. Someone as hard-working and dedicated as you can definitely do it!'

...She reaches a hand-

Then, her razor-sharp eyes see it, even through the ice and the aurora. The Sun, the shooting star... red, red, red, red, there could be red in the mirror! Awaken, wounded wolf!

Look into the mirror. Now.

Breathe.

Good. It's safe. That wretched, repulsive red is nowhere to be seen. Her work has paid off.

There's almost no interior to the cage; the entirety of her back lies in a bed of ice. Sometimes sparks run through the cracks, sometimes frost embeds on the captive's face. Moving herself through the jagged edges freezing her skin, she stands as much as she can and continues to stare into the reflection; it shows a silent, frozen forest, one a void would laugh at the emptiness of. It's a reflection meant to bore into her very soul... so that what lies within never escapes her sight. 

She gazes with what she hopes are a wolf's eyes; the scales on her arms and face, whose growth she froze, remind her she can never take her current form for granted. Not truly by any means. One misstep, and fire could circulate. One misstep, and the scales could mask her eyes. One misstep, and she knows she'll become a callous star once again, horrifically spilling the blood of all who come near in an inexcusable and reprehensible rampage. She can never, never, NEVER become a star again. She wouldn't ever forgive herself for it. That's why she keeps herself so close to the earth.

The immediate fear passes. Her heart rate stays increased for hours, like it always does. After all, she can never be sure. But she knows, logically speaking, that lying back down will help maintain a consistent stream of energy and vigilance. She can't afford to get caught up in the moment; that in itself could lead to the return of the wretched red. She has to maintain a calm, collected and diligent attitude at all times. 

Lying back down, she continues to wander her eyes through the mirror. She imagines, imagines the emptiness she knows to lie beneath the ice. She knows it's the equivalent of complete and utter nothingness. She's a broken soul, beneath it all.

...Is she truly satisfied with this? She normally wouldn't dare humour these thoughts; she's hardly worthy of them. But when her deepest fears howl, her heart pleads for mercy and light like a frightened child. It pleads for something more than nothingness.

...No, wait. That's right. She does have one way forward.

Rebirth.

As she imagines the empty black, an alluring light joins her mind. A ray to the future. Amber pierces through her soul, captivating her, and she's reminded she can be something more than a hollow shell. 

She reaches into the mirror, and her saviour grasps her. She's almost terrified by the warmth; after all, her palm's still covered in horrific scales, scattered across the flesh. If she grew claws once more, she could end up ripping this person's delicate yet powerful hands into pieces.

But those hands are gripping like nothing else. She could lose herself in them. They accept the remnants, and heal the scars of the mythril wolf beneath. Her saviour silently acknowledges what lies inside, without judgment or scrutinisation. This silver empress is a shining light, one who trusts in her to find a new self from the remains of the star she once was.

...Hold true to the last points of pride in your heart. Then you can achieve it. 3 years ago, you learnt that your determination and diligence were important... and now they can pave the way. There's a light behind your saviour's figure. That's what you need to reach.

Shine, Sayo Hikawa.

...

...

...

"...M...y..."

Friday, the 5th of February. She slurs on the edge of dawn.

"...Light..."

A faint ray reaches through the window. One from far away.

She... slowly, drifts into consciousness. Blink, blink. Gradually, she can realise her body. Her eyes barely open.

Her systems struggle to start up; that can't be good. She doesn't hear an alarm, and it's still not that bright, so that means she woke up before 10am again. When she joined Roselia, she specifically set herself a 3-10 sleep schedule to avoid her 'morning person' problem, and yet the Sun still sees fit to haunt her as soon as possible lately.

...It's likely because of that.

Grumbling, Sayo turns her body and manages to reach for her phone. There's a new message. She does the usual, marking it as read without responding. 

...

...She shouldn't. She already told those two all she needed to. Now that she's cut ties with that accursed academy, there's no need to drag them down with her presence anymore. Not to mention, they'll have nothing to fear once Roselia's goal is accomplished anyway.

She lies back down. This is the best way, she knows it.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

An absolutely wiped sigh. It's not working. Sitting under the covers just lets those treacherous thoughts haunt her. There's a despicable part of her heart that won't listen to her. And if it's not listening to her, that means it's something dangerous. 

Something harmful.

Something destructive. 

Breathe. In, and out. In, and out. A bead of sweat falls down the back of her head.

...She pushes herself up, moving the hair away from her eyes. Much to her chagrin, sitting around is only going to make things worse, so she'll simply have to make do with 7am. What a disaster.

At least there's upsides. After all, if she has extra time, she can use it for practice. Her dueling performance continues to haunt her; she's not satisfied with her current skill level, even if Yukina says she's improving. They both know there's a long way to go, and the fact that she still struggles so much when dueling Yukina is proof of her naivete. She won't tolerate negligence or laziness for even a split second. Nothing less than perfection will allow Sayo to become superior to her sister.

The routine; she stands, does a set of stretches, brushes her teeth in the adjacent washroom and makes adjustments to today's plans (again...) on the calendar. It's a paper one, neatly placed around stacks and stacks of magazines related to Duel Monsters and entire tins hosting decks and other cards. She may use pencils to write on it, but it's still annoying to make changes; hopefully this'll be the last time a sleeping disaster messes it up. Yukina likely hasn't factored her early bird status today, so Sayo'll probably spend the morning researching strategies and combinations in her room. There's plenty of free simulators online that can help her with that, even if they're a little less clean than the SDA's ones.

It's arranged after some deliberation. Then, she epilates her face, brushes her hair, ingests a daily tablet and dresses herself with whatever she finds in her wardrobe. It's nothing more than an array of practical and interchangeable clothes. Once she gathered a selection that felt comfortably... feminine, for lack of a better word, she never saw the need for any further consideration. Flashy and glitzy articles are rather frivolous purchases, especially considering how unsafe or obtrusive a lot of them are. It's the same reason she doesn't see the rationale in decorating this new room of hers. 

Regrettably, the human body requires sustenance, so she'll fuel herself with breakfast before the day begins officially. No more wasting time. Sayo heads out of her room.

Lisa's sitting at the dining table with Rinko. "Oh! Good morning, Sayo!"

"Good morning."

A small meal's made. She sits on the far end.

...It's quiet. Sayo doesn't have any reason to idly converse, especially not with these two. Rinko's shyness and Lisa's constant prying make being alone with them rather frustrating. Maybe she should've waited for them to go to school.

"You're up earlier than usual today. How're you doing~?"

"Fine."

"Coping with the chores okay while me and Rinko are out?"

"We've had no problem." So she says; she's not as efficient as she'd like, but she doesn't need assistance. Ako's tried to give some, but it tends to end in mistakes and accidents.

...Ako Udagawa. What a frustration.

"Something wrong? Your frown's even stronger than usual."

"It's nothing." Sayo takes another bite.

"If you say so. But we're a team now, okay? We can all help each other out when we need it~."

Sayo sighs. "Do not misinterpret our status as a team. 'Help' should be referring to practical aid and cooperation, not emotional comfort."

"Sometimes the latter helps the former, y'know?"

It's true, but Sayo doesn't need it. "Be careful with the extent to which you follow that mentality. Roselia is not a therapy group."

"Aw, lighten up a bit~! All I did was ask if something was wrong."

Her scowl deepens. Fundamentally, she knows Lisa isn't trying to be rude... but it always bothers her when someone asks if she's okay. "I apologise. But, I'm not under significant stress right now. I do not need your concern."

"Tell me when you do then, okay?" Lisa winks.

She doesn't respond. 

"Good morning." That familiar, heart-grabbing voice rings through the hall. Yukina enters; she's already dressed, so she likely started the day earlier.

"Morning, Yukina~!"

"...Good... morning."

"Good morning," Sayo says. "I apologise for my early presence. I plan to spend the morning on personal Duel Monsters research, so our practice later can begin as normal."

"I see. There's no need to apologise; just make sure you get enough sleep later."

"Understood."

She gets up and takes her plate, washing it and leaving it on the rack. She's about to head back to her room and start her research immediately, but Yukina trains amber eyes on her.

"...How can I be of assistance?"

"Sayo. May I get to the point?"

"Of course."

"Have you been in contact with anyone from the SDA?"

Her blood freezes for a moment. She can feel Rinko and Lisa look at her in surprise.

But the wolf grips. "Do not worry. I have faith in your loyalty. I do not suspect you of anything unsavory; I merely ask because of certain previous occurrences."

Sayo breathes, and lets her blood settle. "What occurrences are you referring to?"

"Lisa and I have heard the sounds of incoming and outgoing messages on your phone, early in the morning. You've previously told us your sleep schedule sits between 3 and 10am, but these events happened within that time period."

Curses. She'd unmuted the phone to use as an alarm, but that means people heard the message tones too. A fool's oversight. She makes a note to buy a seperate clock.

"...I apologise," Sayo sighs. "There have been two individuals from the SDA I've messaged once. It was merely to inform them that I'm in a safe location, and not at risk of harm."

"Is that all?"

It's the truth. "Yes. Though I continue to receive messages, I have not responded to them. All other contacts on my phone are blocked."

"I see." Yukina closes her eyes. "...Considering your runaway status, it would be best if you blocked those two as well. We need to make sure nobody inside the academy has any further knowledge of your status. After all, the SDA is our enemy."

"Understood." She should've done that to begin with. Sayo curses her beating heart. 

"That's all, then."

"Whew. I was a little scared, for a minute!" Lisa stretches. "Well guys, me and Rinko're off to school now! We'll be back this evening for the weekend sleepover once it's done~."

"We'll... see you later. Thank you for the breakfast..."

Yukina sees the two of them out; now only the residents of this base are present. Silence gradually settles. There's merely a few sounds coming from Ako's room, the whirr of the boiler heating up... it's rather calming, in a way.

"Yukina," Sayo turns to her leader. "Was there anything else you needed from me?"

"There was." Amber gleams. "This is Roselia's 5th day since its official formation. Though I believe our schedule's first week has progressed efficiently so far, it would be helpful to have your perspective. I would like your opinions on the group's current status."

It feels validating to be asked such a thing. "It's not by any means bad. You've been an excellent teacher. At this rate, I believe we have at least sufficient preparation in order to begin practical testing of our decks and real-time abilities next week." 

"I see. That's good."

Sayo sharpens. "However, I do have some reservations; for one, I feel Ako and Lisa often end up tangenting discussions and waste our time. Though I understand your perspective that we should keep our bonds strong enough to work as a team, I also feel that tangents often reduce our productivity. As we only have until the 1st of March, we must optimise our training as much as possible."

She processes it fast. "Continue."

"Furthermore, I have a few uncertainties regarding our members' preparations to fight the SDA."

"What would those be?"

"Emotional and mental fortitude." Sayo makes sure to cut cleanly. "We will be engaging in illegal activities, and that's not something we can take lightly. Every member of Roselia must have the resolve necessary to see their actions to fruition."

"Do you feel prepared to take such actions?"

"Of course. I'll make an exception in following the law, if it means we can bring down that accursed academy. And I have little fear or hesitation in me to begin with."

"I see. I'll trust in your self-confidence," Yukina responds. "Give me your impressions of the other Roselia members in this regard, then."

...Sayo's teammates. 

Lisa Imai, a knight with a frightening level of dedication towards her closest friend. She always appears exhausted and is frequently on the verge of fainting, but she never actually lets herself faint. She skips no effort in improving her skills or offering support to the others, and has practically shut herself off from the outside world already. Though Sayo is bothered by her upbeat and almost strained attitude, it's actually rather hard to find a reason to antagonise her. "Lisa is the one I am the least concerned about, other than you," she starts. "She has quickly become acclimated to the efforts necessary to attain our goals. I do not know what she is thinking or feeling, but she does not seem overly intimidated."

"What about Rinko?"

Rinko Shirokane. Though Sayo doubted her at first, she is actually a terrifyingly powerful opponent. It's almost frustrating how a person with no experience at a dueling academy can put her on edge so much during training. However; "I have moderate reason to worry about Rinko's fortitude," she says. "She is often hesitant to speak up during conversations, and seems rather terrified when you discuss and teach us the methods required for our shadier activities. Her anxiety may crush her if she is to participate in Roselia's most critical maneuvers."

"I see. I will keep that in mind when choosing who will represent us during those maneuvers," Yukina responds. "Then, I assume the person you are most concerned about is..."

Sayo can't contain her scowl. "That's right. Ako U-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

There's a rather childish yell blaring through the base. Sayo and Yukina look towards the bedrooms for a second, before turning back. "As I was saying-"

"Crisis! There's a crisis, Rinrin!" A gremlin in an absolute charade of demonic attire slams through the bedroom door like a crash course dummy flying through a car window. "The dark lord has been assuaged by a terrible trial! Please, you gotta- oh! Rinrin's already gone, hasn't she? Agh..."

"Is something the matter?" Yukina asks.

"I'm not sure if anyone else can help, is the thing," Ako says. She holds up her black-plated armament; "It's my duel disk! It's not working anymore!"

"Keep your racket down," Sayo says. "What did you do to it?"

"Well, you see, I was practicing my nefarious magic, and-"

Sayo coughs.

"U-um! I mean! I was practicing cool poses, and the disk hit the wall, and now it's not turning on, and-"

"Let me see it," Sayo walks to her. Ako's a little hesitant to part with the armament, but she hands it over.

Let's start with a quick examination. It's not projecting a blade, but the orb's display interface is turning on. There's no surface damage, at least; these devices are usually pretty sturdy in that regard. That means it's internal, mostly likely with the podium. "I'll be a minute," she says.

She walks to her room and opens the door, though she's a bit irritated when the others follow her. She'd tell Ako to step away, but that rarely tends to succeed, so she lets her audience watch as she retrieves the tools she needs and gets to work.

"Whoa," she hears. There's two pairs of eyes watching her with keen interest... not that she knows why.

It's nothing exceptional. Sayo's just unscrewing the top layer of the podium off, and taking a look at the circuitry inside. As she suspected, the problem's with the flimsiest part again. A lot of manufacturers slack on making sure the generator for the blade doesn't slide over the rest of the wires, in the context of repeated hard knocks and bumps. That's why the wires have become tangled and damaged. Evidently, the disk hasn't been looked at for a month or two, so this'll probably be a chore to deal with.

She sighs, temporarily puts the device down and turns to Ako. "I'll be able to fix it by the evening. In the meantime, make do with playing Duel Monsters on tabletop."

"O-okay! Whoa though, that's so cool! All those plates and metal bits... I've never seen the inside of one of these!" 

"Don't touch anything," Sayo scowls. "And get out of my room."

"Oh, my bad!" Ako's buzzing, hopefully with fear and not patronising admiration.

"Yukina," Sayo asks. "Do we have any tools and spare parts relating to duel disks in this place? I have a case of my own, but it would be helpful to have a reserve supply."

"There's an old warehouse sitting directly behind the base," Yukina responds. "It's close to the incinerator."

"Understood. Thank you," she says. "I'll be at the shrine grounds for our training by 10:30."

Yukina nods, and leaves.

...

Silence. Ako's still standing around. Sayo can't help but grimace, knowing she's already 5 minutes past the starting point for her planned research today. But all she can do is sit on her chair, since Ako refuses to remove those glittering eyes from her. 

Doesn't she have anything better to do?

"Hey, Sayo, Sayo! My fellow compatriot of darkness!" A toothy grin. "Where'd you learn all that technical stuff? I can't understand any of those wirey things!"

Stop trying to get close. "It's not a particularly special skill. I simply learned it from the academy's curriculum." 

It's partially a lie; the curriculum itself doesn't mandate learning duel disk technology. But she doesn't need to tell Roselia anything personal.

"You're like, an electrical... or electromagnetic, even, an electromagnetic necromancer!" Ako jumbles. "It's so cool! Your eyes were all like, whooooosh, sweeeeesh, when you were tinkering with the disk!"

Silence.

"She who possesses an unparalleled brain in the mechanical arts... Sayo Hikawa!" Ako poses. "I can't understand gadgety stuff, and Rinrin only knows the simpler things. So I think it's cool! The only other person I know who's that nerdy is Moca-"

Silence.

A frequent cycle. It's frustrating to watch, every single time. A memory of home surfaces, Ako's expression breaks, and she enters a period of low mood for a moment. Then she shakes her head and pretend everything's stable, even as the corners of her smile become lower and lower. 

"W-well, um. What... was I saying, again? Um..." She's scratching her head.

"If you have no further business, then leave me be. I'm studying now," Sayo cuts.

"O... oh. Sorry. Um, I'll see you later!" 

A jovial wave. Finally, the door closes.

...

...Keep focused. She can fix Ako's duel disk in a couple of hours if all goes well, so it's not a huge blow. 

But it's inefficiency nonetheless. And it's not the only way Ako interferes with Roselia's practice. Her penchant for interrupting conversations with personal anecdotes creates a nostalgia that frequently manifests a longing for home, crashing through multiple discussions and forcing Lisa to lighten the mood again. Sometimes, she even asks Yukina permission to be alone for an hour or two, retreating to her room; it's a habit that forces the rest of Roselia to bring her up to speed later.

There's other ways her sloppiness and sorrow surface, too. For starters, she frequently has a number of bags under her eyes, likely as a result of staying up late playing video games. There's also a number of small cuts on her chin, which implies a rather haphazard face-care routine, and she frequently pauses mid-conversation to check if her voice is cracking, for a reason Sayo's already deduced. Overall, even to someone like Sayo, everything about Ako clearly reflects a poor state of mind. She's unserious, unconcentrated, whining, whinging, jittery, frivolous, clumsy and overall constantly fractured.

It's frankly irrational. Everyone is aware that she wishes to return home, and yet she doesn't do it. Why does she choose to spend her time here, burdening herself with the strain of isolation rather than returning? Not only is it a burden on Roselia's concentration and resources, it's also irresponsible. And it's something about Ako that frustrates Sayo, for a reason she doesn't want to think about.

Ako Udagawa is not cut out for Roselia. It's something Sayo felt from the start, but the first 5 days since Roselia's formation have made her certain of it. And yet, Yukina seems content to let her stay here. Why is that?

...Her teeth grit. She's getting too absorbed in personal affairs. It's not like she can feel concern for another human being anyway, not with the scales that curse her skin. Enough distracting herself with the feelings and lives of her teammates; she can't risk getting close to anyone, not the way she currently is. Bonding before rebirth is not a wise idea.

So she takes a deep breath and gets back to work, hoping to quell her unease.

\---

Sit down, and be regaled; marvel at the glory of the dark lord's journey!

She's come to the depths of Pandemonium, having freed herself from her ghastly shackles. Her devilish crimson wings sit on either side, adorning MAJESTIC powerful... uh, crimson, horns! Wait, didn't she have angelic wings earlier too? Well, it's fine; why not have both? More wings is always cool. Anyway, she travelled across the burning grounds of hell and approached the lair of the wolves... and together they've joined, on a mighty quest to destroy the false angels, those dragons in white wings who've claimed heaven as their own! It's the longest and most epic questline in any MMO!

She's lost and gained many comrades along the way; only the dusk-winged demon has managed to remain the whole time, something which she'll be eternally grateful for. But with her new allies by her side, she'll be able to achieve the title of coolest necromancer alive, she just knows it! Charge forward, my rose-adorned comrades-

Something breaks into pieces.

She's about to plummet.

.

...W... whoa.

Did... did the ground beneath her just fall apart? It was wayyyyyyyy thinner than it looked... she thought she was treading on solid rock. Suddenly, she's in horrific danger; her wings shriek and cower, her body trembles. If it wasn't for the hand that just caught her wrist, she would've fallen into a boiling pit of lava that's revealed itself, meters and meters beneath where everyone stands. It's miles and miiiiles long; it's expanding beneath the entirety of the path they've travelled!

Be careful, her savior warns. She looks up and sees the eyes of the coolest wolf she knows, an empress maned in silver. The wolf says the pit of lava is a gateway to mourning. Fall in, and you'll fall prey to your deepest fears of isolation and rejection.

What does she mean? The queen of darkness has to ask.

The wolf pulls her up, back onto solid ground, and poses with subtle serenity. She grasps the queen of darkness's hand and tells her... not to think about her lost comrades.

...Oh.

The wolf nods. If their team of legendary necromancers is to tear down heaven's gates, they must not think back to the past. They must look to the future, instead. Mourning the brethren you've been separated from can quickly lead to an inescapable anguish; that's what causes the lava to open below.

What a perilous obstacle! The queen of darkness's jaw is agape. Still, she swears she'll give it her best effort! She's here for a reason, after all.

The group continues their journey; besides the queen of darkness, the dusk-winged demon and the silver empress stand two other powerful comrades; a dazzling fallen knight and a... well, she's actually kind of scary, but she's a mythril lone wolf cursed with draconic scales! Out of all of them, though, the demon's the biggest blessing she could have; the demon supports the queen of darkness whenever she can! She's the best, best, BEST friend anyone could ever ask for, that's for sure. How can a legendary necromancer stay downtrodden when such a cool person is by her side? She swears; she may trip on the memories of her previous comrades, but she won't ever falter! She'll keep training alongside everyone else and become a fallen angel every dragon in heaven will fear!

But BEWARE! There's an obstacle on her great quest. The most powerful and necromantic of all necromancers faces a terrifying foe. One who prowls the realm of the dead, lunging at any who strays even the slightest detour from the road forward, one whose ice-cold gaze could freeze even the most dastardly demon to the spot. And worst of all... this enemy's an internal one! There's strife within the group!

...It's Sayo Hikawa! What is she, a teacher?! A demon hunter?!

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" 

Ako breaks her daydreaming in the Friday afternoon, and kicks back with a yell; feels like she's doing that a lot lately. It's just a good way of outputting the stress. No need to bottle it up anymore, that's for sure; after all, the last time she did, she couldn't hold it in anymore, and it burst, and she got mad, and...

...

...A sigh.

No, no. Get it together, dark necromancer! Don't shirk work just yet. She's supposed to be studying a whole ton of archetypes popular with SDA students today, like Ancient Gears, Hieratics, and apparently Six Samurai lately for some reason? The whole deal with week 1 is that Yukina's heading discussions and analyses of different decks and playstyles, so everyone can share the knowledge they have with each other. Then, they'll power-level by testing new options and experimenting with different builds next week, so they become strong and cool enough to just WRECK shop at the Qualifier Cup... and oh yeah, right, there's also some wiiiiiild stuff Yukina's got planned before the Cup, right? She forgot what it was, though. Everything's been hard to process for her demonic brain lately...

"Uuuugughhh..." her eyes're just melding with the artwork on the cards she's looking at. Like, this part is important n' all, she figures, but, like... she knows how all of these archetypes work at a fundamental level anyway. Does she really need to care that much about in-depth effect interactions? Can't she just adapt on-the-go or something?

Nah, nah. This is ROSELIA she's thinking about, after all; they're serious! They don't slouch on any aspect, because that's what it's gonna take to surpass the SDA! This may just be week 1's training, but Yukina's predicting they'll begin their attack the second week 2 ends, so she can't slack! Ako can't slack... can't slack... her eyes feel so heavy, though...

"Ako."

"Wargh!" She jumps from her seat, scattering a few cards off the table in the Dark Conference Area (a name nobody else actually uses!!!); oh, there's the coolest person she knows! "Y-Yukina! My mistress, I was just-"

"You look tired. Did you stay up late last night?"

"Urk!" Bullseyed again. "I'm sorry..."

"Remember that your mood and productivity are heavily impacted by sleep. Don't neglect your health."

"I won't... sorry..." Gah. She wants to complain, since Yukina's being a bit mum-like, but... it's also nice to feel concerned for.

"Good. I've just finished a training session with Sayo. Rinko and Lisa will have takeout with them when they return, so that'll be our dinner for tonight."

"Takeout! Woohoo!" Ako cheers; using the kitchen to make meals is fine and all, but it's felt way too exhausting for her lately. "Takeout! Takeout!"

"Did somebody say... TAKEOUT?" Heck yeah! Lisa's just poked her head in from the entranceway!

"Oh!!! I did, I did! What's the menu today, big s- I mean, Lisa?!"

"Ahaha, no need to be that excited~. We ordered from the typical fast food joint, so it's just fries and burgers!"

"Rejoice! The dark lord's magic will be supplied! You're an angel, Lisa!"

"Ahaha~! I'm flattered."

"Um... we're back..." Someone else teeters in along- YES, SHE'S BACK!

"Rinriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin~!" Ako can't help but jump up from her seat and run over; Rinrin's already opened her arms for the hug by the time Ako comes charging in. "I missed you! Was school okay today?"

"Yeah... it was fine. I don't think my grades... are suffering because of Roselia." God, her smile's so cute.

"That's good to hear," Yukina says. "You've been performing incredibly well so far, Rinko. Keep up your practice, and make sure you're not distracted by your duties at home."

"Y-yes! Thank you... I'll keep at it..."

Oh, right! "Rinrin, Rinrin! Do you mind checking the laptop you gave me later? I knocked some big bar out of it and now it won't turn on..."

Rinrin just giggles at that, for some reason. "Sure. After practice."

"Let's get to it then, shall we?" Lisa smiles. "Roselia's got a bunch going on tonight, as per usual~, so we gotta fill ourselves up!"

Heck yeah! Doesn't take too long for Lisa to unpack everything; they don't have much choice, but there's enough fries for everyone and one burger each, so that's fine, really. Time to eat! Yukina's just being awesome and not saying anything as usual, but the rest of them are already chatting away as they sit down at the dinner table.

...That is, until THAT person opens the door and comes in again. It's the same cycle as any other day; they're gonna like, chill and talk about fun stuff before Roselia starts buckling up and getting into it, but then Sayo enters and kills the mood instantly. Ako freezes up when she sees that wolf, honestly; she's... so scary!

"Sayo, we've got the food out already! Come and sit down with us~!"

"Very well."

She looks almost irritated to be with the rest of them. Like, that's cool and mysterious and all, but why does she act so icy? She's staring the burger down like it's a cursed enemy, not a delectable treat. Would she rather be eating in her room? It feels like an insult, in some ways. Whatever the case, her presence just kind of kills the conversation; Lisa asks Sayo something every now and then, the response's like 0.5 seconds long, and then it goes quiet again. Yukina's just silent as always, and Rinrin's obviously frightened by Sayo too, so, like... like! Ugh!

Well, whaaatever. Ako's not gonna let this buzzkill ruin the mood. "Hey, hey, you guys!" She pipes up. "What's your favorite Duel Monsters card?"

No response, for a hot sec. Rinrin's trying to speak up, but she's understandably a bit scared. Ako sends a quick wink her way, as like, a way of telling her 'thank you for helping out I love you and all that', which elicits a nervous smile.

Before she can speak though, Lisa comes to the rescue; "Oooh, favorite card, huh... _Gem-Knight Master Diamond_, for me~. I've had it for ages."

"Awesome! That's what I'd expect!" Ako poses. "The legendary knight who protects her kingdom in the name of her friends!"

"A-ahaha. What about you, Ako?"

"Fufufu." A hand over the eye, the most iconic gesture. "Let me regale you with my tale! Long ago, amidst the waves of the sunset... I came across my unholy form in the shape of a monster card, sitting right on a dark storefront. Jetted purple hair, magnificent wings, she was a fallen angel who dared to oppose the callous reign of the false gods!" Whoosh! Swoosh! "...But she was in Secret Rare print, and I was out of pocket change. I yelled in agony!"

"Oof, tough luck! But is that the whole story~?"

"Mwahaha! Of course not," she continues. "You see, there was an arduous, um... an enormous trial of..." brainfart. "Um! There was an exam coming up for me; this was a perilous occasion, right on the cusp of my elementary school's end! And Mom and Dad said they'd buy me the card if I passed my exams."

"And did you?"

"Fufufu.... naturally!" A finale grandstand. "That was my first contact with my beloved companions, the Darklords! My big sis took me to the store the day after my results came back, and bought it for me."

A deathly silence. They must be on the edge of their seats!

"And that's how I got into Duel Monsters! After that, I got to play a bunch of duels with Tomoe and everything, and it was the BEST! Her archetype's all like, whoosh, zoom, clankclinkclinkchchchchchCLANK!"

"...Ah... ahaha," she hears Lisa laugh. It feels weirdly fractured, for some reason. "She's always been pretty fiery, hasn't she?"

"Yeah! She's always been... fiery..." Ako lets the memories overtake her. "I remember the first time I won against her. Himari was trying to warn her about my strategy, but she didn't listen, so she was wide open when I began my offensive, and-"

Sayo stands.

"-and I managed to beat her **4000**-to-**0!** She was so shocked, and like I was too? Because oh my god, I just-"

"Ako Udagawa."

A chill. There's NO subtlety to the hostility in that voice.

Ako turns skittishly, and looks a cold wolf in the eye. 

"W-what's up?" She tries to bluster. "Ah, I see. Awed, aren't you, Sayo? Are you really stricken with fear by my-"

"Why do you not return home?"

...

"H-huh?" She's feeling a bit shaky.

"Do you not miss your family?" Sayo folds her arms. "If you're so constantly enraptured and distracted by your memories of home, why not simply return home?"

"W-wha?! What kind of question is that?" Ako blurts out. "I mean, I miss them and everything, but I'm a loyal demon of Roselia now! We're a team that'll defy the heavens together, and tear down the dragons who-"

"Ridiculous."

"...What?" Ako balls her fists.

"You seem to completely misunderstand Roselia's goals. This is not a playground you can merilly skip through with reckless naivete. This is a battlefield." It cuts. "Your attitude is completely unsuited to this team. Our purpose is to destroy the reputation of an entire multi-billion-profit corporation. You don't treat that with the gravity it deserves. Frankly," she turns to her leader, "I do not understand why Yukina is willing to let you stay."

"I'm not horsing around!" She's gotta stand her ground. "I mean it seriously!"

"Ako..."

"It's okay, Rinrin." She nods at her friend briefly, before turning back to her enemy. "I'm not treating Roselia as a joke. I talk about necromancy and dark magic because I have it! That's what it means to self-express. Roselia's fighting to change the identity of Duel Monsters, so I'm just going to duel with my own identity! That's all there is to it."

"Are you reciting catchphrases as self-expression, or as a coping mechanism?" The wolf glares. "It's practically impossible for us to ignore your misery. You're extremely open about how you miss your family and friends. Your sorrow is nothing but a burden on Roselia's activities."

"A burden?" Ako musters her best glare back. "That sounds more like YOU, if you ask me. You're the one who constantly barks orders at everyone and makes meetings awkward!"

Sayo slowly places a hand over one eye. "Excuse me?"

Yukina calmly observes.

"G-guys, let's calm down, okay?" Lisa says.

"PHhhhbfbfffffffftttttttttt!" Ako sticks her tongue out in defiance. No way! "I'm not like you, Miss Grumpypants. At least I can actually be emo while still working as part of a team!"

"Don't delude yourself," Sayo responds. "A team is not a therapy consultation. You spend as much time learning Duel Monsters as you do clinging to the other members for emotional treatment. Your 'emo' behaviour is just a drain on Roselia's resources; you shouldn't be here."

"Oh, yeah? Then where do you think I SHOULD be, meanie?"

"Simple. At home. Your arguments with your family have passed, and you're evidently ready to apologise and make amends. Yet you continue to ignorantly cast away your future for the sake of a card game. Your parents and sister no doubt worry about you constantly, but you see fit to waste your time prancing around our base like it's your personal playground."

"P-please..." Rinrin tries to look stern. "Ako is still pained. She... needs time before she can talk to them again... you shouldn't rush her."

But Sayo isn't having it. "Her personal feelings don't matter," she says. "The fact is that she refuses to return to her life. She has a duty to remain under the care of her parents and continue her studies, and yet she seems content to become a delinquent." Those infuriating eyes look her way again. "You are incredibly irresponsible. Do you intend to keep your family terrified for your safety, just because you wish to continue playing Duel Monsters?"

Ugh, what a textbook bully! She's so naturally and effortlessly pretty, even in that completely puritan shirt-dress and pants combo, and she's rude and studious as all hell like that one prep kid who always asks about homework at the end of class. She's just completely stuck-up! 

So Ako cuts back; "You don't understand my situation at all! Aren't you doing the same thing, anyway? We're both living in this base right now; you're worrying your family by running away from home to stay with Roselia, just like I am!"

"...My family..."

Silence. Did that do the trick? Sayo's... looking kind of weird. She's not angry or pissed or anything; she's just searching her hand with those erudite eyes, like it's some kind of mirror.

Then she becomes Miss Snarkypants again. "I see I won't be convincing you to leave, then. There's no point in us arguing further."

"Oh, but there is! You!" Ako points a finger dramatically at her. "You may be cool, and pretty, and independent, and have naturally long and beautiful hair, and a really clean face, and be super good at Duel Monsters, and a tech wiz, and great at managing stuff and everything-" Wait. "I-I mean! You may think you're cool, but you're not!"

She tuts. "What manner of temper tantrum...?"

"You think I'm joking, that I'm not serious," Ako stands. "Just like everyone else does. Just like all the SDA students did. So I'll do to you what I did with all of them, and beat you in a duel!"

A set of gasps.

"...I'm getting deja vu. How childish. Do you think you can solve every conflict you have by playing Duel Monsters?"

"Of course I can! That's how I communicate, after all!"

"You'll communicate nothing to me by demonstrating your skill. Your low mood is the reason I doubt your place in Roselia, not your fundamental abilities."

Ugh! "That's too complicated for me to understand!" Ako blurts. "If you're against me because I'm sad, then I'll show you I can be cool and help Roselia even when I am sad!"

"Fine. I will voice no further objections to your stay if you can defeat me," she responds. "But I have no intention of letting you win. I'll demonstrate that you have no place here."

"Bring it!" Ako swipes her hand. "I'll show you how awesome my power is!"

"Shrine grounds. 5 minutes. That's all," she says, and promptly leaves.

The second the door shuts, everyone's dead silent again. But Ako's not letting that get to her; "You guys! I'm gonna prep and face her down! Yukina, you're okay with this, right?"

A nod.

"Right then!" Ako fistpumps. She's gotta get her deck, and her duel dis-

Wait.

"Agggggh!" She's agape. "I forgot Sayo isn't returning my duel disk until this evening! What am I gonna do?!"

"Um..." Rinko tugs at her. "You can... use mine... in the meantime..."

"Rinrin!" Her eyes glow. "Oh my god, can I?"

"Yeah. I'll... get it ready while you prepare your cards."

Yes! There's no WAY she's gonna lose if she's using Rinrin's disk! Ako slams right into her room and gets her Darklords ready... what's gonna be the best way to beat Sayo? The Nekroz have a bunch of monsters that restrict the Extra Deck, so 3 Pot of Extravagance is probably fine... oh, and what if...

...And it's done! That only took 1 minute. Not bad at all, not, bad, at, all! She's a dueling genius!

She heads right back out, and Rinrin's got it ready! "Yes, yes, yes!" Ako's smiling with glee; Rinrin's duel disk has that awesome metallic purple and the cool demon wing blade and EVERYTHING! "I thank you, my cherished necro-rose... uh, necrose- ack, I can't think of something cool! Just know I'll use your blade wisely!"

"...Yeah... good luck, Ako." Rinrin nods. "Um... I'm sorry. I noticed Sayo was hostile before, and I wanted to speak up, but... I couldn't find a way to stop her. I wish it hadn't come to this. If you want, I can talk to her again and-"

Her words are cut off by a cute yelp; it's the consequence of Ako standing on tiptoes and touching their foreheads together. "Rinrin. Thank you."

"...A-ah... Ako." 

"Don't burden yourself with me, okay?" Ako smiles. "We're supposed to support each other, after all. I know I've been sad a lot lately, so don't knock yourself down if you can't always help me! You already do so much for me as is."

"Ah... thank you... it's just..."

"Rinrin." Ako closes her eyes. "I know you're scared too. You're scared of what Roselia's planning on doing, right?"

"...!"

"It's ok. I know you have stuff you're dealing with. So think about that instead, okay?" She steps back. "Leave stinky Sayo to me. I've got this!"

"...Ako..." A small smile. "Okay."

"Good luck with the duel, Ako," Lisa says. "We'll be watching you. All you've done so far is simulations and crash courses, so I think Yukina's interested in what's going to happen; you haven't fought me or Sayo in a proper duel yet, after all."

"Then I'll set a good first impression!" Ako salutes the silver empress. "Let's go! I'll make Roselia proud!"

No response. That's just what Yukina's like, huh? Well, let's head out then.

Ako ventures! The mighty, undefeated Demon Lord, the one known as Heaven's Bane, steps out onto the deck. The skies are covered in grey, the air's tinted in blue... and oh heck yeah, it's snowing a tiny bit! It's not enough to colour the dirt and cobblestone, but hey, it's atmospheric all the same. A suitable setting for the mythril wolf's defeat!

Her cool sketchers and comfy coat regally adorn her crimson eyes, as she takes her grand position on one end of the shrine grounds. The others follow behind, standing at the side of the field. As for the opponent... is Sayo at the other end, or did she just chicken out... oh! There she is. It's just hard to spot her, is all.

"You're 5 seconds late."

"And you were 5 minutes early!" 

"Hmph." A scowl, no doubt. "This duel is getting in the way of my practice. I'll end it quick."

Cut.

Ako has to squint to see through the fog; there's a brief flash of blood-red, before what's presumably the duel disk's orb turns a frozen blue. Two curved spikes gleam tails of turquoise on Sayo's left arm, wrapping around the podium like snakes. One's slightly longer, almost as if it's haunting the other.

Then the blade carves through. In fact, it's impossible not to see. It's so callously sharp that every star looks upon it and despairs. The very edge of Sayo's blade holds each particle of gas at the throat. There's no complex shape or pattern to it; it's just a sturdy, lean, ruthless killing machine, running rejection into its enemies with its black-hearted blue.

The mythril wolf's eyes pierce. "Let's begin."

Crimson gleams. "But of course! Witness my magnificent form!"

Heaven's Bane ascends from the abyss. She closes her eyes, letting her arms slack, and her beloved's beautiful blade adorns her left side like a demon's dusk wing. Then... BA-BUM! Eyes open, and crimson within shows a power so overwhelming that the gates to the sky crumble. The orb on Rinko's disk resembles a third eye, and Ako's demonic form clears the mist around her, holding the shrine grounds by the heart.

Oh, and then it bursts! She almost forgot; another pose, and two gigantic wings fly out at either side of her, towering over Roselia's base. They're an ethereal, glowing, intense orchid, trapping the lights of countless opponents within! A FLASH, and they're complete.

Sayo sighs. "There's no need to be dramatic." 5 cards. **4000LP.**

"I'll teach you a thing or two about drama once I'm done with you! Face me, nemesis!" 5 cards. **4000LP.**

Two duelists search for an answer.

"**DUEL!**"  
"**DUEL!**"

"_I'm going first_," the wolf declares. "Your duel against Ran Mitake was successful because you were allowed a turn to set up. I'll see if you can play back from second fiddle to first."

"A lovely challenge! The Demon Lord accepts."

"I activate the effect of _Nekroz of Brionac._ I'll discard this card so I can add 1 Nekroz monster from my deck to my hand; I choose _Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz._"

A blurred image begets breaths of frost, coalescing into a new card. And as it does... a line of cyan swiftly rips the ground around Sayo, before lunging its expanding diameter through the field.

"Whoa!" Ako's gotta cover her eyes; the whole place just got illuminated. When she lowers her arm, what she finds beneath her isn't soil or rock... it's a clean, reflective ice-blue, tinted by the cloudy sky above. What is this surface she stands upon?!

"I activate the ritual spell card _Nekroz Mirror._"

Ako watches in fascination; the card in question just shattered into pieces, and its fragments are making a crested podium. There's a young, earnest-looking warrior standing in the middle of it. "Shurit's effect. Using this monster as the tribute, I automatically reach the required level of 7 for the summoning of a Ritual Monster from my hand."

Okay, now Ako's excited. "Cool! What inner facet of your soul will you unleash, o shimmering wolf? I wanna see!" 

A drop of blood. The sky turns red. 

"You'll regret asking that."

Shurit's eyes narrow. A horrendous beam shines from the podium to the stars above, instantly devouring the child. "Cursed child, fall prey to the ancient dragon of callous cold! Blood bathed in fire, wings wrapped in ice, and lungs licked in lightning; arm your mask, and make the shining abomination's form your own. Suffocate... and lose yourself to the chaos!"

The pillar fractures. It melts into a bubbling, incandescent liquid, slowly and deliberately pouring down onto the field.

A horrific card is shackled onto Sayo's blade. "_Ritual Summon. Level 7, Nekroz of Gungnir._"

Suddenly, the clock reverses. Time ticks, and the light disappears; the duelists return to the soft sea-blue, one freed from mist. Standing on the mirror's surface is a newly adolescent girl whose reflection is absent from the ground. Her long, unkempt mane of hair is coloured a soft and soothing white, one as soft as the expression on her face.

But the world doesn't care for her newfound smile. Her expression is broken, and her hair is dyed with blades, dragging it into flowing waves like a shattered glass of wine. Wings of ice begin to freeze her heart, and her face becomes hidden by the visage of an agonised terror. A tail and horns no human should have grow on her skin, completing a second transformation; one that was unwanted, unlike the first. One to that of a dragon with **2500ATK.**

The wolf's visible now; she gazes her erudite eyes upon the miserable creature, and briefly looks to the sky in a search for memories.

...And now, she'll see it!

"You're at **6500LP,**" Sayo's eyes return to Ako. "When did that happen?"

"Fufufu," a pose! "You've noticed, haven't you? Before your mirror completed the secluded ritual, I called upon a duo known as _Ghost Sister and Spooky Dogwood!_" Her disk's graveyard glows. "Upon discarding this monster from my hand, I was granted a new power; the power to gain life points equal to the ATK of the monsters you summon, until the end of the turn!"

"I see. So that's your resource for this duel," she responds. "The effect of Shurit. When this card is tributed, I can add a Warrior-Type Nekroz Ritual Monster from my deck to my hand. I choose the _Nekroz of Trishula._" A card flies into Sayo's hand like a robotic knife. "I end my turn."

"Oho. Are you sure that's wise?" 

"Further summoning would only increase your life point total."

...Not one for theatrics, huh? That response was drier than a fry without oil. "Very well, then! _The dark lord takes her turn!_" She draws a new armament! An interesting board; she's taken a look at Gungnir's effect from her duel disk's display, and it's rather fearsome.

But that's nothing. In fact; "Fufufu. Sayo Hikawa, you have already lost!" She declares.

"Can you please make a move instead of laughing?"

"Hey! This is important to me!" She protests. "What I mean is, I'm about to amaze you! ...After I activate the spell card _Pot of Extravagance!_" 

She gets 2 more cards, after banishing a whole 6 monsters face-down from her Extra Deck. Feels good to have all these resources! "Now descend, my loyal minion! By discarding two Darklord cards, I can special summon _Darklord Nasten_ from my hand!"

A trio of vessels fly out from her hand; with a magnificent stroke of her arm, two fly into one, and the singularity swelters and crackles. From a storm comes an abyssal portal, and a muscled arm twice Ako's height grabs through to the surface, each digit puncturing the mirror. There's a roar; a chimeric beast taller than the cabin to their side shakes the ground, skin of white and mane of black, **2600ATK.**

"BA-BUM! Behold one of my many dark vestiges! Their strength is a rallying cry, for, um..." quick, think! "Um, you know that feeling when you just wanna down three bottles of soda? It's like that-"

"Continue your turn."

"Urk!" Ako jumps; sheesh, cold reception! Bluer than the air they're standing in! "F-fine! I tribute _Darklord Nasten_ to summon _Darklord Amdusc!_"

The towering monster spins into a whirl of glowing orbs, all of which merge into a singular horn; one which slowly expands into the form of a beautiful, magnificent creature! A mantled unicorn with black clawed wings! Their fire is a rallying cry for those whose love was frozen beneath the abyss! A neigh declares **1800ATK.**

"...Hm..." Now Ako has to wonder, though.

"Are you feeling sick?"

"Oh, no, it's just," Ako stammers, "I was thinking, maybe I should've described Nasten's appearance after I revive it, rather than when I first summoned it! Like, I thought it'd be cooler to awe you with them immediately, but tributing them for Amdusc kinda killed the-"

An exasperated sigh. "Please just continue your turn."

...That really, REALLY hits a nerve.

"Argh! Stop doing that!" Seriously, Sayo's so rude! Everything's been crappy recently, so why can't Ako live it up a little? "Fine, fine! I activate the spell card _Darklord Contact!_ This dark magic lets me bring forth a demonic minion from my graveyard in defense position; I choose _Darklord Superbia!_"

Ignore the wolf. Ako calls, intricate inscriptions of light dancing around her body. At her command, a being with no human form emerges, one that refuses to be constrained by normality or mean stuck-up preps! A chalice with **2400DEF** unfurls its wings, its noise a rallying cry for those whose voices were frozen beneath the abyss! "Now Superbia," she commands, "activate your effect, and special summon Nasten back from the graveyard!"

No lights, no camera; a roar, and the world loses all volume before Superbia! The reckoning will come for her opponent, she swears it on her pride as a necromancer!

"Mwahahahahaha!" Ako lets out a smug grin and looks away from her opponent, as her beast returns. "Do you feel intimidated yet?"

"Are you finished?"

"No thanks! I'm not finished until I crush you for your cockiness!" She points a finger, and growls. "I'm tired, I'm stressed, I miss my family and I'm doing everything I can to help Roselia, but all you do is insult me! So I'm gonna make you pay!"

Nasten roars.

"Many of my Darklords carry the ability to use Darklord spells and traps from the graveyard... and this minion is no exception!" A second blade forms into her free hand. "_Darklord Nasten's_ effect! I pay 1000 life points to shuffle _Darklord Rebellion_ back into my deck! Rebellion allows me to destroy 1 card on the field, and I choose _Nekroz of Gungnir!_"

**5500LP** left on her beating wings. The blade dissipates... cueing a far, FAR larger one to surge above Nasten. It's a miniature Tower of Babel in its own right, low on ornaments and high on incandescent steel! With their mighty weapon held over their head, they ready for a glorious... siege? Upon the unemotive dragon-masked gladiator!

...

...Wait, isn't Sayo... gonna...?

Silence. The wolf's just standing there, eyes closed.

"Um!" She waves. "I've activated Rebellion! Nasten's about to destroy Gungnir! Shouldn't you chain Gungnir's effect and destroy one of my monsters in return?"

Silence.

"No response? Well, fine!" Ako lets the red seep into her. "I'll just wipe that smile off your gross, repulsive face! Nasten, tear her pathetic monster apart and make her regret ever-"

"Don't waste your time on malicious trash-talk. Do you enjoy beating people's self-esteem down?"

Cut.

...T-that was sharp. As sharp as the wolf's icy blade. 

"Urk." Regret, regret pours from her soul. She kinda just wants to like, hide in an igloo and punch herself now.

"...I apologise for making you feel insulted. Let me restate my position, Ako," she stares blankly, a hand on her hip. "I am only putting forth the argument that you should leave Roselia. I do not hate you, nor do I intend to crush your enjoyment of the sport you treasure."

"O-oh." 

That's... surprising to hear. Yeah, uh. Maybe the stress is making her feel too heated lately. There's no need to dump her frustration on others. Ugh, this sucks; she messed up and got salty, didn't she?

Well, she's cooled a bit down now, thanks to that. "U-um! I'm sorry too. My bad, for real. L-let's just continue the duel, my rose-knighted comrade! Nasten, lower the sword!"

A righteous blade cleaves through the air, sending a tempest through Sayo's side and scattering a worthy opponent's unmoving form into pieces! The expression remains hidden on Gungnir's face as she disappears, a trail of sickly blood-red light howling as it seeps back into the dust.

Lively gusts. Her ponytail flares. "Prepare yourself, Sayo Hikawa," she folds her arms and stares the cloud of dust down. "You're wide-open now! Your hesitance to summon more monsters on your first turn... has left you wide open to my attacks! Nasten and Amdusc have enough ATK combined to remove all 4000 of your life points instantly!"

"Whoa, she's right," Lisa comments. "Is Ako really gonna win this already?"

The two beside her don't respond. Probably because they're awestruck!

"Will you attack, then?" The wolf's voice can be heard.

"Of course! Marvel at my dark powers!" Ako points a finger. "This is the end! Nasten, Amdusc... regale my opponent with the might of Heaven's Bane! Attack her directly!"

The creatures make their voices heard, and combine their powers for a devastating dual-attack! Amdusc takes to the heights and soars around the side, raining violet fireballs down upon the dust, while Nasten roars and blasts forward, each heaving stamp crashing the glass beneath! 

Heck yeah. This has gotta seal it! 

Ako grins. The cloud of dust's beginning to settle as Nasten and Amdusc close in... oh, she can see Sayo's silhouette approaching... her body's marching right out, leaning forward-

Ako stops grinning-

oh god, oh crap, that's a big spear, that thing's twice her height, what the hell-

Sayo spins an imposing weapon like a windmill in one hand, tearing apart every one of Amdusc's fireblasts. Her eyes narrow, and lightning forms in thick horrific streams trailing from the metal's edge. Lunge; her merciless upward swing meets the fist of a muscled beast 5 times her size, and she doesn't break even a sweat in overwhelming it. The aftermath tears the earth in two; Nasten is sent flying aside into the ground, causing entire boulders of mirror shards to scatter through the field, and a shockwave executes the ground beside Ako with a strength that betrays the ruthless efficiency put into it.

"WhWhWhWhWhWHOA!" Hoooooooooooolyyyyyyyyyyy craaaaaaaaaaaap. There's a gigantic burning line to her side, like a scar on the planet; Heaven's Bane has to stumble and flail her arms so she doesn't trip. Her minions scamper back to her side, unharmed but terrified for their very lives. She stares down at her duel disk; Sayo's still at **4000LP!** "Wh... what was that?!" 

"The effect of _Nekroz of Valkyrus._" The wolf calmly closes her eyes and sends the spear back home, like it's part of her morning routine. Her blade doesn't loom to overwhelm; it merely exists. "By discarding this monster from my hand and banishing a Nekroz card from my graveyard, I can negate the attack of my opponent's monster and immediately end the Battle Phase."

"E-end the Battle Phase?! You mean you pushed my turn straight to Main Phase 2?!"

"That's right," she responds. "You seemed confused as to why I did not make Gungnir destroy one of your monsters. The answer is simple; your monsters weren't a threat to begin with. From the second you began your turn..." she raises her head. "...I was already able to deflect any attack you had. There was no need for me to spend resources on further plays, such as the discard Gungnir requires for its effect."

"Then..." Ako murmurs, "you weren't even planning on using Gungnir to begin with?"

"Correct. Are you done with your turn?"

"...Y-yeah. I am."

"_My turn._" Sayo draws; lord, she's still got 3 cards in her hand. There's a sinking feeling coming now.

But still, bluster's mandatory. Besides, Ako's got some stuff spare in her hand and graveyard! So she grandstands, and emphasises her lineup with a swipe of her arm; "M-mwahaha! What will you do now, frozen wolf? You may have deflected my attacks, but when I sit with 3 monsters on my field and **5500LP,** can you really muster the power needed to overwhelm me?"

"Yes."

"Oh." A drop of sweat. "...Really? You can only use _Nekroz Mirror_ once per turn, after all. Are you saying you'll fell me with just one Ritual Monster?"

Sayo pierces. "Did you take the time to research my archetype this past week?"

"Huh? Yeah! I mean, I took a minute just before this duel. You, uh... you have monsters that restrict the Extra Deck, and ones that can discard themselves to activate effects, right? What about it?"

"How sloppy."

"Eh?! Why?!"

"Your mentality is far too casual for Roselia. If you were more thorough, you would've realised..." Her duel disk glows an eerie light. "...That the Nekroz have more than one kind of ritual spell they can use!"

Oh, heck. They do?

"I activate the effect of _Nekroz Mirror._ By banishing this card and one Nekroz monster from my graveyard, I can add another Nekroz ritual spell from my deck to my hand. I choose, and activate... _Nekroz Cycle!_"

FLASH! A ring of crystal panels forms above Sayo's head. "I discard another _Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz_, and automatically meet the level requirement of 8 for my chosen Ritual Monster."

Emerald of deep-sea blue and fabled black; it hovers in the center of the ring, and it splits into several to form a tunnel across the shrine grounds, as if the space within is turning back time. "Cursed child, reanimate the fabled despot's lightning, and weave their power into your arms and legs! Take their legendary form and make it your own!"

Ooooh, who's it gonna be? Which monster's she gonna summon from her hand- wait. None of the cards in her hand are glowing!

"_Ritual Summon! Level 8, Nekroz of Valkyrus!_"

Electricity surges through the tunnel, shattering it and leaving only the form of an experienced fighter. A woman decorated in a mane of masked white, she hovers in the air wielding that same gigantic spear by her side, wrapped in a number of imposing robes and plates. Static seethes off of her, almost like it's steam... carrying a whole **2900ATK** with it.

Hold on just a sec, though! "How did you summon Valkyrus?! She was in your graveyard, wasn't she?!"

"You're supposed to be a competitive player. Read the card," Sayo says. "_Nekroz Cycle_ allows me to Ritual Summon a Nekroz monster from either my hand or graveyard."

"Whoaaaa, really?!" Ako's eyes shine. "That's kinda cool!"

"I'm hardly done," she responds. "Shurit's effect; through its tribute, I add another _Nekroz of Brionac_ to my hand." A card, a light. "Brionac's effect. I discard this card to add the _Nekroz of Unicore_ to my hand."

Hang on, hang on. Is she never gonna run out of Ritual Monsters to summon?! Okay, what about the spell though-

"I activate the effect of _Nekroz of Clausolas._ By discarding this monster from my hand, I can add a Nekroz spell card from my deck to my hand."

Noooooo. Come on.

"How do you get those so frequently...?" Ako watches agape as a current of wind carries a new armament.

"Simple. Consistency. I add, and choose to activate the ritual spell card... _Nekroz Kaleidoscope!_" 

It's affixed; the core of the wolf's cold blade circulates with light. She brings her palms together, and a miniature podium falls into her grasp. But its size betrays the amazing light that glimmers within; it's a light strong enough to paint every person and element of nature watching.

"In case you haven't read it, I'll tell you Kaleidoscope's effect now," she says. "This card allows me to summon a Ritual Monster from my hand, using either 1 monster from my hand or field... or 1 monster from my Extra Deck."

"The... The Extra Deck? For real?"

Sayo closes her eyes and levitates the podium. Monsters of ages past begin to plaster the scenery with their sinister shadows. "I send a level 4 monster from my Extra Deck to my graveyard, meeting the level requirement for my chosen monster." From among them, one looms beneath the wolf. "Heaven's technician, weave the power of the fabled beast into your arms and legs! Take their legendary form and make it your own!"

From Sayo's hands fly out plates and robes. Currents of surging rainbow light weave them to their form. "_Ritual Summon! Level 4, Nekroz of Unicore!_"

A flash, and... whoaaaaa. What is that? That's not a humanoid, not at all; the light formed what looks like a rainbow-shelled sentinel instead, and they've been wrapped in that **2300ATK** armour!

Now Ako's excited, alright! Her orchid wings beat. "Mwahaha! I applaud you, Sayo; you've summoned two mighty allies to face me!"

"I'm not done yet."

"You're not?! Oooo, I'm pumped; what's your next move, my lone wolf?"

"I already made it. Pay attention to the game board." Sayo swipes an arm out. "The _Herald of Arc Light's_ effect. When this monster is sent to the graveyard, I can add a Ritual Monster or ritual spell from my deck to my hand. I choose _Nekroz Mirror!_"

Herald of what now? Slow down, when'd this- oh. Oh god, that's the Extra Deck monster Sayo used as Unicore's tribute...

Aurora.

Sayo's expression hasn't changed at all. But the green in her eyes is dying out, leaving only a faint frost. She places the card cleanly on her blade; "...I activate _Nekroz Mirror!_ I banish _Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz_ from my graveyard, automatically meeting the level requirement of 9!"

Oh my god, oh my god, ohhhh my god. There's a circle of horrid sickly blue enveloping the entirety of the wolf, shrouding and hiding her, like... like something abyssal lurks within! 

It looks like it could freeze her. Ako hears a calm breath, and the crested podium returns to the mirror's surface. That young warrior returns once again, with an expression that looks so much graver this time! The podium glows, and a pillar of pure cold completely devours Shurit.

It's like living a witness to this scene chokes every cell you have. Ako's heart is cut clean with the sharpest blade imaginable. "O ancient dragon of cocytal cold, deity of the frozen world, arm me with your devastation. Wrap my limbs until my blood cuts short, shut my eyes closed with your mask, stop my heart through wings of ice and crystallise your unparalleled might into hardened steel! Through your armour, let me relive the legend of your ruination, and grant me the strength to crush all that oppose me!"

The planet's time has frozen. Crimson comes face-to-face with the arctic.

"_Ritual Summon! Level 9!_ Silence the heart, _**Nekroz of Trishula!**_"

The pillar widens and envelops the entire stilled field; Ako has to cover her eyes as the light drowns her, until the podium disappears.

Then, she sees it; not as a card, but as a holograph for the first time. She exhales.

Ice. Draconic limbs of ice. Left where the podium was is no longer a young child; instead, an awe-striking warrior, armoured with the visage of an ancient force and a callous blade, makes her presence known to all who see her. From behind the mask flows a dazzling mane of red and white, like bolts of shuddering lightning streaked with blood. She's a force of nature in her own right, one who's attained complete and utter mastery over the ultimate god of the frozen domain.

Ako gazes with gleaming crimson, orchid pulsing back into her. That monster... that monster.. it's...

...it's...

\---

**2700ATK.** Sayo finally feels calmer. With her soul encased in ice, her breathing regulates.

_**The Nekroz of Trishula.**_ A being that's armed itself with the Monstrosity, an abomination so feared that it was locked away lest its power extinct the entire world in an instant. The crown and wings adorning the warrior symbolise the very essence of ice itself. Left where the podium was is no longer a young child; instead, a being that only hints at being human, armoured with the visage of an ancient force and a callous blade, takes its place. 

It's cursed. It's hollow. This monster is as pitiful as it is terrifying; it has nothing captivating to show beneath the cage of ice. It's empty, broken... and no one would ever want to see what's inside.

"...she's... so..."

Her opponent speaks. 

The wolf stares Ako Udagawa down. Ako merely gazes, her expression unable to change. Crimson is gleaming.

And to the Monstrosity's Bearer, she says...

...

"...SO... COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

.

"What?" Sayo's eyes widen.

"BA-BUM! KA-WOOOOOOOSH!" Ako's making pose after pose, invigorating the frozen air. "She's so cool, Sayo! I've never actually seen her holograph, but she looks SO COOL! O magus, let the, uh... dragon of frost arm your arms- arm your limbs! They are now your very armour! KA-BOOM! Or, actually... a DEMON HUNTER! She's like the cold-hearted twin sibling whose sword rips holes through space and time!"

...

...What on earth is she on about?

This duelist. She adds flourishes to every action, be it in a duel or out, as if her life is a performance for her own self-indulgence. If Duel Monsters is merely a game she enjoys, why does she pursue it to this extent? For what reason is she so intent on staying with Roselia over her own family?

"...I activate the _Nekroz of Trishula's_ effect," she responds. "When this card is Ritual Summoned, I can banish a card of my choice each from your field and graveyard, in addition to a random card from your hand."

Ako freezes. "Oh. I forgot about that part."

Trishula has no hesitation. Without a shred of mercy, the armour-embedded avatar readies its blade for a triple-threat assault.

She'll attack in precisely a way that Ako won't be able to resummon anything. "I choose to banish _Darklord Nasten_ on the field, and _Darklord Contact_ from your graveyard."

Ako panics and waves her arms as three swipes summon gigantic blades of ice, each piercing her side of the field at a callous velocity. "Oh no! My _Darklord Tezcatlipoca_, too!" Dismay strikes a chord as Trishula makes one last swing through the air, and it all shatters. In one clean motion, an entire beast has been erased from existence, and two other cards are vanished.

No relent. "_Nekroz of Unicore_, attack _Darklord Amdusc._"

"T-time out! I don't have any magic at my disposal for this!"

Unicore doesn't wait. The gold-plated messenger simply twirls its scepter, and fires one laser straight and true into the unicorn. Ako makes an unnecessarily comedic yelp as her LP takes a hit to **5000.**

"_Nekroz of Valkyrus_, attack _Darklord Superbia._"

Ako gasps and yells as a humongous, surging beam of electrical beam with the diameter of an entire building rips through anything and everything in its path. The chalice is completely incinerated.

Sayo's opponent is wide open.

"_Nekroz of Trishula_," pure azure ruptures, "attack Ako Udagawa directly."

The necromancer gulps. Trishula lets go of its blade, coalesces it into a god-slaying arrow, and imitates the motion of throwing an object with its right hand.

Straight and true, it lands like a bullet through the heart. There's a gigantic broken hole in the necromancer's glowing wing. 

**2300LP.**

"...Holy singing skulls... that was awesome." Ako merely gazes as her wing shudders, expressing an elation Sayo... really doesn't want. It feels strange to be on the receiving end of her corny compliments. Is she really someone who merits that kind of attention? It's not something she felt at all during her time at the SDA.

...Except for when she was with that person.

"..." Sayo breathes. She doesn't know why, but there's a piece of the Demon Lord's adrenaline inside her body. She never intended to borrow it, and yet it's there.

Breathe. Stay cool.

"...The _Nekroz of Valkyrus's_ effect," she says. "I tribute Trishula and Unicore to draw 2 cards."

The spear's end hits the ground, and lightning devours the ice. For some reason, she feels compelled to make a wistful sigh as she keeps her strategy going. "I set one card face-down, and end my turn."

Ako, on the other hand, seems content to make as much of a ruckus as possible. "M-mwahahahaha! That was a... mighty turn! Oh boy, am I doomed?" She scans her field; or lack thereof, rather. "B-but at least I only have to beat Valkyrus now!"

Sayo can't help but look in exasperation. "Do you only consider your what your eyes already see? You monitor only the obvious such as the field and graveyard, without ever factoring the hidden strategies your opponent could have. That's one of your countless flaws as a duelist!"

"I-it's fine!" She's strangely full of pep, for someone in danger of getting cleanly swept. "I can always adapt on-the-go!"

"How can you possibly adapt to this situation? You realise that with your next turn, you'll only have 1 card in your hand to form a strategy with, no?"

"That's not a problem for my unholy visage!" A pose. "Every card in my deck is a ray that paves the way, after all!"

That line sounds far more convincing coming from Yukina. "You're short-sighted. You know better than I do that the Darklords rely on playmakers who can summon them from the graveyard. What if you draw a card that doesn't let you do that?"

"Then it'll let me do something else! 1 card'll be enough, I swear it! I'm not going to disappoint you, Sayo!"

...

...Does Ako really fear being cast out that much?

A small exhale. "Ako," she says. "I know you are extremely passionate about the sport you participate in. And as someone who aims to become a professional duelist herself, I can understand why you wish to constantly hone your skills. But why are you so insistent on pursuing a hobby over returning to your loving family?"

"It's not just a hobby to me," Ako responds. "Duel Monsters has given me so much! It's given me friends, and it's given me a place where I can be myself without fearing harm; that's Roselia!"

"That's not worth it," Sayo cuts. "A stable and clear future is more important than anything else. The ability to form bonds will always remain, so long as you keep your academics and your home. And by remaining in Roselia, you continue to cast that away; you've made the wrong choice, by pursuing your passion over your family right now."

"Why should I have to choose?"

The wolf's heart beats. "What?"

"I love Rinrin." There's a yelp. "I love Mom, and Dad, and Tomoe, and everyone in Afterglow too." A sigh of partial relief. "But... I also love Duel Monsters, and I love getting better at it!"

"And?" Sayo puts a hand on her hip. "Do you think pursuing your passion now will keep your future safe?"

"You should know, because you were stuck in there yourself, Sayo," the Demon Lord cuts. "A world where we can follow both our passions and our loved ones... won't exist, so long as meanies like the SDA students are around!"

...

...She's right. Duel Monsters is an extremely fraught and competitive industry as-is, thanks to the Shirasagi Corporation's iron grip; pursuing a career in such an industry is inherently risky. But if they were to be torn down, then...

It's a reckless mentality, in some ways. But Sayo feels like she understands now. After all, she cast away her own future for a similar reason.

"That's why I'm going to stay by Roselia's side, and be truer to myself than any SDA student is! I'll express my dark magic with all my might, and together we'll change the identity of Duel Monsters! _My turn!_" She draws a card. "Yes! This could help me!"

Sayo's doubtful. "What is it, then? Another _Pot of Extravagance?_"

"H-hey! That's not the only last resort I have!" She grins, and arms her demonic wing with all the passion in the world. "I activate the spell card _Reasoning!_"

Her beloved's disk shines. "Sayo Hikawa, you must declare a monster level. Once you do, _Reasoning_ will send cards from the top of my deck to the graveyard, until it finds a monster. If you called the monster's level correctly, it will also be cast away. But if you guess wrong... I'll get to special summon it!"

...That's a powerful card, and she knows why. She chooses the level with the highest chance of being correct in Ako's deck; "Level 8."

The cards fly out from one slot in the disk to another; one, two, three...

...A monster. She's level 10.

Sayo grits her teeth. What an annoyance.

Crimson gleams. Ako's expression remains a joyful, enthusiastic smile, but the aura lapping in her irises is one no duelist could part their eyes from. She could reave through entire mountains with her full, unbridled power.

Her righteous stride. The rebellion comes, the earth shakes and splits. 

Ako tears the bars apart. "O fallen angel, she who signifies vivacity and tenacity, she who shares my very being. Our eyes are ravaged, our hands are broken, murdered when the skies cast us down. _But if we cannot reach heaven, we shall make a home out of hell._ Blood becomes blades, terror forms from tears... our identities wreathe the abyssal light only the worthy fail to fear!"

Cracks cut purple through every callous star, trapping their dying light in the Demon Lord's wings. The shaking stops.

"I join hands with the Graveyard's Godslayer, _**Darklord Ixchel!**_"

Orchid opens the planet, and for a moment vision turns white; once it settles, there's a shroud of black wings. An eye of crimson pierces through, and opens the world with its regal charisma. Before Sayo stands a towering fallen angel, one whom heaven hath shuddered in fear at. Her relaxed, reclining smile betrays the **2500 ATK** contained in her edge.

And worst of all, the smile wants to perceive Sayo Hikawa as a friend.

This duelist is ridiculous. "What an extremely inconsistent tactic," Sayo responds. "I see what _Reasoning_ has done for you. In the process of summoning Ixchel, you've milled several pieces of Darklord magic into your graveyard. But it could also have failed you instantly, if I called the level correct. Your tactic was at the mercy of the Main Deck's random arrangement."

"Consistency, shmonsmishtency!" Ako sticks her tongue out. "For all you know, it could've given me something better, even!"

A sigh. "And what now? Do I need to remind you that Valkyrus outweighs Ixchel in ATK?"

"I-I'll get to that!" Ako sweats. "I activate Ixchel's effect! I pay 1000 life points to shuffle _Banishment of the Darklords_ back into my deck!"

**1300LP.** A fiery snap of Ixchel's fingers, and Ako's disk glows. "Banishment allows me to add a Darklord card from my deck to my hand! I choose, um... oh, I know! I add a new _Darklord Contact_, and activate it; return from my graveyard, _Darklord Superbia!_"

Runes gleam on her hands. The chalice returns, roaring **2400DEF.** "Superbia's effect! Return, my majestic steed!" _Darklord Amdusc_ scatters black scales across the field, neighing **1800ATK.** "How's that, Sayo! I've got 2 monsters in attack position now!"

"None of which can defeat Valkyrus head-on."

"F... f-fufufu! That's no problem for my necromantic skills!" A hand to the air, swirling captivation through the wrist. "I'm afraid your mighty fighter is no threat to me! I pay 1000 life points to activate Amdusc's effect; from the graveyard, witness the power of the trap card _Darklord Enchantment!_"

All the way down to **300LP;** Ako teeters on the brink. Amdusc rears its hooves and flaps its demonic wings. Like a lullaby, a thick orchid mist coats the field, lapping at the knees of Sayo and her monster like the shallow end of the sea. Valkyrus walks over to to Ako's side, finding something new to fight for.

That's fine. None of these moves have been outside Sayo's calculations so far.

"Mwahaha!" Ako covers one eye. "Are you captivated, wolf? Enchantment allows me to take control of one monster until the end of the turn. Now your field is exposed once more; I have 3 attacks on my side of the field to eliminate all 4000 of your life points with!"

But Sayo stares her down. "And? Will you attack?"

"...U-urk."

"I presume you remember what happened the last time you attempted a direct offense."

"..."

Silence, for a second. Ako tries to ignore the sweat as she looks at her duel disk's display. She's searching for a solution she doesn't have-

Wait. Why is she excited?

"Whoa. This is... oooohh, this could be gooood," she's jumping up and down.

"What on earth are you up to?"

"Allow me to tell you a story, Sayo. One of the Demon Lord's many adventures!" A calm armfold. "Long ago, I came across a mysterious figure bathed in the moonlight... one named none other than Moca Aoba!"

...Who, now?

"And from this mighty sage, I was imparted advice like no other!" She throws her hand out. "If you don't have any of your own resources left, use your opponent's instead! I activate the effect of _Nekroz of Valkyrus!_"

"The effect of-" Sayo stops.

A drop of sweat. Suddenly, her eyes are drawn to the cracks in the cage. Lightning is coursing. Adrenaline is surging. She takes a deep breath.

"That's right! I tribute Amdusc and Superbia to draw 2 more cards!" The Demon Lord finds life anew. "...Oh wait, no, these aren't helpful at all... um, I activate _Trade-In!_ I discard _Darklord Zerato_ to draw 2 more cards again!"

It's... scary, to look at her, for some reason. 

"Ooooh, uhhhhh. Um. Uh. Um... what can I do with this? Uhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

She's searching everywhere. Her hand, field, her graveyard, her banished cards, her Extra Deck. Her eyes stop on the Extra Deck.

...The Extra Deck?

"Oh. Ohhhhh. Ohhhhhhhhh! Ohhhh my god! I could do that! This is gonna be SO cool!" She's completely ecstatic. The fallen angel prances with her gigantic wounded wings like a kid at McDonalds. "Behold, Sayo Hikawa! I summon _Armageddon Knight in attack position!_"

An ominous figure, **1800ATK.** "And now... I activate _Monster Reborn!_ I special summon the card I used on the duel's very first turn, _Ghost Sister and Spooky Dogwood_, back from my graveyard!"

What on earth is she doing? A pair of childish specters emerge to the field. They're a Tuner with 1-

A Tuner. It can't be, can it?

"I see," A silver wolf speaks.

"You can't be serious!" Sayo shouts.

"Oh, but I am!" Ako lets her fangs show. "I tune my level 3 _Ghost Sister and Spooky Dogwood_ with my level 4 _Armageddon Knight!_"

This is ridiculous; Sayo can only watch with her jaw dropped as rings of turquoise descend around all sides of the monsters, 4 stars dancing. "Oh, I don't have a chant for this one. Um! Descend from the robotic... um..."

"...Heavens?"

"Thanks, Rinrin! The robotic heavens! BA-BABABABABUM! _Synchro Summon! Level 7, Dark Strike Fighter!_"

The light settles. The begrudged electric adrenaline surges. This is completely absurd; Sayo's staring a jet-planed robot with a bevy of explosives worth **2600ATK...** from the Extra Deck!

"Was... was this calculated, at all? It couldn't be!" The wolf yells in confusion. "You're running a deck with _Pot of Extravagance_ in it, for the purpose of using your Extra Deck as fuel!"

"You're right! This wasn't planned in advance; I simply saw that Extravagance hadn't banished _Dark Strike Fighter_, and decided to summon it! That's what I meant by adapting my unholy plans!"

"Ridiculous," she says. "You would engage in such a risky and uncertain playstyle?!"

"Of course! Heaven's Bane won't back down from any challenge she faces!" She bellows out a finger in Sayo's direction. "_Dark Strike Fighter's_ effect! I tribute _Darklord Ixchel_, and inflict damage equal to her level times 200! That's a total of 2000 damage!"

Sayo can only watch. Ixchel laughs in resplendent glory; a snap of her fingers, and her form fades. Her 4 black wings are left behind, and split into countless bullets of light that stock up inside the mechanical monster... before raining down upon Sayo.

She doesn't bother reacting to the holographics. A barrage hits her, the dust roars up, but she doesn't care. Her LP's been cut in half to **2000,** because of this? It's... it's...

...strangely exhilarating.

"Now, I'll advance upon the core of your base!" Ako throws an arm out. "_Nekroz of Valkyrus_, attack your own master, Sayo Hikawa!"

...

...Breathe. Ice must return. Red hasn't shown its face... but Sayo cannot risk letting it run. "I activate the continuous trap card _Call of the Haunted._" Her blade's hidden armament reveals. "With this card, I special summon the _Nekroz of Trishula_ back from my grave."

Two swirls of ice weave back into the form of the Monstrosity's Bearer, **2700ATK** in hand. 

"My mightiest enemy returns! But you've shown your hand, Sayo," Ako points. "You didn't discard a Valkyrus when I declared an attack... proving that you don't have another one! Meaning my copy's attack will land; _Nekroz of Valkyrus_, attack and destroy the _Nekroz of Trishula!_"

Two warriors tower in the field. The robed crusader of lightning stares her frozen counterpart down, trying to bore holes through the mask of ice. A slow, gradual movement of her spear... and she lunges, clashing with the blade made of the Monstrosity. Shockwaves rupture the entire dual-district, as a warrior of ice calmly and emotionlessly tries to push against Valkyrus's advantage. It looks like she's going to fail.

"This truly is the end, Sayo Hikawa. Once Trishula is destroyed..."

Sayo raises her arm.

"...I'll have emptied your field once more..."

Her arm is a machine. Its skin is now plated golden steel, the steel of a great planetary defender. Ultimately, everything went according to plan. 

"...Leaving you wide open! Then..."

But she's made her decision. Because Ako's motivations and hers... are the same.

They want to shine.

"...I'll attack you directly with _Dark Strike Fighter_..."

Pulsing plasma reveals itself beneath the detaching plates. Sayo's arm is a vein of lightning. She raises her palm towards her own monster.

"...Finishing you off!"

Sayo fires.

A laser of malignant electricity runs straight and true, piercing Valkyrus. Three sequential ear-deafening sounds rupture the air.

She can hear Ako gasp. Valkyrus's form shatters.

...

...

Trishula fades.

"...What?" The voice is scared. Quiet.

"The _Nekroz of Decisive Armor's_ effect." Sayo discards a card, and her blade retracts. "Through its power, Trishula gained a 1000-point boost to its stats, making its ATK **3700.**"

Ako can only gaze in sorrow. Her wings fade. 

Her LP falls to **0.**

...

...

A clap.

They turn. Lisa's approached the field, smiling all the way. "Great duel, you two! That was pretty intense; at least, that's what I think. How about you guys?"

Rinko's silent. Mournful.

"An interesting showcase," Yukina responds. "I'm glad to have watched it."

"As am I! Gotta learn as much as I can, after all~. That's what Roselia needs."

"...Roselia." Ako looks crestfallen.

"Ako." Lisa offers a hug; it's gladly accepted. "There, there. Everything'll be fine."

Sayo gazes upon the scene. In a knight's arms lies a shuddering fallen angel, one who wants nothing more than to have heaven lose its malice. She's shaking. She looks like she's about to cry. Her closest friend doesn't look much happier.

...

...The way Ako fights. Even in such a cruel and hostile world, the little demon wants to pursue what she loves. She finds her own way to follow her passion, despite the attitudes and actions of the people surrounding her. That energy is inspiring, refreshing... calming, almost.

It brings back memories. Sayo's been shared this energy once before. Just a bit over 3 years ago, in the middle of hell.

...

...She may have won. But she won by fighting lightning with lightning. That says all it needs to. So, she approaches Heaven's Bane.

"Ako."

"O-oh." Ako lets go of Lisa, and turns towards the wolf. "Um. I'm sorry-"

"I will admit I have underestimated and misunderstood you. Though I have my reservations about your style of dueling, your tenacity and adaptability are to be commended. Learned from, even."

"...Ah. Thanks. U-um..."

Silence, for a moment.

"I-it was great to be here! The Demon Lord was honoured... while I was h-here, I learned many things, and bonded with comrades I could treasure for life, and-"

"I never said you had to leave if I won this duel. You can stay."

Gasps. Lisa and Rinko look to her in surprise. Yukina merely closes her eyes, as if she knew this would happen all along.

And Ako... takes a moment to process it.

"...E-eh?"

"You can stay, I said."

"Eh? Eh?! I can? Really?!" That frustrating gleam returns. 

"Yes-"

"WOOHOO! Oh my god, this is the best I've felt all week!" It's like her energy never left. She jumps for joy immediately, and Sayo sighs in exasperation. "The mighty Dark Lord has proved herself WORTHY! You won't regret this, Sayo Hikawa; my blazing blade will carve a path through the stars for Roselia like, BA-BUM, BA-BOOM! And, um... it'll express the true meaning of necromancy, and wake up the eyes of all who watch it, or something!"

"...Hehe. That was good, Ako." Rinko smiles.

"Right?!" An immediate tackle hug. "Thanks so much for letting me use your disk, Rinrin! I love you!"

Before Rinko can finish yelping, Lisa cuts in with a ruffle of Ako's hair. "Good job, little champ! I knew you could do it! How about we-"

"I wasn't done talking."

"Gah!" All 3 of them jump at the cut of Sayo's words.

...She looks upon Ako. There's bags under her eyes, yawns from her mouth. There's cuts on her chin. Her hair's becoming frayed and dishevelled, her voice fears cracking. But no matter how tired and haggard she becomes, she keeps going.

It angers Sayo. She can't tolerate it. How many people have lost their futures to the currently fraught world of dueling? How many more must suffer for the sake of the false dragons in heaven? She can count herself among them. 

...She shouldn't do this. There's no reason for her to get close; not when red could run, and spill the blood of all around her. But she knows, somewhere in her empty and broken heart, that this logically can't be left alone. If Sayo can stop another person's future from being lost to this callous world... then she'll do everything she can. It's simply what anyone would do.

So she says; "You can stay in Roselia on 3 conditions."

"Hit me with them!" Ako puts her hands on her hips. "I'll do anything to fight by Roselia's side!"

"The first," Sayo points to the cuts. "Your face care routine. I'm fixing it."

"E-eh?! Why? I-I look fine, don't I?"

"I have an epilator. You're using it," she responds. "If you don't, I'm going to teach you how to shave without cutting yourself."

"Y-you have one of those?! I always spent money on Duel Monsters, so I could never afford that..."

"The second condition," she continues. "Is your supply of estradiol running low?"

Silence.

...Why is Ako so surprised? Her mouth's just dropped like she saw a pig fly. "You... you're..."

Sayo sighs, and tries to ignore those gleaming eyes. "I have plenty. Plenty enough to spare some tablets for you, while you stay with Roselia. I imagine accessing typical healthcare is not a viable option with your runaway status, after all." Nobody needs to know where she got plenty from, though; the Great Hikawa Heist shall never be talked about to anyone else.

"You're... oh my god! You're kidding me!" It's infuriatingly radiant; Ako's eyes are blinding her. "I thought, like, your hair and face were so smooth and everything, so I assumed that- so! So! But! But it turns out! You and I are both, um... those who rejected our assigned powers and became fallen angels who-"

"Transgender. You can simply use the term rather than resorting to hyperbole," she responds. "And the third condition."

Ako looks at her like she's found a blessing. "I'll do it, no matter what it is!" 

"Tutoring. Starting tommorrow, I'm going to be teaching you a microcosm of the subjects you'd be learning in school. The sciences, arithmetic, all of it. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, between 6 and 10pm. There will be homework, too."

Ako looks at her like she's found a curse. "WHAT?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not MORE homework!"

"I won't hear any complaints," she cuts. "You will NOT cast your studies away because of Duel Monsters. If your parents and teachers are not here to guide you, then I shall simply take their place and ensure your prospective grades do not plummet."

"B-but!" Ako protests. "Math's the worst! I want to duel! Roselia's gotta train!"

"Are you telling me you can't juggle Roselia's practice with your daily studies?" Sayo folds her arms. "Lisa and Rinko already do the same. And wasn't it you who said you don't want to choose between your passion and your future?"

"By future, I meant my family! Not my studies- well. Actually, I am kind of gonna need those too, aren't I?" Ako sinks. "Ack, you're right. Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, fiiiiiiiine, mooooooooooooooom! I'll do it!"

"...Thank you, Sayo..." Rinko has a small, gentle smile. "It... means a lot to me. Please support her."

"It's nothing." Support? All she's doing is making sure Ako won't crash and burn.

"Ahahahahaha~! Looks like that settles it, then!" Lisa pats the fiend on the back, and winks at her. "We'll leave our little demon in your care, Sayo!"

"This isn't 'care.' I'm simply doing what any responsible adult would."

"Yeah, she's a stinky adult! Smelly! I take everything I said back; you really are- um. Well." Ako wavers, for a second. "...Actually, thanks. I don't take it back. You're really cool, Sayo, so I'll live with the homework! Cast upon me your dark calculus!"

She sighs. What did she do to deserve the word 'cool?' Frozen would be more like it. "Then I have no further reservations. Keep up your end of the chores, and you are free to reside in Roselia's base with us."

"WOOHOO! Hey, hey, can we order takeout again tomorrow to celebrate?"

"No can do." Lisa wags her finger. "The weekend's gonna be full of healthy meals for everyone! ...With some cookies on the side, of course~."

"Cookies! Heck yeah! Allow me to show you the power of my dark ovenmancy!"

There's a few giggles, and 3 members make their way back to Roselia's base. Having watched in silence with her arms folded, Yukina walks behind them.

She opens her eyes, turns to Sayo briefly, and nods. That's the signal Sayo has her permission for those conditions. Then she heads back into the base, leaving Sayo alone.

...

...

It's still snowing. 

...

...

She breathes.

The ice recirculates. It appears lightning may be a more frequent companion to it than she realised. But she'll accept it; after all, that passion is the key to rebirth. 

...So long as the others never enter her cage, they'll be fine.

Sayo joins the others to finish her meal. It's gone cold, but it tastes passable. Then she rearranges her schedule; though tutoring Ako will take up a lot of time, she can make sure she won't lose any time spent on practice to it.

Once that's done, Roselia continues their training. As she hones herself, she looks to the night sky emerging above, and sees the forms of dragons. One is plated with planets unknown, travelling faster than light like a shooting star. Another is a horrific grounded beast, toxic fangs adorning pained eyes. And the third is one with three heads of ice, one whose wishes are hidden to all but Sayo.

...The first two, she must surpass. No matter the cost.

She stays up late into the night, drawing her blade again and again.


	20. Her Resolve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Imagery involving blood/fatal injury.

On that day, a supernova's sword embedded into her infected heart. 

A white glove in a crowded arena, thrown down the front of the podium. 15 years of age, the beginning of the new year; her move to the senior year group. Hundreds of new students moved up to the group alongside her, and hundreds more had their first day in the academy. Among the latter was the person who would change the course of her life forever.

The Sun.

She didn't think much of the person at first. She didn't want to think much about anything, at that point in her pathetic life. She was in the pit of despair. Her eyes had been opened 2 years ago, and she'd spent the time since rotting in agony. Her hollowed, magenta eyes stared upon erudite gold. 

She thought of one word. 'Hero.' A hero who'd come to slain the Dragon. She looked the part; fearless, shining. Like a true star.

But there wasn't hostility in those gold eyes. No, in every cell of the iris was curiosity instead; the willingness, the drive, the pure desire to explore as much as humanly possible, and more. To this shooting star, Chisato Shirasagi was another world to explore.

That's all there was to her thoughts, at the time. She didn't think anything else of the person... other than how her smile looked somewhat plastic. A bit like her own. But the curiosity in her eyes looked so genuine that she ignored it.

And she was right to. The smile wasn't fake, after all. It was just strained. At the time, Chisato had no knowledge of the weight that crushed this star.

She could have rejected the duel. But defeating someone with a lot of local fame would be good for her academy's reputation. This person's apparently swept leagues of people at local venues in the city. The Sun's joyful attitude is a threat. That's why the agents' eyes commanded her. Win, and secure the academy's cut-throat image.

She accepted.

Thousands of eyes watch as they take their positions in the arena. Students, teachers, agents, everything and more. Eyes, eyes and eyes. They're soul-crushing. So she decides to distract herself, by looking into that alluring gold instead. It might be a good stress relief, to crush this person. She lets her draconic scales mask her, and her worst thoughts tell her to send nothing but pain into the sweet honey of those eyes. That's the most she can get out of her life now; mindless slaughter.

She approaches this duel with the mentality of a tired god. A vessel who merely exists to be The Dragon. A deck of 40 cards shuffles itself inside each of their devices. They each draw 5, and the gigantic screen displays '**LP4000**' for the both of them. 

And then everything falls apart.

...

...

...Wait... this is bad, isn't it? She didn't consider the possibility of losing... was this rigged?

The agents' eyes answer no. In fact, it's probably impossible to rig a duel against this opponent. The agents are expecting her to win.

The agents of the Shirasagi Elder Council are ordering her to win.

The arena is lively. People are ecstatic. They're hyped. They're sharing joy with each other. Cheers. Shouts. Happiness. The image of the academy could die upon this duel.

...Then...

...she's failing... she's... if she...

no, no, no, no, no ,no ,no ,no ,no , no, no, no ,no ,no no no no no no no no noThe crowd cheers. Her opponent smiles joyfully and naively. She's lost the ability to breathe.

...She can't fail. She can't lose. She looks to the eyes of those who watch from above; if she loses... if she loses... then... then...!

The scales mask her eyes. The Dragon screams. It screams for coldness, screams for callousness, screams to tear all connections apart. The gate to heaven's guillotine opens. The worst monster known to humanity is unleashed upon the world. The beating hearts of all are splattered beneath Chisato's bloodied boots.

But it's useless. The crowd is cheering in joy.

Every single move she makes fails. Her reaper doesn't take any damage.

Don't fail...

A monster's holograph shatters.

Don't fail...

A monster's effect is negated.

Don't fail...

The Sun smiles brightly, unfazed by anything she does.

No... please, no... she can't fail... she can't fail!

In the arena, two duelists stand meters away. But in her mind, two duelists stand merely a millimetre apart. One hand has gripped her shoulder... and the other points a blade to her heart.

Hina Hikawa's blade is about to run right through her chest.

"_Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon_, attack Chisato Shirasagi directly!"

At the time, it was the monster that symbolised the academy... no, the corporation. It was a monster only she was allowed to use. A monster only the SDA's number 1 student was allowed to use. But now, three maws are readying a devastating stream. Three maws of a monster her opponent used a card to take control of.

Her opponent's smile is merely joyous. It's simply having fun. It's simply finding excitement, simply finding a thrill. It's completely naive about what'll happen to Chisato, if the duel ends this way.

...It can't. It can't, it can't, it can't!

So she screams; "I activate the effect of _Battle Fader!_ When my monster declares an attack, I can special summon this card from my hand and end the Battle Phase!"

The abyss. It's deep, it's dark, she can't see a thing when she looks down into it. And right now, she looms on the edge of falling right in.

But it's useless. Her innocent reaper says; "How about this, then? I activate the counter trap card _Ultimate Providence!_ By discarding a monster card from my hand, I'll negate the activation of _Battle Fader_ and SPWOOSH it!"

A stream of light, light far above the highest point in heaven. Space cares nothing. The card in her hand deciding her fate, just a simple piece of a card game, is at threat.

She hates herself for it. Her existence has ran a blade into countless animals, after all. She's infected countless innocents and turned them into monstrous, unfeeling dragons. This is only fair.

But she's scared.

So she wails; "I activate the counter trap card _Solemn Judgement!_ I pay half my life points to negate the activation of _Ultimate Providence_ and destroy it!"

**50LP.** She closes her eyes. She hears heaven's lightning strike. She opens her eyes, and... thank god! Her last gambit worked! _Battle Fader's_ summoned itself with **0DEF!** The Battle Phase is over, and she'll live to see her next turn! She can still be useful! She won't be thrown away!

But it's useless.

Because the second she tries to breathe, she can feel Hina Hikawa's grip on her shoulder tighten. As her eyes gaze into galactic gold, she can feel a blade touching the surface of her skin, right in the center of her chest.

"Ahaha! I knew you had a few extra things hiding, so I got them out of the way first. Now it's over! WHOOSH!" The Sun flies her hand out, and the image is a void. "I activate the trap card _Destruction Ring!_ I'll destroy my _Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon_, inflicting 1000 damage to both of us!"

Gasps. The arena is in pandemonium. The agents are talking amongst each other.

...This is it, then. This really is how it ends for her, isn't it? Chisato collapses to her knees. She watches as a happy smile adorns her opponent's face. She watches as a ticking time bomb attaches itself to the emblem of Shirasagi Duel Academy. The Dragon is about to explode.

...

...Please... no...

The dragon shines.

Please...

The light becomes overwhelming.

PLEASE...

The sound peaks.

"...PLEASE DON'T THROW ME AWAY!"

The emblem blows up. Every member of the audience burns the vision of the exploding star into their very souls. The Sun has ruptured into their lives. On this day, The Supernova is born.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

**...0LP.**

Hina Hikawa's blade has run through her heart.

Blood. Blood spills from her chest.

"That was good, that was good! It wasn't all that boppin', but I still had fun."

...

In the arena, footsteps approach her.

"Hey hey, you had fun too, right? Let's shake hands!"

The tone aches.

"That's what my big sis always tells me to do, after all. Not that I get why."

Red. Red. Red.

It screams. It's all over. She's falling. She's falling. And this person's words are a dirge for her death, a dirge orchestrated by the stars.

"...Um, are you okay-"

RED.

She shoots her head up and looks into those golden eyes. Her magenta gaze is fear. Hatred. Agony. Sorrow. Despair.

The Sun's smile cracks. The Sun's expression shatters. "Oh. You're... crying, right?" There's no immediate emotion. "...I've destroyed someone again, haven't I?"

Chisato runs.

"N-no! Wait! I'M SORRY! PLEASE, COME BACK!"

She runs. She runs past the crowd, runs past the agents. 

She runs into the cold, robotic hallway, dashing slabs of a metallic labyrinth beneath her feet. She runs through wall after wall, hiding herself deep within. She finds a corner nobody is present at...

...and weeps.

She cries. She curls, leans her head against the wall, and cries. Her body shudders. Tears burst from her face in despair. It's over. Everything is over. Her wails fill an empty labyrinth. Her wails are a requiem. At this point, everything has become its absolute worst; after 15 years of being trained to do nothing but turn people into monsters, her life will meet its end, she thinks.

"Dragon."

She doesn't respond. She keeps crying.

"Dragon. Stand up, now."

Terror overcomes sorrow. She stands, and faces black shades. There's no emotion in the agents. She shakes, her back to the wall, trembling in fear.

"...Cast me out, then," she says. "Do it. Do it already."

Silence.

"What, are you feeling sorry for me? Can you even feel? JUST STOP LOOKING AT ME AND-"

"The Elder Council has new orders for you."

.

Her tears stop.

...

"...Wh-what?"

"You are to return to the arena and address the audience. Later, you will also make a public statement. We are already adapting our plans to Hina Hikawa's disruption; you will become rank 2 beneath her, and continue to maintain the academy's image."

...

...It's funny. Everything has changed, because nothing has.

What is this? What was she even scared about? Was she overreacting? Was she delusional?

...No. No, she knows now.

She knows. The Elder Council still has a use for her.

Thoughts rush into her mind. It's like she lunges for each word the second they form. This seemingly fatal blow to the academy's cursed image... was only a wound, instead. The blow did not make the Council send her into the abyss... 

...and there's several other kinds of blows that wouldn't, either. 

Everything has changed. A shooting star turns the entire world on its head. All of a sudden, her despairing heart has been given something new.

A dream.

"Dragon. Your orders-"

She runs. She barges right past them, and runs. She doesn't bother listening to them. She doesn't return to the arena.

No, she has to search for that person instead. The Sun's expression was crushed, so she probably ran out too.

She runs. She runs, she runs, and runs, and runs, and runs. She runs through the callous labyrinth, running around wall after wall. Her blade navigates through any wall that stands in her way.

A turn of the corner, and there's a whirl of tear-drenched teal. There's someone slumped in the corner, crying. Her wails weren't the only requiem in this world; no, there's someone else. 

The barren field full of bloodied swords makes way. Chisato enters a chaotic and tumultuous winter wonderland. She stops, and catches her breath like her life depends on it. She drives it into her head; this person's name is Hina Hikawa.

Her saviour looks up at her. "O-oh."

...

...

...Her saviour stands up. Tears continue to flow from her face as she speaks. "I'm... I'm sorry. I... I did it again, without realising it. I really am horrible. I'm the worst. No matter what I do, I'm nothing but a-" 

Chisato runs right into her arms, and grips her in the tightest embrace she's ever given.

"...!" There's a breath. She could lose herself in it.

"Thank you."

"...H-huh?"

She shakes. "Thank you..."

"M-me? What... what did I do...? Why are you saying that-"

"You saved me."

A sharp breath.

She buries herself into the crook of her saviour's neck. "T-thank you... thank you..."

There's no response. Hina just wraps her arms back around in return.

"...thank you..."

On that day, a supernova's sword embedded into her infected heart.


	21. Black Heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading this far (and Happy New Year)!!!! Couple of update notices:
> 
> -I've got a job starting next week, so the update frequency of this fic is probably going to be at least halved in the future. we live in a society :c. Still, I'm gonna continue writing as much as I can! I made it one of my new year's resolutions to finish this fic before 2020 ends
> 
> -I have decided to go feral; there is absolutely nothing stopping me from rewriting card effects or making my own cards when it comes to this fic, and I absolutely will. I've already accidentally done the former multiple times anyway ..'

'Run your blade into Aya Maruyama.'

The order written from the Council. The one listed as top priority before the Cup begins. It pounds in Chisato's mind, as she takes the podium:

"Good morning, everyone. I'll have your attention now."

Saturday, the 6th of February. She stands before hundreds of students in the Den of Glory, the largest arena in the academy, located right at the top of the Dragon's Mouth. It's the same arena where her life turned around 3 years ago.

"I hope you're all keeping up with your studies. After all, we currently stand in a very important time period for the academy. And for many of you, this is your last year in the Shirasagi Duel Academy. It would be no exaggeration to say that your upcoming performances will soon end up determining your career path... and even your future as a whole," she cuts. "Keeping that in mind, it would be a shame if anyone were to fall behind."

She acts sociable, but the air is grave and solemn when those words land. Be they a scaled veteran or a crushed newcomer, not a single student here would dare dream of falling to the bottom of the rankings. After all, that's usually a cause for them to be expelled; the worst fate of all for a human living in this dual-district. In fact, it's not much different from the fate Chisato fears herself.

Coincidentally, there's not much of a middle-line between the newcomers and the veterans in this academy. Everyone in this room has either been here for a long time, or for just one or two years at most. Kaoru once called this place a 'sink-or-swim sea of savagery'; perhaps that's the best way to make sense of it.

"It's time for me to announce our schedule for the upcoming Haneoka Qualifier Cup. As you know, there will be a number of important events occurring before the tournament begins on the 1st of March. Most importantly, the Haneoka Festival will be taking place on the 15th of February, ending at midnight with our exclusive Central City Exhibition. The image you present during these events will be instrumental in determining your future opportunities, so the staff are expecting nothing but your absolute best."

It's not unlike the other speeches she gives. Not unlike the one she gave back then, and not unlike the countless she's given since. As the representative of the senior year group, and of the academy as a whole, her draconic form is the model to which every student in the academy must aspire to... whether she likes it or not.

"That's all I have to announce today. Of course, I hope you will not expect any mercy from me if we are to compete in the Exhibition," she says. "Much like how you should not expect mercy from your fellow peers. In an industry as competitive as Duel Monsters, letting someone else get ahead of you can be a fatal mistake. As the Shirasagis' child dueling star, I hope this warning will be taken close to your hearts." She gracefully bows, her ponytail and capes flowing lightly as she does. "Thank you for your attention."

Applause. It's only the expected reaction on the surface; what hides beneath differs vastly. The students likely have several thoughts running in their heads, depending on the shape of their draconic masks. But it's usually a combination of blood bathed in fire, wings wrapped in ice, and lungs licked in lightning. This academy's students possess a malicious, cold drive; the desperate desire to crush all that oppose them.

The students disband, heading off to start their activities. Chisato retreats to the backstage, vigilantly wearing The Dragon's mask. She's ready to continue obeying her orders for today, as much as she despises them.

...That is, until she sees her.

"Hmmhmhmm☆."

Rebellion sneaks back into Chisato's heart.

Even in the curtain's shade, those gold eyes gleam expectantly. She brims with life compared to the other students in this place. Her turquoise hair is arranged into a single braid, tied to the left side instead of the right today, and she hasn't buttoned her uniform again, so it's revealing a T-shirt depicting a stream of green particles against a fabric of black. Without the pale-blue jacket's navy insignia, it'd probably be hard for most to realise she's an SDA student; features such as the variety of stars adorning her belt do a lot to cover the uniform's prestige. She'd usually be carrying around a coat with a variety of emblems and accolades on it, which could have served as a sign, but evidently the teachers have gotten sick of trying to convince her to keep it. No doubt it's been tossed out somewhere again, nary a consequence faced by Hina herself.

She isn't calling out Chisato's name, or anything of the sort; she's just waiting for her. She knows she'll come.

Chisato approaches her, trying to suppress the smile on her face. She wants to say 'What are you thinking? This is an area monitored by the agents, both with camera and with audio. Anything we say here could be used against me, if someone is watching it.'

But when it's Hina Hikawa, something inside her aches. Every sudden risk the Supernova presents can made into an opportunity. Why bother hiding her smile? In fact... as The Dragon, doesn't she know the rules, and how they could be bent, better than anyone else?

So she places a hand on Hina's back and leans in. When it comes to Hina, clear communication of emotions is absolutely vital. That's why she slips a blueberry lollipop into Hina's pocket, before moving to her ear and saying; "If I hold your arm with my hand, people may see it as a sign I have power over you."

Hina looks a bit confused, at first; but then she feels for the wrapper inside her pocket, and smiles. She fishes the thing out and rips it off, popping the sweet into her mouth. "So, that means we can walk around together today?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," she responds. "After all, the last time we were in the same room was back during January's parade. Perhaps our combined presence could remind the students of our strength."

"And, and," Hina jumps. "It'll let you skip student council and your morning classes with Magician LV8, right?"

Evidently, 2 weeks has been far too long for Hina's liking as well. "I suppose it could," Chisato says. "Although I wonder if such negligence would cut into my reputation."

"Ehhhhh, does it matter~?"

A giggle. She weaves for the camera; "I suppose not. The Dragon has better things to spend her time on, after all."

Galactic gold sparkles. "Then hang out with me instead☆."

A starship. Full of unbound laughter, it explores any part of the world it pleases, with nothing that could stop it. Even this cold and callous realm is a viable route for it to take. 

And she's just been invited as a passenger. "...What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I figure exploring the tech department would be pretty useful for you, right? Letting you do Dragonly things, and all that whoopy stuff," she says. "There's a friend I want to see there, so she can show us around; it all works out. I think she'd be, uh... bop-enabling?"

Code for 'something which could help our rebellion.'

"A friend? Strange for an SDA student to have such a thing," she responds. "But if she'll let me enact my role as The Dragon better, I suppose it's worth my time. Which division of the tech department does she work for?"

"Hmmmm..." she's thinking. "Kind of all of them, I think. She could help you with the stuff where you're like, whoooom, and SWOOSH, or swishy and swashy instead. Oh, and then, and then! After that, we could have a private duel, to, uh... test our strength?"

Another code. It's not requesting a duel; rather, it means 'let's visit the garden later.'

Chisato lets her smile settle; her mask grants enough refinement to let it seem intimidating, so it'll placate the eyes watching them from above. "Very well then. Lead the way, my shining Sun."

Stars twinkle in her beloved's eyes. Chisato can't help but sing on the inside; she'll just have to find out what Hina means by 'whoooom' and 'swishy'. Often, those words have no consistent definition.

Two sets of footsteps traverse a mechanical labyrinth. The Den of Glory is part of the facilities serving to educate the LV8 Division of the SDA, the highest age group. It lies in the centermost building at the top of the Dragon's Mouth, a building containing the illustrious reception all visitors come through as well. That's part of their route to their current destination; two duelists, each with a vastly different image of a dragon in their figures, join hands and venture through the realm one of them has created. They walk through raised platforms of polished green marble, ledged over a sleek angular mazeway of shimmering water, water purified of all emotion. Posh plants and gaudy waterfalls sell the illusion of nature that is not, wrapping around the reception desk to make it seem hospitable and inviting to all who walk in.

She can hear a few murmurs as she passes by couches and chairs. Some are wondering if The Dragon has become soft, while others are pondering if the Supernova has lost her place as Rank 1. Fortunately, the overall perception isn't one of weakness, allowing her to hold her girlfriend's arm without fear of the Council's eyes. As Hina hums beside her, she briefly turns towards the obnoxiously bulky array of electronic screens, the ones watching over every student in the academy. It's the rankings list, displayed right above the reception desk; one of just many scenic elements suited to the Elder Council's purposes. 

At the top stands none other than the jolly smile of the starship beside her, one of the most reviled figures in the student body. The one whose eccentric attitude and behaviours are used as an excuse to maintain Chisato's position as the academy's emblem. An abnormality, an exception, they call her; it's through such means that the other students feel safe to lash out at Hina, despite her rank. The starship endures cut after cut with every day she sets foot into this hell. Though Hina is more resistant to hostility than most, it still comforts Chisato to know that The Dragon's presence can be a shield.

Then, below Hina sits herself. Rank 2 is a position only a fool would insult. Though the two of them have maintained their positions at the top for the past 3 years, the rest of the rankings have been subject to more chaos and variance. Rank 3 has been there for a few months, Rank 4 has recently moved up, and Rank 5...

Right. The list has been updated for February. That means Sayo Hikawa has disappeared from the rankings. It's a chilling reminder that her infection has cast the future of her beloved's sister into an anomaly; an anomaly she has no knowledge of now. Just where is that wolf? Is she in a safe condition? Whenever she looks at the name of the new Rank 5, her worst thoughts tell her she's contributed to the world in which such a looming horror has occurred.

She looks back to the Supernova; she wants to ask Hina, almost.

But that's impossible. She'll get no information about Sayo from doing so. In fact, she even promised not to ask Hina about Sayo, anymore. They've made a vow not to talk about her unless Hina specifically brings her up first. She didn't even ask how Hina was feeling when Sayo left; they merely continued their activities, as they always did, without the wolf's presence.

It's because she knows. In fact, she's been a witness from afar to the slow layer of ice building between them, all this time. Once the January of last year hit, it had already become a labyrinth nobody wanted to explore. Because by that point, Hina'd given up.

Hina doesn't want to talk about her sister anymore.

...There isn't much time to think about it. Especially since the new Rank 5 is a student the Elder Council has expressed concern about. Though they haven't yet ordered Chisato to take action like with Aya, the fact remains that Rank 5 presents an image that does not fit the academy. And it's not an image that can be taken lightly, either.

So, Chisato makes sure to remember the name of this student. One who, despite only being in the academy for a single year, has already made a major name for herself. And that name is-

"I said, give it back!"

The commotion is obnoxiously loud. Chisato, Hina and several others turn towards the source. There's one enraged student, gripping another by the shirt against the wall. 

"Wh-what the fuck are you talking about?! I didn't take it, I swear!"

"Did you forget the card's name or something? Let me yell it EXTRA LOUD for you, then; _Rank-Up Magic Quick Chaos!_" The assailant shakes his victim. "Where is it? You're the only one who could have stolen it!"

"Ooooo. That's an expensive spell card, isn't it?" Hina comments. "It's SDA-exclusive, too. Is that why he looks so shaky?"

"I-I told you, I didn't steal a damn thing!" The victim responds, shoving him back. "I'm not friggin' Spiderman!"

"Oh, sure! So you're telling me that between the A Block's side entrance and here, the card just magically disappeared from my pocket?" That entrance. It has a blind spot from the cameras.

"How am I supposed to know what happened?! You're probably just faking this whole thing to make me look bad, anyway! You're low enough for it!"

"Why, you-"

A fist raises. Physical altercations are daily at this academy, and they often go unpunished. Likely, Chisato will have to overlook this one too, in order to avoid endangering her image.

But someone else steps in. "Please control yourself!"

The attack's stopped completely in its tracks. An arm grabs the lunging wrist with a strength fueled by honour and honesty.

"Gah! Who the hell-" The assailant turns...

...and meets eyes of sky-blue. Eyes that have entered a brand new world, the world of callous dragons. She's arrived fully prepared, a silver-banishing tongue and completely organised uniform accompanying her braided white hair.

"You should treat your fellow students with respect!" The voice is bright, determined. "It's dishonourable to harm a peer."

"Oh, it's YOU again. Ms Bushido League girl." The interloper steps back. "Where's all your cronies at? Did you decide you didn't need them anymore-"

"There is no need to be cruel to prove your strength," sharp eyes cut. "Please leave this place and get on with your studies! That's a better use of your time than the violence you resort to now."

"...There's so many pests running around me today. I can't stand it." 

The assailant stands his ground, staring the warrior down. A second of silence; it's like the two figures are readying their blades in a grassy field at sunset.

But eventually, the warrior's unfaltering gaze deters him. "Tch. Another day. I'm not wasting my time on this."

He leaves. "Whew," the other student wipes some sweat off. "Thanks, Eve. I thought my bacon was cooked. Are you heading to classes?"

"Of course!" She bows. "The Bushido League will also have a study group at lunch. If you would like to share your knowledge with others and hone yourself, feel free to join!"

"Hmm... I'll think about it," a half-hearted wave. "See ya."

Hina walks up to the new Rank 5 immediately. "Hey, hey, it's bushido girl☆! How're you doing?" 

"Good morning, Hina!" A hearty smile. "It's nice to see a new friend again. And good morning to you too, Chisato!"

She keeps her glare on, and doesn't respond. Joyful socialisation is a horrid idea under the eyes of so many.

"Was that more of your bushido stuff you were doing? That was boppin'!"

"It was!" Hands on the hips. "It's part of my mission to intervene in the conflicts I see, and a warrior does not fail her mission! Speaking of which!"

A paper bag with a luscious smell is held out. "Oooooh! You actually got it." She nabs it and checks inside. "Thanks, Eve. You're really good at these errand-type things. I don't know why she wants this, though."

"I'm happy to accept a request from a friend, at any time. Please tell her I said hello!"

"Will do! See you later, bushido girl!"

An enthusiastic wave, and she's off. Eve Wakamiya; a girl who was fully aware of this academy's nature before she even joined it. For what reason she's willingly come to this hell, Chisato couldn't possibly know. But there's no time to ponder on such things right now. Chisato would rather avoid meeting her in public, anyway.

Hina's still sucking on the blueberry lollipop. She turns back to Chisato's stone-gold glare; a nod, and they return to their formed image, hand on Hina's arm as they walk out of the reception. Classes will have to wait.

\---

The Dragon's Mouth. A ginormous array of carefully crafted buildings filled to the brim with arenas, classrooms and assemblies, towering around the students like the maw of a heartless beast. Complete in the center is an eight-layered fountain several times the height of any person, one which spews two miniature rivers out to each side of the Academy's entrance stairway. They move past the buildings allocated for the LV4, LV6 and LV8 divisions of the academy, crossing the streams to reach a set of facilities situated at the bottom left of the maw.

The Shirasagi Corporation's technology department. It's based right here in the academy.

"Hey, hey, Chisato," Hina sings. "I've only ever been in like, a couple rooms of this place, but I've seen a bunch of stairways and doors and stuff inside. Do you know what it's like?"

"No." Chisato moves her hand down from Hina's arm, so that their fingers wrap together. "I was never told to stay away from here, but the agents act... subtly antagonistic to me about it," she responds.

"Just subtly? That doesn't make much sense." A smile. "Why don't we enter it anyway, then?"

Stardust fills her. A nod. The pair head towards a quartet of buildings; they're rather large in a vacuum, and rather small when compared to the rest of the academy's facilities... but Chisato knows this can't be all there is to them. After all, in here apparently lies the technology the SDA develops for Duel Monsters, including duel disks, new cards and rulings, holographs, broadcasting, PA, music... they're even responsible for a lot of recording. Beneath these four metallic structures, ones resembling thick, shrouded icebergs, something else must lie. That's what Chisato suspects.

Chisato knows, because she's done painstaking research into every nook and cranny of this academy; the entrance to the technology department's biggest building has recently become a blind spot to cameras, for some reason. She's about to take advantage of that while she still can:

"Kaoru."

Upon her call, the adonis reveals herself from the shadows. "Good morning, my queen. I see a lovely comet has made its way into you."

"Enough hyperbole. This moment needs to be 'fleeting', in your language," she responds. "Has it been done?"

A dramatic flick of the hair. "But of course." She holds up the sheet. "Kanon Matsubara's offer letter. Though she may have been expelled from the academy, she has kept her job as a technician at this department thanks to her many talents. Let's just say... a phantom thief convinced her interviewer of her worthiness."

A sigh of relief. "Thank you, Kaoru."

"Are you heading into the lair of ice?"

A nod.

"I see. Then I wish you good luck," she bows. "And look after your shining star as she does for you, no?"

The adonis leaves as quickly as she came. "Hehe. She's so funny☆," Hina says, gleefully staring at her disappearing form the whole way. "Openly talking to the other students n' all... that's the opposite of what the agents're supposed to do."

"Unnecessary, I'll call it."

"So, you already were curious about this place, huh?"

"Indeed." She grips Hina's hand tight. "But I was afraid to come to it alone."

It's real. It's warm. "Does that mean you're fine when I'm here? I don't get it. What do I do that makes you okay with going in?"

A chuckle. "Who knows. Shall we?"

"Yeah!" Hina holds up the bag Eve gave her earlier. "Don't want this to get cold."

Hand in hand, Chisato fears nothing. A little danger or risk is nothing, if it means she can defy the wretched academy she helped craft with her own two hands. So she stares into the four sets of double doors, tunnels in the iceberg... and enters through each and every one in the passage of a starship.

The place doesn't look anywhere near as cold on the inside. Concrete walls, marble floors painted grey, quaint chairs, plants of muted colours, a quiet reception. It's peaceful and unassuming. "Excuse me! I'm here to see my friend☆!" The receptionist gives them directions to one simple room of many on the ground floor.

It's a door like any other. Hina hits her stride through it, and Chisato follows. And inside is...

...

...An array of computer screens in a modest IT room. There's nothing more to it.

Chik.

"A-alright. This should do it, then..."

There's a figure crouching beneath one of the computers, working with a set of plugs. She's encased by the desk's walls on all but one side.

"Since I configured it at the center, now they'll be able to-"

"Maya~! How's it boppin'!"

"WARGH!" The messy mole jumps, shaking the desk and computer. "Ow, ow, ow-" She tumbles out, and the computer mouse dangles over the edge, nearly smacking her in the face. "Oh god, oh god, give me a second-" 

She's dashing about the area, moving things here and there. After a double and a triple check, there's a deep breath... and then everything slows. "Okay, phew. Nothing was damaged." The shaking stops. There's a calm, subdued smile. Chisato watches as the technician stands up and faces towards Hina, body language and posture relaxed and subdued. Her expression is composed with a gentle, customer-service smile, as if the spill just prior had never happened. The beige cap, glasses, bulky headphones, white top, suspenders, and mossy jacket wrapped around her waist practically drill the words 'ordinary IT assistant' into all who see her. In a way, even the wreckage Chisato saw just seconds prior fits into that image.

"Sorry about that; things get hectic in this place sometimes. What can I do for you-"

"Ahahaha☆!" The starship's getting a thrill. "You're so funny, Maya. Normally you're all chikchikchik and supergenius, but you were a mess just now!"

"Miss Supernova! I didn't expect to see you here," she says. "I-I'm not that big a disaster normally, I promise."

"It's fine, it's fine. That's what's fun about you. Anyway, here!"

Chisato watches as the paper bag is thrust into Maya's hands. "W-wait, is this the..." she fishes, and brings a delicacy out. "You actually went and bought it?"

"Yup! It was Eve, actually. Although it might've been more whoppin' to have Aya do it," she ponders.

"Tell her I said thank you later!" Maya gives a subdued smile. "Um, is Eve okay? I saw a big bruise on her face the other day, but she just called it a mark of honour."

"Eh? She was probably just stopping another fight, 's all. Anyway, what's this thing?"

"Ah!" Maya holds the delicacy up. "It's from a well-known pastry shop in Central City; the rejuvenation baguette! I-I've been told it helps loosen your joints, so I figured I'd try it out for lunch."

"...Just looks like a regular baguette to me," Hina responds.

"I'll let you know if it has any effects later," Maya says, putting the food to one side. "What brings you here, Miss Supernova? If there's anything I can help with, I'd be happy to assist!"

"Psshssht, just call me Hina already! Anyway, we wanted to go on a tour of the tech facilities today!"

"A-a tour?" Maya says. "Well, there isn't much to see on the surface. Oh, wait, by we, you mean-"

Silence. 

Maya's just turned towards her.

Sweat. Eyes narrow in horrific fear. Without having lifted a finger, or done anything at all whatsoever, Chisato's made this person feel endangered. It's simply a natural consequence of existing; The Dragon's form innately elicits such reactions, even if Chisato does nothing herself. Because of her sins, people see her as a monster. Rightfully so, really.

Still, it wouldn't do to frighten a potential ally. Chisato briefly moves her gaze to the side; "I see this room has a camera in it. I noticed the reception having some too. Do they have audio-recording functions?"

"O-oh! No, they don't," Maya responds, quickly pushing her glasses back up. It's rather hard to see this person's eyes, when her lenses flick off so much light. "The tech department doesn't have any cameras like that."

"Strange," she responds. "Considering this place's value, I imagined it would be a bit more guarded. Maybe I should have a discussion with the agents about it."

"O-oh. I see. Uh, ahem!" She shakes her head and salutes. "Sorry for my rudeness! My name's Maya Yamato. I'm an assistant at the ShiraCorp's technology department. Oh, and s-sorry about the air conditioning; the cold helps me concentrate. Um..."

Silence, for a second. Maya's expression remains polite, so the sense of threat has passed, but there's still a bit of stagnant air.

"Don't worry about it, don't worry," Hina gives a casual wave. "We're here to chill, really."

"...Eh? Chill?"

Chisato coughs. "By 'chill', we mean seeing the Underside of the tech department. That's what I've come to take a tour of today," she smiles. "After all, I've never seen the facilities responsible for the pioneering of Duel Monsters before."

"You haven't? I'm kind of surprised by that. Oh, no offense meant!" An easy lean. "Um, this may be a rude question, but do you have permission to- okay, that might've been a rude question..."

Chisato smiles. She hasn't, but who cares? "You don't need to worry about putting on airs. I may come here as The Dragon, but I have no fire in my agenda today."

"A-ah! Sorry about that," she salutes. "If it's an order from The Dragon and the Supernova, I'm happy to guide you! Please follow me."

She moves through the room like it's her natural environment, and Chisato and Hina follow. Behind the countless computers lies what seems to be a completely normal wall; but Maya scans her hand over an innocuous section, and suddenly there's a ton of mechanical heaving. The wall opens, beckoning into the nightshroud of a plasma-pulsing stairway. Chisato can hear Hina buzzing in excitement beside her as it happens.

"It's amazing for me, no matter how many times I see it... hu-" Maya shakes her head. "Um! It's a pretty large network, so do you have any preferences on what you'd like to see?"

This is her chance. "If there's any notable rooms relating to the camera and monitoring equipment around the academy, I'd like to see them," she responds. "And I'd love to take a look at the technology responsible for producing Duel Monsters holographs. Would you also be able to provide me with a map of the Underside?"

"Certainly!" Maya quickly fishes a notepad from her stuffed backpack. "I'll draw it out as we explore. Please stay close to me, if that's ok; it's pretty dark down there."

She's not kidding; it's hard to even see the walls. The trio ventures down the stairway, steps of steel beneath their feet as the walls close behind them. The air down here's even colder than it was in the computer room. For Chisato, it's a little ominous. She takes the descent with caution and composure, making sure she has a solid footing throughout. Beside her, Hina's merrily humming and skipping around, her irises seemingly immune to the concept of shadow. At one point, she gets ahead of them by sliding down the railing on the side; Chisato's happy the darkness hides the smile she has while observing.

Step, step, echo, echo. She then tries to look at Maya Yamato; the technician walks through this lack of light as if it's the most natural thing in the world. Though Chisato struggles to see her expression, the poise she gives is one that reflects an experienced worker. She may be about Chisato's age, but she's likely engaged in a lot of volunteering and personal study to be trusted with a position at the Underside. Maybe that's how she acquired her customer-service mask; her brand of body language is very handy to have in this draconic environment. It emphasises your communication skills and capabilities to your peers, while hiding your undesirable traits.

They're about to reach the bottom.

"Ah, we'll have a tiny bit more light down here," Maya says. "Welcome to the corridors of the Underside!"

Two jaws drop.

Massive. Underground hallways, with size as if a giant's density was reversed with that of the air around it. Chisato and Hina stare through a towering mazeway of metal slabs, the eye's path to the ceiling blocked by creeping pitch-black; only the pipes far above are somewhat visible. Each slab feels like a jigsaw piece with its own unique shape, the gaps between them reminiscent of angular robotic veins. Chisato tries to peer into the lines, but the black hides whatever lies beneath. She doesn't know what pulses within.

"I know this place like the back of my hand, so don't worry," Maya says. "It looks ominous, but you get used to it after a while."

Ominous is one word. Intimidating is another; it's impossible for Chisato to see all that far. All she knows is that each corridor in the mazeway is 10 meters wide on either side of her... and that there's tons of them. The one to her right appears to wind, while the one in front heads straight-on.

"Just how spacious is the Underside?" She asks.

"Ah, it lies underneath the entirety of the SDA," Maya responds. "Through these tunnels, you can reach almost anywhere in the academy; the insides of the walls at the edge, each of the Dragon's Eyes, and certain parts of the Mouth, too."

"Whoa, really? What for?" Hina pokes in.

"Well, there's a lot of technology and developmental facilities beneath the academy," she responds. "But the reason behind all the corridors is for the agents' purposes, I think. They're usually pretty busy running around down here."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh~." 

Chisato can feel gold eyes wink her way. She nods; that's extremely valuable information. She's always wondered why no location feels safe. "I see. You must be extremely knowledgeable of this place's layout, I imagine."

"Ahaha, I'm nothing special," Maya says. "Oh, this is one of the security rooms for camera feeds. Take a look- uh, wait. Miss Supernova," she asks. "Are you allowed to know about this?"

"She is," Chisato cuts.

"R-right. Well, let's peek in then!"

They head in, and Chisato smiles. It's an entire range of electronic screens in a room with no other light. "Seems to be empty. That's good; I don't want the agents to get angry at me again," Maya sighs.

"Eh? Do they yell at you or something?" Hina asks.

"Y-yeah. They're, um... not the calmest when an employee messes something up."

How ironic. At the end of the day, the seemingly emotionless eyes are as callous a set of bosses as anyone else.

"Mmmmm. Does it matter if they're yelling at you, though?" Hina asks. "All they're doing is being loud, aren't they? Everyone's like that here, all the time."

"Ahaha... you're fearless as ever, Hina- I mean, Miss Supernova," she responds. "I kind of wish I could be like that myself. I'm a bit of a coward."

"...That so?"

"Y-yeah. I have a coworker named Kanon who gets yelled at a lot, too. I kind of wish I could stand up for her. Um!" She turns to Chisato. "I... I wasn't implying that my bosses are wrong, of course, it's just-"

"I don't mind," Chisato shakes her head. "I care not for the agents."

"A-ah. Got it."

Silence, for a second.

"Oh, right! Is there any questions you have about these security rooms? I can tell you anything you need to know! ...Although certain things might get my bosses mad at me later, so don't be public about them."

"Anything, hm?" Magenta flares. "Should I take that to mean you have knowledge of and control over the camera equipment yourself?"

Maya makes way for a bit of panic. "U-um... yeah, it does! I'll get in huge trouble if I use it freely, though. If I disabled cameras and audio recording without my bosses' permission, I'd get fired on the spot."

"I see." Chisato makes a note of that. This person seems rather meek, in some ways.

"Psst," Hina bumps her shoulder and whispers. "Chisato, we gotta go pretty soon. The agents're gonna get suspicious if you're off the radar for too long, right?"

Right. Chisato turns back to Maya. "I'd like to fast-forward the tour a bit. Would it be okay if you showed us a room related to Duel Monsters development, before seeing us back out?"

"Of course! Come this way."

Another 4 minutes of walking down large, echoing hallways, and they see a towering set of metallic blue double-doors. Maya scans an ID card and heads right in; Chisato can hear the "whoaaaaaaaaaaaa" beside her as they follow.

It's ginormous. The best way to describe the center of this room would be Babel's test tube; it's a thick, clear synthetic glass. Over trails and trails of overhead bridges, pipes, wiring and lights, there's researchers and technicians alike making notes, as prototype holographs for monster cards and card effects are tested inside the tube's several segmented sections.

"This place is so BOPPIN'☆!" Hina jumps for joy. "Ooooh, what was that monster they just showed?! I've never seen that one before-"

"Hina," Chisato smiles in exasperation, "not too loud. We can't attract attention."

"Fine, fine. I'll just whisper about it really excitedly in your ear, then~."

Maya tells them the holographs are tested here before being officially implemented into Duel Monsters cards. When a duel disk allows projection of such holographs, it's imperative that they don't cause epileptic seizures or other health issues; if a holograph developed by the SDA was to cause physical harm, it'd be an issue for their reputation. Apparently the research team doesn't care as much for mental and emotional effects, though. Shocking.

Eventually, the conversation appears to border on liveliness. "Hey Maya, Maya," Hina shoots. "What're the holographs even made of?"

"O-oh? You're interested?" Maya's smile turns giddy. "It's actually such an interesting process! Honestly, watching my coworkers construct these is exhilarating; you see, after they design the prototype in 3D software, they launch programs that link to the test chambers and start off by rendering those models in actual space!" Something electrical sparks within. "But the real fun part is in when they finalise the design, because THAT'S the part where they design the effects that interact with other holographs... hu-" she looks to Chisato, and cuts off immediately. "Oh, I'm s-so sorry! I shouldn't be wasting The Dragon's time with this. I just... I, I'm sorry."

"...I don't have any problem with it," she smiles. "If that excitement is your best way of describing this facility, would it not make sense to continue expressing it?"

Maya's incredulous. It's an unusual thing for Chisato to say, in the eyes of most. The lack of audio recording here is a boon for her honesty. 

But... "T-thank you. I appreciate it. I'll keep it short, though! Wouldn't want to waste your time." Maya's subsequent explanation is completely devoid of the cheer she just showed; evidently, Chisato hasn't convinced her to open up. There's no hints of excited giggling or jumping on the spot; instead, she explains it in a calm manner with an easy smile on her face. Evidently, it's a struggle to express yourself in a lair full of dragons. This person likely silences herself to avoid the ire of others.

"Hey, hey, Maya. Were you ever a duelist?" Hina asks. "You seem to know a lot about Duel Monsters. Not just the holographs and designs; you're talking about, like, thought processes behind card effects too."

"Ah. I'm a student at the academy too, actually," she responds.

"...Really?" Chisato raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, it's nothing worth noting. I'm terrible at dueling. I've been ranked extremely low, for all my 5 years here. It's... kind of a miracle that I can still study here."

"Eh, really?" Hina says. "You know so much about this game. I thought you were a pro."

Maya smiles subtly. "Hardly. I don't really keep any of that knowledge in my brain."

"Mmmmmmmm..."

"I-I mean it. Besides, it's the practical application that's the big problem." Maya keeps smiling. "I'm no good at actually playing. That's why I mostly stick to my job in this sector."

"...I see." Chisato pierces. "You've avoided the abyss because of your excellence as a technician, correct? Otherwise, such a consistently terrible dueling record would have merited your expulsion by now."

She stands straight. "Th-that's correct! You're very perceptive, Miss Dragon! Um, please don't tell the higher-ups though. It's my bosses down in this sector who go out of their way to keep me employed."

"I can see why they do. That they put you to work with so many duties is a sign of your skill. Duel disk repair, monster and card effect design, cameras, holographic technology, administrative support, and no doubt countless other tasks... you're excellent at your job."

"A-ahaha. It's... nothing special. I'm not anybody worth commending, really. But thank you."

Hina budges Chisato; she's saying to bring up the possibility of an alliance. And she's right to. Maya Yamato's self-depreciation betrays, or belies, even, her techno-talents. The Supernova has a sharp eye, to isolate this person as a potential ally.

But Chisato's a little more dubious. This technician may have an incredible set of abilities, but she evidently prioritises her own stability; she fears the malicious nature of her superiors and academic peers too much to object to their arrogant behaviour, choosing a path of silence instead. And if she doesn't trust The Dragon with her hidden passions about Duel Monsters, she probably wouldn't believe it if Chisato told her her true intentions. She very much seems like the type of person who wouldn't agree to join a large-scale rebellion. Like most human beings, she's mostly focused on keeping herself afloat in this cruel and callous world.

Chisato believes as such; Maya Yamato is not capable of waging war against a corporation.

But, she's reliable, supportive, kind and rather earnest. And Hina mentioned Aya's name earlier in their conversation. So perhaps a smidgen of aid isn't out of the question, at least.

The Dragon hands Hina another blueberry lollipop. Then, she looks around to make sure people aren't in earshot, and approaches the technician. "Maya Yamato. May I make a request of you?"

"Of course! How may I help?"

How immediately forthright. This person has nothing to hide other than her self-expression, it seems. 

"As The Dragon," Chisato starts, "it is my duty to exemplify the strength and regality this academy carries. I must be powerful, charismatic, admired, and merciless where necessary. However," she looks to the Sun, "that is only my duty, not hers. And one of her friends is in... a bit of trouble, shall we say."

Maya gulps, hearing that. "Um, what's the problem, exactly?"

"Run your blade into Aya Maruyama."

A hitched breath.

"That was one of my most recent orders," she explains. "In essence, they want me to torment and insult Aya, by humiliating her in front of her peers and causing them to abandon her."

"Ah," Hina leans her head. "That's why your brow was all creased this morning. That's what it always does when they give you an order like that."

"Indeed." Chisato nods. "The Haneoka Festival's Central City Exhibition. It'll be taking place on the 15th, this time; that's where I've been ordered to hurt Aya. Because the Exhibition is streamed through camera, both to live audiences and online, the corporation can use it to disconnect Aya's positivity from the academy's image in one clean cut. I'll likely have a duel with her arranged on that night."

"...I see. That's..." Maya looks crestfallen. 

"I will not ask anything severe of you," she says. "After all, I already have my own ideas; for example, I could arrange it so that Aya has a sick day on the 15th. However, if those ideas are unviable..." she smiles, "...I think it might be handy to have someone who can introduce 'technical difficulties' to the livestream. Are you often trusted with camera feeds during the SDA's celebratory events?"

Maya nods.

"Then I've said all I needed to." She fishes out a walkie-talkie from her pocket. "Please hold onto this. I will update you on the situation during the day of the festival... and I will contact you during the Exhibition if I require your aid," she says. "Of course, it's up to you whether you accept or not. But if you're as concerned for Aya Maruyama as the Supernova is... I'd recommend you co-operate. Is that understood?"

Maya nods.

"Good. Thank you for your time. Did you finish that map of the Underside?"

"O-oh!" The smile returns. "Yes, here you go! I hope it's up to standard."

It's just lines on paper, and yet it's somehow filled to the brim with detail. This person is extremely smart, and they definitely know the layout of this academy like the back of their hand. An incredibly reliable worker, she is. "It's fine. Thank you very much," Chisato responds. "We'll take our leave now."

The air's a little heavier, but Maya maintains her polite attitude as they make their return trip, escorting them back to the entrance from which they came. Chisato's fortunately used to long walks, so she can bear with the lengthy journey.

Maya scans her hand over a part of the wall again, and it opens up. The light of above peers back in. Maya doesn't follow the two of them back out; she just says she's got some work to do at the Underside, and waves them goodbye.

The last thing Chisato sees before the Underside disappears is an innocuous smile.

It's silent, for a moment. She checks the time; it's nearly halfway through lunch break for the academy. Getting back to the agents' sight would be a wise maneuver if she wants to be cautious.

But she's a little distracted right now. After all, when was the last time she could be alone with Hina? So, she taps on the stick of the lollipop in Hina's mouth, who crunches and swallows the sweet in response. The mask is removed.

"Hey, hey." Hina leans in. "How was it?"

"Rather lovely," Chisato smiles. "I hope I can be a recurring customer. Although I'm afraid we haven't walked out with a significant ally."

"Eh, that's fine. I still gave you a lot out of this, right?"

A chuckle. "Indeed. Should we go back to-"

She's cut off. Hina's put a finger on her lips. "I was kidding when I said we should head back~. I'm too hungry for that."

"...Hungry, hm?" Chisato responds. "I suppose it is lunchtime. What meal did you have in mind?"

"There's one thing that's always really tasty. And I have it way too little. I wish I could have it eeevery day~."

"And what would that be?"

"Hm... what was it again? Oh, yeah; a private duel to test our strength, and all that."

Chisato hums. "I thought we turned off code, didn't we?"

"Oh, riiiight~. I forgot there's no audio stuff in here. What I meant is..."

Hina smiles, and reveals an alluring gaze. Stardust soothes.

"...time with you, Chisachi☆."

\---

A remnant of heaven, verging constantly on death. It's their duty to fight for it.

Here is where red can be put to sleep.

The two of them know it nearly as well as each other. It lies behind the arena commonly used for practice by one of the LV8 groups, in a sneakily arranged diverging hallway; you can fool the camera placed near it by appearing to go down the first path, but actually going down the second. At the end of the second lies an unused garden the SDA staff haven't touched in years; Chisato and Hina have spares of the keys needed to get into it, thanks to Kaoru taking them from a few resigning agents. Because of the garden's age and non-use, there isn't a single camera or audio device placed in its vicinity. For now, it's a forgotten land, even to the Council's agents. That could change at any time, but they'll make sure to treasure it until it does.

It's a beautiful place. Within a solid, three-and-a-half-meter-tall set of silver walls lies a field of verdant greenery, shimmering like a gardener's meadow despite nary the breath of a lawnmower touching the place. It's a greenery made true by the humming of the doves and the fluttering of the wilting daisies, a scenery truly suited to the wonderful weather. In this field, a starship heads home with the earth, underneath the welcoming eye of nature; a grand oak tree that warmly shades them with its leaves.

Here, Chisato can quell the flames in her lungs. The forceful virus finally slumbers. She breathes the loving air, in... and out...

...It's truly been too long, since they could last be here... 2 weeks really is too long, when it's her...

"Hey, Chisachi☆," she hears Hina say. "Come back around here."

The backside of the tree. It has a bunch of tally marks engraved into it, one for each visit, arranged into particular shapes. "What do you think? I made them look like galaxies. Wouldn't it be wazzin' if someone found it in the future? I think they'd love it, y'know?"

Chisato chuckles. "If they're anything like you, they certainly would."

"Hmhmhmmmm~. Hey, let's sit down."

She follows the lively star back around to the front, and the couple are welcomed by heaven's embrace. Hina wastes no time in rubbing her head against Chisato's shoulder like an affectionate cat. The rhythm of Chisato's response has never felt so natural to her in her life; she lets the hums wash through her heart, as she takes her beloved's wrist and strokes it gently with just her index finger. And Hina seems to love that... so let's make it a frequent gesture of affection from now on, no?

"Let's make the most of this time while we can, Hina." Chisato smiles. "Could you open your bag?"

"Eh?" She has to lose her touch for a second. "Why?"

"Why not find out?"

There's another hum at that. But it's nothing compared to the gasp that follows, as Hina unzips the main pocket; it makes all the setup worth it. After all, sneaking something past this shooting star's gaze is an incredible trial. "Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa☆... how☆... how☆..." her eyes sparkle like space's dreams as she fishes the pair of lunchboxes out. "How did these get in here☆?!"

"Hmhmhm~. Let's just say I have a few fancy tricks of my own," she responds. "I guessed you'd forget something to eat today... so I snuck them in for us to have."

"Ahaha! How do you guess something like that?! When'd you even put them in?! That's so... whoomin'~!" The melody is melting. "Waiiit, then why did you suggest we go back to class before?"

Chisato laughs. "Who knows~."

"You wanted a reaction out of me, didn't you!" Hina immediately dives in and starts leaving little kisses on her neck. "Meanie!"

Chisato can barely restrain her joy in response; it's a laughter she's never felt in her entire life. She happily wraps her arms around Hina's head as she feels lips healing her soul. Perhaps a little peck on the mouth in the response wouldn't hurt... and indeed, Hina overcharges from the sensation, kissing her back extendedly in response. It's a sensation Chisato would lose herself in over and over again.

But as much as she'd love to melt here forever, she shouldn't have that luxury just yet. It needs to be earned; let's just consider this a starting reward. So, Chisato leans herself onto the back of the tree. It's a gesture that repeated instances have allowed Hina to pick up the meaning of, and she joins Chisato in simply lying down, staring to the sky.

"Hey, Chisachi. Did today help us?"

"It did," she says. "I doubt I can tamper with the Underside myself. Even my first visit may have made the agents suspicious. But so long as Maya hides that walkie-talkie from her superiors, I will be able to call upon her. For minor assistance, albeit."

"She'll be able to hide it, trust me. She's really whazzin' about that kind of stuff. That's what S-" Hina's expression fades. "Uh, never mind. What was I saying again?"

...Strange. Chisato only sees that dulled face when a certain topic is brought up. Why is it here now?

She won't press for details. Instead, she simply moves her hand over her beloved's, and lets the gulf soften. Gradually, the breeze warms again.

"Hey, Chisachi. Were you telling the truth about the Aya thing?"

She frowns. "Yes. That's the order the Elder Council has given me. It's at top-priority; if I refuse to obey it, they may force me to do far worse. And they'll likely expel Aya, too."

"You won't obey it though, right? Promise."

Magenta grows resolute. "Of course. I promise. It's my sworn duty to neuter my poison. And she's your trusted friend, is she not?"

"Yeah. Thanks; I really appreciate it."

"It's the natural course of action, for me. Aya does not deserve to be hurt. Much like the countless others whose blood I've spilt with my blade."

"...Mmmmmm." Hina looks at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nah, nothing. It's just," she tilts her head. "You used to be really sad about that stuff, right? You always said you hated yourself for hurting so many people, and all that. It was like that until about a year ago. What changed?"

"I still do, in lots of ways," Chisato responds. "I've done countless reprehensible acts in the Council's name. But wasting my time on self-depreciation isn't productive for my goals." She leans her forehead against her beloved's. "After all, I have a responsibility for the damage I've caused. And you care for me. You support me and my goals. It's only natural that I would work towards meeting your expectations."

Silence. Hina's energetic as always, but the air stays solemn.

...Truth be told, Chisato still feels immense sorrow without the Sun. Events, parades, PR, tournament showcases... in those times, Chisato can only try and make sure the hell of fire and ice doesn't eat away at her soul, until the next meeting comes upon them.

"It's not something that suddenly changed last year," she continues. "Rather, it was gradual. The more you supported me, the more I realised that I'd rather devote myself to our dream, than rot in our hell."

"Huh. That so~."

Chisato nods. "And I would've never had a dream in the first place, if it wasn't for you."

Hina's breath. "3 years ago, right?"

"I remember everything. The date, even."

A day the two of them will never forget. The day a star ran a sword through the heart, and bloomed life in the cracks of a dragon's scales.

"...If it wasn't for what you did on that day, I would never have gained the resolve I needed." Chisato embraces Hina, close as she can humanly be. "When you felled me from my pedestal, I realised there was a margin for defiance against the Elder Council. One I could exploit to fight against them." It's warm. "You helped me lose some of the fear that haunted me. On that day, I finally realised I had the power to fight my fate."

"And only someone as strong as me could've done it, right?" Hina smiles.

"Indeed. You're one of a kind," she responds. "Now I know. So long as my actions are subtle, and don't betray The Dragon's image, I can fight the influence of my family without any real punishment. For as long as my established reputation is useful to them, the most they can do in response is simply restrict my movement."

"We've been fighting for a while now, huh?" Hina says. "Trying to find ways to stop the corp' from hurting everyone. Do we have anything big in mind yet, though?"

"I'm not sure," she responds, moving back onto the tree trunk. "Without endangering myself, I lack the ability to cause serious damage to an entire corporation. That's why I've been looking for allies. Through their skills and advice, I hope to try and formulate a way to tear the academy's reputation apart."

"Mmmmm~."

Um. Hina's looking into her with very, very big eyes. "...Did I say something wrong?"

"I love you, Chisachi☆."

Ah. She blushes. "I-I'm aware. You don't need to repeat it."

"But, this is why you're so boppin' all the time!" Hina jumps up and starts waving her arms about. "You're always so realistic about stuff, but whenever you talk about fighting your company, it's always so whooshingly big. The things you say, I mean."

She chuckles. Fighting a multi-million-profit company with nothing but your established privilege and your girlfriend is, indeed, whooshingly big. But... "That's what it means to dream, isn't it?"

"Mmmm~. What's your dream looking like now, exactly? Did you iron anything out about it?"

"Hm." Chisato sighs, and looks down to the ground; away from the sky, away from the rest of the stars. "...Ideally, I'd love for the entire corporation to disappear. No doubt another company would take its place and use the academy grounds for a new school or facility. If that was the case, I could fade into the background, and use my established career and knowledge to assist the new company. Reducing the competition in the industry, organising events focused on community over superiority, and steering people away from unethical decisions... I think that'd be a suitable way to reduce the damage The Dragon has done."

"Wow." Hina leans on her again. "You've thought about it a lot."

"Hardly. There's a lot of details I still have to clear up about this. And this is assuming I maintain my career following the Shirasagi Corporation's collapse. There's a lot of obstacles to my ambitions, and I have no power to take them down on my own."

"It seems impossible sometimes, really," Hina says. "But you keep going anyway. You're so funny, Chisachi."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she responds. "Even if I had to walk this path alone, I'd do whatever I can, no matter how small."

"Well, you're never gonna have to do it alone." 

She says it like it's the most obvious fact in the world. Then, a hug; Chisato happily lets Hina's arms wrap around her.

"Don't you remember?" Hina says. "On that day, you saved me too. When my blade ran through you, my life changed for the better."

"I remember."

She looks into Hina's eyes. At this point, it's almost like Hina's memories are her own.

Hina Hikawa. A girl who was talented and masterful at almost any skill you could name. From her earliest days, she was a genius who could take a new craft and become an artisan in a near-instant. Almost nothing was out of her grasp; especially not Duel Monsters. Once her sister joined the academy, she spent her own time at age 11 looking into the sport... and got completely hooked on everything about it. It was, no doubt, the most 'boppin' thing she'd ever seen. She wanted nothing more than to explore it as much as she wanted. But...

"I still remember those days," Hina leans into her chest. "Everyone was miserable. Everyone I knew and loved was sad. I'd beat people who had weak strategies easily, and then wonder why their faces were like that. I was stuck wondering what they were thinking for ages. I had no idea it hurt them, until they started telling me it did." A movement. "Then I got scared. I got scared of those kinds of faces. The ones where their brows would start furrowing. A lot of them would yell at me. Some of them would cry, even."

...That's probably how she recognised Chisato's defeated expression as one of sorrow.

"Honestly, I'd had one or two boppin' moments with others before I joined the academy. I even made a couple of new pals, once. But it was like... a backdrop. Most of the time up to that point, I just felt like I wanted to stop everything. Just sit in my room and cry, knowing everybody would hate me no matter what I did. I thought I was just a drag on everyone I met, that I was someone who'd just kill people with sorrow. I didn't know if anyone had emotions towards me other than hate."

Chisato holds her hand tighter. Hina doesn't get why. That's fine.

"But," Hina says, "you changed everything."

Peaceful silence.

"Do you remember when you were crying and I was hugging you, and everything?" Hina says. "You told me I saved you. You told me everything about what your family and company were doing to you, what you were doing to others. What I did to inspire you."

"I do." Of course she can remember. The first time she felt Hina's confused yet relieved touch.

"It wasn't my fault."

The grass dances.

"That's what I realised." Hina jumps up. "None of it was my fault. The people getting mad at me, the people who hated me... none of it was my fault. They were directing all their anger at me for being good, when I was never actually doing anything wrong. Instead, it was..."

"...The Shirasagi Corporation. And all the companies involved with it."

"Yeah!" Hina smiles. "You told me about the environment your family created, and everything started making sense to me. People getting competitive, and basing their self-worth on their skill, and everything. They all were desperate to beat me because it could affect their careers, or help them get a paying job they were desperate for."

Chisato nods.

"So it wasn't my fault. It wasn't me beating them that really made everyone miserable. It was the fact that losing a game had such big consequences, or made people feel worse." Hina turns. "And everyone was like that even more in the SDA than they were outside. But I was prepared for it this time around, thanks to you. Now that I know the truth, I can find a way forward."

Day becomes night, just to let Hina's eyes shine. Her eyes contain an entire universe. One that Chisato could lose herself in. In an ideal world, Hina's eyes should be able to inspire those around her, not crush them.

"I'm gonna learn Duel Monsters as much as I want to. I'm gonna play it as much as I want to," Hina says. "Nobody will ever, ever make that change. I won't let this dumb environment get in my way. That's what I told myself, thanks to you."

It's like adrenaline moves, just when she's here. "...You're unstoppable," Chisato says.

"Well, it's fine, isn't it? As long as I lower the stakes, I won't be ruining anyone. So even if I end up hurting people because I win, I'll live with it. No matter how many people cry, I'll never stop."

Winds. It's almost like Chisato's looking at another kind of dragon. A dragon with a different image from what one'd ever think, a dragon from worlds beyond.

"After all," Hina says, "I'm helping you change this entire industry from the inside-out, aren't I? I'm helping you lower Duel Monsters' stakes; that way, it'll just become a card game again. Just a card game, rather than something that ruins lives. It'll all cancel itself out one day, for me. All the ways I indirectly make things less boppin', I'll make more boppin' through our rebellion. At least, that's what I figure. That's why I'm by your side from now until eternity, Chisachi."

...It's rushing to hear. Back when their relationship started blooming, Chisato almost hated it; after all, Hina was staying in the academy for her sake. Hina barely had any friends; most of her time was spent enduring torment and resentment on all sides. She was getting ostracized by students, insulted by them day after day for any scrutinizable trait, and being used as a tool by the company for public reputation constantly. 

Of course, it's not as if the company could genuinely control her actions; after all, she's more or less the only SDA student who can't fall into the abyss. She wasn't obligated to listen to them, and she never really did, either. In fact, sometimes she deliberately went in defiance of those orders, to spare the careers of those she was dueling in favor of messing around. But people treating her like a tool must've hurt, once she realised they were doing it. And even then, she stayed in the academy and followed a few smaller orders, just so she could continue pursuing her passion and helping Chisato.

But Chisato's done lamenting. She spent 2 years straight doing that, before Hina crashed into her life.

So she smiles. "That you are. And I'll never stop being grateful for your help. Ever." Chisato stands up too, and takes her hand. "For your sake, and for the rest of the world damaged by The Dragon, I'll find a way to raze this entire academy down to the ground."

"Me too. I won't listen to any dumb order the academy gives me about ruining people. I'm just gonna be me, and do whatever's the most boppin' to me☆."

Magenta infuses with a bed of gold. The shooting star, and the earth she put a blade through. In a way, it's as much a blade as it is a ladder beyond the heavens, taking her to worlds she could never have dreamed of. Through their eyes, they know everything of each other's conviction. 

The same quaint breeze sifts through their hair in this field of heaven; it rustles the grass and flowers, without ever promising true change.

...They can't stay here for much longer. Lunch break has already ended, after all. But just for a moment, Chisato stands with her beloved and looks at the building that leads into this garden, the one looming over them. It's one of countless thrones ready to crush whatever treason it finds. One misstep, and the power Chisato has could crumble, preventing her from ever working to fight her academy again.

She has to think. How do you depose a monarch? What can she do, in her current position as The Dragon? What can she do, waking up every day in her looking glass, raised hundreds of meters above the ground below? What can she do that would finally end the suffering she's forced to inflict as the emblem of sadism?

What is the method The Dragon's blade can use to run through the Shirasagi Corporation?

<strike>Is the abyss not appealing enough to you?</strike>

"...!"

Her breath hitches.

It's like a stake ran right into her chest.

Something. Someone.

"Hey, Chisachi, look!" Hina's pointing somewhere. "There's the card that guy lost earlier. _Rank-Up Magic Quick Chaos._"

Chisato turns to where she's facing. She's right; there's the card, held in the hand of-

The sound of fabric, furrowing in the wind.

'Ruined wings.' 

That's what she once used to describe this anomaly's appearance. That muted-black cape, only as dark as a half-hearted hue in daylight, is riddled with countless, countless holes. It shortcuts her mind to an easy image of wings. But now that she's so close to it, she can tell; no two people would have the same impression of it. The actual shape it makes is impossible to put into words. It doesn't fit any human definition.

Wrapped in black. In this bright, sunny blue sky, a figure sits with a building to their back. They're lying on top of the wall surrounding the garden, their legs strewn across it. One hand is slowly spinning the stolen card between two fingers, while the other rests in a pocket.

4 metres away. Their hood completely covers the hair and eyes. The only hint of an expression Chisato gets is from their mouth. It's merely neutral, with a slight downward slant. Is it bored? Is it exhausted? Is it enraged? Beneath the shadow, a kind of hostility she can't fathom hovers from the unknown, just out of reach.

The Watcher.

Fear. Fear, fear, fear. But Chisato steps forward, despite her reflexes. "...Who are you?"

No response. They merely set a hidden gaze on her.

"Mmmmm~." Hina hums. "I've never seen them around before. At least, I don't think so."

"What business do you have here?" Chisato sweats. "This isn't the first time you've intruded upon the academy's boundaries. If you have an intention behind your presence, speak it."

The Watcher stills their stolen card. They retreat it into the darkness. 

...

...

...Then, they turn towards Hina. Chisato hears the Watcher's voice for the first time; a voice carrying layers she can't unfold. 

"You should stay away from her."

"...Huh?"

"Chisato Shirasagi." They simply talk, as if Chisato isn't worth any attention. "She spreads poison. Leave the academy; if you stay near her, you'll drown."

"...Hm... I think I get what you're saying."

Silence.

Then, a smile. "But no can do."

The Watcher lets out a relaxed exhale. There's no change in their expression. "And why's that?"

"Because I don't care if The Dragon hurts me," she says. "I care more about the person beneath than I do anyone else."

A yawn. "Should've figured." They stand atop the fence. "So, even if she pushes you into despair... you'll stick with her?"

Hina's never been one for anger. She just smiles. "You're pretty presumptuous."

"Am I?"

"Yeah. After all, Chisachi isn't the only one who pushes people into despair."

...

"...You, huh." The Watcher shrugs. "Didn't figure. Interesting."

Chisato watches them stare each other down. Hina isn't intimidated in the slightest; if there's a dagger being held at her throat too, she doesn't show it.

"Well, not much point in me being here, then." They stretch. "This place's a killjoy, after all."

Chisato steps forward. "Are you saying there's no reason behind your spying this past week?"

That shadowed gaze is sent back her way. For the first time, they talk to her directly. There's a confident, sharpened grin on their face as they speak. "Who knows?"

...

What is it about this person that makes her feel so much dread?

She has to stand her ground. "You're not one for etiquette, are you? You seem rather content to walk around the academy like it's your personal playgrou-"

The Watcher couldn't care less about her bluster. It's unlikely they're even listening. They simply walk across the fence with nary a muscle tensed. 

"Later."

"!" Chisato rushes forward. "Wait!"

But it's absolutely startling, what she sees next.

The leap nearly tears the ground beneath it; they hook onto flat walls with nothing but the soles of their shoes, and cover a marathoner's stride with merely a skip in their step, zipping through meters of the world at once, darting from wall to wall like their movement dictates their physics; they disappear from sight in merely a few seconds.

The Watcher is gone.

"Whoaaaaaaaaaa." Hina's aglow. "They're FAST."

"..." The murky feeling grows. "...That's not all," she says. "Their travel path. A lot of the ground they covered includes blind spots the cameras can't see."

"Seriously? Now that's pretty boppin'!"

It makes her sweat. Chisato has spent over a year memorising every location in the academy for the sake of her own ambitions. Every room, every detail, every piece of the background scenery. It's impossible for one person to map it out by sneaking in solitude for merely a week. "...How do they have such extensive knowledge of the academy's layout? Are they a student?"

"They've gotta be, right?"

She nods. "That, or someone on the staff. Maybe even an agent."

"I doubt it's an agent. Isn't their whole point that they're meant to make you feel washy? They've always got a big label saying 'agent' over their heads, when you actually see them."

"True. And this intruder seemed rather close to our age," Chisato says. "At the very least, if they're not a student, they must have some kind of connection to the SDA."

An unnamed being. One who knows the academy like the back of their hand, and can freely saunter through it with incredible mobility. She doubts the agents noticed their presence, either. In fact, it's possible only Chisato and Hina have actually witnessed their activity.

But that's not what truly scares Chisato about this person. The Watcher is quite the visual spectacle, but their motivations and intentions are a complete mystery. What does the ability to climb up the Dragon's Right Eye matter, compared to the nonchalance with which you can do it? Somehow, that's more terrifying to the one titled The Dragon than anything else.

"...What was their reason for intruding?"

"Did they have one?" Hina leans on her side. "They looked kinda bored to me. Maybe they're just messing around."

"...I don't know," she says. "If they were simply bored, that'd be miraculously relieving."

"Well, don't think about it too much for now," a pat on the back. "Remember, we've got a lot of stuff to focus on, right? And we've only got until the 15th to come up with an Aya rescue plan."

"Indeed." Chisato turns to her. "Hina. We have to go back now."

The breeze stills. "...Yeah." An embrace. "Hopefully I'll see you sooner rather than later. It's gotten really tiring lately. I dunno why."

She returns it. "I'll do whatever I can in the meantime. And I'll find a way to create a gap in my schedule. We'll meet up again before the Cup begins, I promise."

A nod. No further words are needed with each other.

They head back into the lair, treading upon heaven's cursed grounds. The world only sees fit to part them... but even if it does, they'll reunite, no matter what. So they don't hesitate in saying goodbye; rather, they take their mutual longing, and use it to drive themselves as they go their own ways. 

As they do, Chisato tries to ignore the feeling building up within. The feeling that's only been amplified by that sudden encounter.

A black pit. Beneath the tightrope she stands upon, nothingness looks into her. Where does it begin, and where does it end? Will she be able to look back up to the heavens, once she falls in? Or will she only have the power to lie down there, and rot?

There's the smell of something burning.

She gulps, and shakes her head. The Dragon has work to do. And beneath it, so does she. She can't afford to be shaken and lose her balance. The second she does, her ambitions will be all for naught.

...She truly does hope. That the Watcher's presence isn't a warning sign.


	22. Cairngorgon

She can't help but take in what shines.

Sunset. The inferno has passed, and the storm has subsided, leaving the wreckage behind. The clouds are clearing; there's a beautiful sky singing the graveyard its requiem, a requiem for the 5 rusted blades buried into the ground.

But she isn't focusing a single bit on the sunset right now. She can't. Instead, her eyes are looking into the kaleidoscope, drowning in a hypnotic pool.

Her knees perch upon time-worn brick. It's an area surrounded by hills, cluttered with miniature clumps of grass and worn-out trees; the only survivors of nature to the devastating conflict. She's stopped wasting time looking at that infuriating wall of chains, now. Because she's realised what's down here is so much more important. Why fruitlessly face a wall you're too weak to overcome, when you can focus on the bonds you still have? The alluring, shining lights, the ones you're still connected to right here and now?

It fills her with strength.

The kaleidoscope is her cherished treasure. An astrological crystallia. So many gems in it have disappeared, and yet it's still utterly beautiful, only a scant few connections roam the twinkling sea now, and yet they're worth every penny and more. A liquorice more soothing than any sky welcomes the gems that shine brighter and lovelier than any star ever could. She treasures the earth's constellations that caress her daily life more than anything else. 

That's why she uses the power her hands have, tirelessly, again and again. 

She dips one into the surface of the screen. It ripples at her loving touch, and the area around her fingers glows, soothing and healing the cracks in the gems inside. There used to be lots of treasures to love in here, but now she can boil it down to just four. That's fine, though; after all, these four are pretty high-maintenance! And their beauty doesn't deserve to be crushed. If they want to shine, let them shine. If they want the healing, let them have it. Say the word, my dazzling lights, and I'll do all I can.

They're gleaming, they're gleaming. So she pours more of her power in, more. More, more, and more; there's so much she can give for them, and more! Her body shines, 

crik

Lapis pulses through her veins, smoothing the starscape as much as it can, and more. More, more and more-

crik

...She freezes. What was that?

crikcrikcrikcrikcrikcrik

There's... something. She can't feel pain or anything, but her hand's stuck. It's like she can't command the limb to move. She looks at it, and...

...

...Whoa. Her arms. When did her arms become so... crystallic?

She moves her body backwards,

crikcrikcrikcrikcrikcrikcrik

her hand leaves the starscape, and now she can see them, bathed in light. Crystals. Crystals of lazuli, crystals of sapphire, of tourmaline, of obsidian, and countless colours more. Each spotless plane of their surface glimmers and sheens. They're not lying on her skin, or dancing around it; no, they ARE her skin now. Her entire left arm is pure crystal.

Her eyes widen when she realises what she's become. She stands up in shock-

CRICK! Crikcrikcrikcrikcrikcrik

Or... doesn't? She can't make her legs move. Are... they...?

I-is it more than just skin-deep? How far does it go? Vessels? Joints? Bone? She wants to say yes, but she wonders if she even has those things anymore. It's like all the intricacies have just been replaced by a network of crystalline-chemical bonds.

She forces her leg to move. She'd be better off defying nature... somehow, though, she manages it,

and hears the sound of rock scraping against rock.

You're kidding. She tries to move her arms, and it's like scaling Mount Olympus. This can't be right, can it? Wait, then what about;

Crikcrikcrikcrikcrikcrikcrik

Despite the stifled groans, her unsegmented arm forms a movement barely resembling a lift, pushing one of her hands to her face. 

...Wait, where's the sensation? It's like her hand's met a void pretending to be a wall. Her face is definitely there... s-so does that mean her fingers can't feel anything?

Breathe. In, and out. A bead of sweat falls. 

She manages a couple more taps, and realises; the surface of her cheek is hard. She heaves her hand around, and eventually finds- okay, good, there's skin, there's human skin, she can tell because of how it presses... okay, go back down, back down...

...there. 

It's just a bit below. If she moves her gaze, she can glimpse her glimmering cheek from the corner of her eye. It's a completely clean border; her flesh simply makes way for something rigid and reflective. She tries to move her mouth, 

crikcrikcrik

but she can feel the muscles on her left cheek... well, not exist. Trying to form an expression is like trying to lift a mountain; it would take a ridiculous effort to muster even a millimetre.

Fine, then. A mountain it'll be. She pushes it, more and more and more, and eventually, her mouth turns to a smile. Good. She needs that expression, still. E-even as grumpy as these dorks are, it wouldn't be good if she suddenly stopped smiling around them, right? That already happened once before, and the consequences weren't pretty.

Right. Next comes standing. A few Everests are nothing if it means she can keep her bonds intact. So, let's stand already!

crikcrikcrikcrikcrik

Ugh... it's... it's not painful. But... it's still, just... like there's some kind of force against her. Impossibility, one could call it; it's like the world is telling her it's fundamentally, scientifically impossible for her to move.

But if the entire world and its logic stood in her way, she'd just tear it aside with her blade. For their sake.

crikcrikcrkcrkcrkcrkcrik

...Good... she's moving. Slowly, despite everything, if she focuses every last piece of willpower, every last piece of bleeding resolve in her human heart, she can move. Against life itself, her legs un-bend, the non-existent muscles in her hips stretch, and her body lifts itself up-

crkcrkcrk

she's falling

crkcrkcrkcrk

...no, no, the kaleidoscope, STOP IT

crkcrkCRRKRKKRKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!

Mount Olympus is scaled. She's put a leg at the brick's edge, stopping her body from drowning in the sea of gems.

Breathe.

In.

Out.

Sit back down, now.

She can hear the sound of falling rocks as she collapses. Breathe, in, out, in, out

crkcrkcrk

in, out, in, out. She lifts her shirt; there's a patch of crystal on the side of her stomach.

crkcrkcrk

She hits her back; underneath her jacket is a tough, hard surface.

crkcrkcrk

Her hair hid another splatter; it's sitting at the base of her neck, creeping onto her collarbone.

...Her breathing restores. It's hard to make her lungs even function. Are they petrified too? Are they succumbing to tension's grip?

Well, that's fine. That's fine. She's dealt with plenty worse than this before. She can find ways around this; she'll just need to move carefully, with precision and strength. Her body isn't falling apart just yet. She can keep going.

But... she feels strange. Not scared, not terrified with what's happening to her... but rather, allured. Despite all the stress and the strain, she feels... relaxed, in some way.

She gazes down to her left arm. Dazzling lazuli of memories, dazzling sapphire of safety, dazzling tourmaline of tenacity, dazzling obsidian of mastery. Their luster fills her body until her own skin is no more.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

She gazes down, away from the sunset, into the glittering sea. Patches of the crystals she loves seep through her skin, becoming her arms and legs, gnawing into her body. 

She doesn't notice it, but those same crystals are now seeping into the ground around her. Her world is making way for her beloved gems.

...

She puts a hand in the kaleidoscope again.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Beep beep! Beep beep!

...That's... an alarm, right? Urgh...

Beep beep! Beep beep!

...Open your eyes...

The alarm's hammering her. C'mon, that means it's 5:30am... she'd already done a lot of work to start waking up this early, so she'd better put it to use...

no... poooint... breaking the schedule... now... Lisa!

"Urggghh..." A mess of resplendent caramel dangles in tatters around her head. She rises from the covers; good LORD, she feels stiff. Maybe she should've let Ako handle a bit more of the cleaning yesterday...

Sunday, the 7th of February. Roselia's first week of training is nearing its end; that means tomorrow's the day she's gonna get her practical abilities put to the test, huh? The sleepover's been nice, at least... it's been two nights of non-stop training, sure, but it's also been two nights of fun, in some ways. Watching Ako and Rinko clamour excitedly is heartwarming, and Sayo's doing a really good job taking care of Ako's studies already. It's kind of cute how in denial she is about it, actually. Imagine if that cold face had a smile on it one day...

For a moment, she stretches her arms out in front of her. She kneads the skin on her hands until it feels a bit less creaky, then gets up and starts getting changed. She SWORE she wouldn't waste too much time co-ordinating her outfits while she was here, but there's some instincts that just end up kicking in. And, uh. Okay, let's nooot call this wasting time on fashion; it's just, the black leather jacket is really tacky. Did she have a spare cotton one somewhere? Urgh, her wardrobe is a MESS; why did she buy so many clothes during January? Thank god her allowance's monthly.

...Well, there's another jacket of the same colour in there. Still leather, but it looks less... blaring. Guess that'll do. Right, right, enough of that!

Hygiene's important, always. Training is no excuse to be smelly, so that's sorted out as quickly as she can before she heads towards the door. She passes by cardboard boxes full of sewing supplies, wool, felt, and cases full of accessories, all tucked beneath the desk, hidden from her sight. She's here basically more often than she is at home right now, so it didn't really hurt to bring them, right? Even though they're kind of just gathering dust...

Well, anyway. She opens the door, venturing into what's important.

"Good morning~!" She wears her best smile; life's been a little tiring lately, but seeing Roselia's members is the most energising thing. They're all such wonderful people, just as she suspected; it's for their sake that Lisa makes sure to work as much as possible to catch up.

Especially for her.

It might be winter, but she's tasting a cold dessert in spring. "Good morning."

"Yukina~!" It's like her frozen limbs find their warmth when she sees that silver mane. Yukina's the only person in the world who can look both awe-inspiringly cool AND infectiously cute when her hair's that messy. She never quite got the hang of brushing, did she? "How're you doing? I'll get some breakfast out for us!"

"Thank you," she responds immediately. "Lisa. Sit down with me while I have it."

"Of course!"

Water boils, pans sizzle, and soon a lovely aroma wafts through. The knight seats herself at the table with her most cherished. "How's the coffee? I've tried adding cinnamon to it lately; is it sugary enough?"

"It's delicious. Ako lavished you for it yesterday, didn't she?"

"Hehe~. She looked at me like I was some kind of scientist for making it."

Yukina just nods. A few seconds pass; Lisa just takes in the view of her friend.

"Did you get any shut-eye? You're up pretty early."

"As are you."

"Guess it's an old habit from our sleepovers, huh~?"

No response. Yukina puts her cup of coffee down.

...Her most cherished still has that vacant, faraway look in her eyes. There's no smile on it, ever. It's a look Lisa's had to see ever since Roselia was formed, with no other expression to deviate it. It's... well...

...No. She's going to take a page from Sayo's book here; don't let emotions get in the way. She avoids looking directly into the amber, trying to ignore what it has become. After all, she swore she wouldn't do anything to shake her own loyalty. 

Besides, this is good, isn't it? She's been able to talk to Yukina about the simple things sometimes, since Roselia was formed. Yukina's willing to respond to these kinds of conversation starters now. It's like her the dismay and pain on her face has completely, utterly disappeared. No tears, no pain... Yukina's functioning and talking to others again. Charismatically so, even. Isn't that amazing?

It's fine.

"We're looking pretty busy again... practice and discussion from 9 until 5... it's like I've been hired for a job~."

"Are you feeling prepared?"

"Obviously. I'm not sparing any effort!" she says.

"I see. Good."

A moment of silence.

Then, Yukina's voice raises. "Sayo informed me last night of the Shirasagi Duel Academy's schedule. We have a date for our first attack, now."

"Ooooooh~!" Lisa straightens her posture. "When and where?"

"February 15th. The Central City Exhibition. It'll be occurring close to midnight."

"So they're having it at the end of the Festival this time around, huh?"

"Correct. The event will be livestreamed, both to a surrounding audience and an online one. The Dragon will most certainly be present. It's the perfect opportunity to strike."

"Chisato Shirasagi, hm..." Lisa looks to the ceiling. "She always looks so polite and regal on TV. Everyone loves her."

"That's only her reputation in the public," Yukina responds. "Sayo could tell you better than I do. To the students of her academy, she acts cold and callous. She wears a mask of politeness to compliment her poisonous tongue."

"Wow, scary~."

Amber gazes directly into her; she can't help but look back.

"W-what's up?"

"Do not be naive," the silver wolf cuts. "You should exercise restraint in your loving heart."

She might know where this is going. "What do you mean?"

"Chisato Shirasagi is a monster."

Figures. "I mean, I know, but-"

"If Sayo's words are to be believed, she has only become more heartless since I left the academy. You should not assume any benevolence from her."

"Well, I figure, but..." Lisa weaves the words carefully. "She can't be all spikes, y'know? She probably isn't all that bad deep down."

"That hardly matters," Yukina pierces. "For the sake of Roselia's counter-image, we cannot behave as if she is any less than a monster. That is crucial to our plan."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that," she says. "Don't worry! I'm not gonna treat her like a friend on the job."

"Good. Are you ready for the attack, then?"

...

"...Eh?" Lisa's in shock. "Are you considering me as the candidate?"

"I am."

Lazuli runs up her limbs. But it's not enough; "A... ahaha! Guess I'm not doing too bad, then. But are you sure I'd be a good fit?"

"Do you doubt your capability?"

"N-no, it's just..." she crosses her arms. "...Actually, yeah. I... kind of feel like I'm Roselia's weak-link. I haven't been doing well in actual duels, compared to you guys."

"You say that, but you've progressed significantly in such a short span of time."

"And I'm still the worst, aren't I?" Lisa's brow betrays her. "I've got to be more than just 'good' if I want to help you guys."

"So, you believe yourself to be the weakest link?"

"Yeah. And I'll keep training until I'm not. For your sake, Yukina."

Amber gleams. Lisa's seen a lot of looks in those gorgeous eyes, but... this is one even she can't decipher. "I see. I'll keep that in mind." She takes the last bite of her meal. "You will have plenty of opportunity to practice your skills in week 2. Commit to it."

"Will do~!" Lisa winks.

Yukina stands up. "Good. And what about your mental resolve? Does the illegality of our upcoming maneuvers scare you?"

"Nah, not really. I figured that's what it'd take to help you, after all."

The gleam returns. "...I see." She takes a sip of coffee. "One last thing, then. Do you feel your condition is stable?"

.

"E-eh?" Oh no. Is it obvious to the others? "Y-yeah. I think I'm fine."

"Your hand is shaking when you pick up your cup. You've had a lot of coffee this past week." 

"...!"

"Even if you are willing to attack the SDA, you will be unable to accomplish the mission if your mind and body are worn," Yukina says. Amber melts into her. "If there is something bothering you, sort it out before the 15th if you want to be our candidate."

"..." Roselia's candidate, huh?

Funny. The only reason she isn't being considered is because she doesn't look reliable enough. She thought she'd fixed that.

The wolf stands. "Roselia will begin our last day of theorycrafting at 10am. That's all."

"...Got it. I'll wait here in the meantime~," Lisa waves.

Yukina just nods, and heads back into her room.

...

...Don't think about it. The amber's distance means nothing. Not if she wants to remain loyal.

Instead, focus on Yukina's words. She implied Lisa's 'condition' isn't stable; what does that mean, exactly? Obviously, she's talking about physical exhaustion, but Yukina tends to be curt when she talks about simple problems. This isn't a sharp, disciplined cut of her hidden blade; Lisa's being carefully carved.

Think, Lisa, think. Ignore how the sunrise looks like the sunset, and think. What's Yukina concerned about when it comes to her? Is it just that the knight looks too hesitant? Too unsupportive? Too faltering, like she was back before Roselia was formed? Does she look like she's going to object again if Yukina makes another murky decision?

That has to be it. Lisa's normal image is too frivolous and uncaring to them. She needs to look serious about Roselia's actual goals, doesn't she? Yukina must be worried that her heart's clouded with hesitation... so she needs to prove her loyalty. 

More dueling it is, then; more studying so that she becomes something other than just being a disappointment. How many times has she lost to the others now, despite how far she's come? How many times is she going to be naive to things they know so easily? If they're capable of so much, then she should be too; the fact she's not keeping with their pace means she just hasn't been doing enough.

Practice! There's a couple of hours until everything starts, so she-

Wait, first, wasn't she going to check if they had milk? Rinko really likes microwaving that; it's kinda cute. Is it in the fridge, is it... it is! Okay, now she's fine.

She stumbles, gets herself another cup of coffee, and sits back down at the table, looking through her decks. She's more up to speed with her own archetype now, but Yukina's also given her a few others to taste-test... probably as a way of expanding the kind of playstyles she has experience with... Yukina's thoughtful to do that, really... although Lisa wonders... if... this kind... of mentality... just comes natu...

It's shaky. Concentrate.

...rally to the rest of Roselia... maybe... she's the one falling behind again...

Her vision blurs. She's... feeling a little out of it, for some reason...

No, focus. She's tempted to distract herself with cleaning, b-but it'll look bad to the others if she's caught doing something other than practicing, right? It's not as if hobbies are sinful here, sure; Ako and Rinko have interests they pursue even while they're in Roselia. But they're actually good at Duel Monsters, aren't they? Meanwhile, Lisa doesn't have much previous experience compared to her companions. Yukina's probably expecting her to work harder so she can catch up.

No passing out, then! With the path she's chosen, her pain has to be the norm. Despite her blinking eyes, she keeps practicing and researching. Pen on paper, cards in hand. Tick, tock. Sayo gets up early and gives her usual to-the-point greeting, before heading back into her room. Lisa sends her a smile, and Sayo's reaction to it lately is softer than before. Nice! 

Tick, tock. She stretches, and her limbs feel none the lighter. The knight's body feels stiff, but she keeps at it, no matter what. 

That is, until those two fluffballs show up. "BABABABABUM! The Dark Lord makes her return!" There's that endearing tornado touching the ground again. "Lisa, we're back! We've got a BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNCH of boxes sitting at the bottom of the shrine gate now!"

"Welcome back~! ...How much is a buuuuuuuuuunch?"

"Um..." Rinko pokes her head in. "There's... quite a few. It'll be hard to take them all up to the grounds by ourselves... so we were wondering if anyone was free to help..."

Ah, sheesh. Every time Rinko contributes something to Roselia, it just feels like there can't be any more... and then she just ups and brings something even bigger the next time. Yukina's essentially winged her into being vice-president.

"I'm game!" Lisa picks herself up. "They're all monster cards and strategy guides, right? How many have you got?"

"Rinrin, Rinrin," Ako whispers. jumping up and down. "C'mon, tell her!"

"O-okay..." Rinko smiles. "Um... I... have at least 1 copy of every Duel Monsters card... released in the past 15 years... I've been collecting them..."

"W-whoa." Yeah, she can see why the pair looks so gleeful. "That's a LOT. That's like, over 8000 different cards, isn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah! She's collected really old ones at flea markets, and traded rare ones online sometimes! And she's got a bunch of other stuff, too!"

"U-um... not all of it... might be relevant, but..." Rinko wavers. "In case it was, I... wanted to..."

God, what a talented queen! Lisa gives a thumbs-up. "This is Rinko we're talking about! If you're bringing it, it'll be helpful. So let's go and haul it all up here~!"

"R-right. Thank you..."

"Let's head out, my dark minions!" Ako fistpumps. "I'll get Sayo real quick; we'll catch up with you!"

"Aaaand there she goes," Lisa grins. She gets up and starts moving to the exit; "Right then-"

Her limbs short-circuit.

That's... oh, that's the ground, alright, this is gonna be a spill-

THWUMP!

"Ack!" Despite her best efforts, she squeals from the impact a bit.

"L-Lisa! Are you... okay?"

"Ow, ow-" she cuts herself off. Her knee's throbbing a bit, but it's no big deal. There's not much pain, anyway. So she quits whining and gives Rinko another smile. "No worries! Just a minor trip, is all!"

"O-Okay... um... if you need any plasters-"

Lisa just slaps her knee and gives a thumbs-up. "No damage here, I promise! Let's get going~."

Drat. Rinko doesn't speak up, but she's making it obvious she's worried. Gotta tough it up for this task.

They head out, and Ako and Sayo catch up shortly after, so they've got a solid group of 4 heading down the stairs. Are Ako and Rinko holding hands? That's... kinda cute... Rinko looks kinda joyous about it, but Ako's behaving like everything's normal. She... wants to tease the two of them about it, but... she's having a hard enough time focusing on walking... god, it's supposed to be cold, but her face doesn't feel a thing...

Ugh. She shakes her head; focus already! She can feel Sayo's gaze on her back, so she can't look tired.

They hit the bottom of the stairs, and... "Whoa." Lisa can't believe what she's seeing. "That's, uh, how many boxes?"

"5!" Ako says. "We took them here on that big cart thing; we were thinking we could carry them all up the stairs with you guys' help!"

"Let's start then." Sayo immediately lugs one, grunts in exertion, and starts heading back; lord, that thing's a third of her height, isn't it? These boxes look pretty hefty, too.

It's fortunate she's got plenty of experience with this kind of work, then! Lisa tucks her press-on nails into a pocket, stretches her muscles, lugs one box on top of another, and then... HEAVE... hauls both of them up at once.

"Whoooooa!" Ako's agape at her side. "Two at once?! Big s- I mean, Lisa, isn't that heavy?!"

"It's fine, it's fine~. My arms can barely feel them, anyway."

"O-okay..." Rinko murmurs. "...but please take a break if you strain yourself..."

"Ahaha! If I tripped again, that'd set a pretty bad impression, wouldn't it?" Lisa turns back to the stairs. "C'mon, c'mon; if we take all 5 up now, we'll only have the cart left on the next round!"

"Let us venture then, my abyssal, um... um..."

"...Allies?"

"Abyssal allies!" Ako- well, she can't pose with the box n' all, but she conveys the same kind of aura.

Hoo, okay, this might actually be pretty hard. Turns out, travelling a gigantic staircase with 2 boxes full of cards and books stacked on top of each other might be pretty tough! She chugs through the whole way, though, and eventually catches up to Sayo. Fast worker, that one!

Thanks to that first round, everyone can focus their effort on lugging the cart up, and then it's done! ...She takes a HUGE gulp of the water Sayo offers after. She's not sweating, but... everything's kind of blurry, isn't it?

"Low energy is often a sign of burnout," Sayo says. "Practice begins in half an hour. If you need to sit down and take a breather, now would be the time."

"Let's bring the boxes into the base first, okay?" Lisa pats one. "Don't wanna leave these things out here."

She doesn't get a response, so she takes that as a free pass to continue. Yukina's out of her room after they bring the first couple in. There's a surprising amount of cheer from Ako as they do so, considering the sheer amount of sweat that's pouring from her face. Poor lil' champ.

"That's... everything... thank you..." Rinko manages, bring the last of the bunch in. Evidently, she's even less used to physical labor than Ako is. "I put the cart at the back of the base. May I... show what's inside these?"

"Of course," Yukina responds.

She starts opening a few of them up, and it's not as Lisa expected; to be fair, dumping card after card unsleeved or unpackaged inside would've damaged the whole lot. But that doesn't mean she was expecting to see an entire legion's worth of albums, either. Rinko opens up a few, and each contains either sets of archetypes, or broad types of utility cards. Each album has little labels picking out at certain points, too... wow.

"Isn't it AMAZING?!" Ako throws her arms out wide. "Rinrin's like an encyclopedia of cards!"

"I see. We use the same system for our albums," Yukina observes. "You've attached labels to them detailing which series the cards were released in." She flips a few pages. "Chronologically, too. This is superbly arranged."

"I... it's noth- thank you..." Rinko's flushed at that, but she definitely deserves it.

"That's not all, either! Check this out!" Ako throws one wide-open. "There's even more in here!"

"A-ah!" Rinko stammers. "Those are... the decks I've made in my own time... they might not be useful, but..."

"May I examine this box for a second?" Rinko nods, and Sayo opens a distinctly-shaped tin. "...This is full of sewing supplies. May I ask what relevance these have?"

"A-ah! I..." Rinko's stuck, for a bit. "Um... I wasn't sure w-we'd use them, but when Yukina was talking about group image... I took them... just in case... s-sorry."

"I see. I'll consider that at a later date. Keep these for now," Yukina responds.

"O-okay."

"Isn't Rinrin AWESOME, guys?" Ako throws two arms pointing in the object of affection's direction. "That's not all, either! She makes these amazing costumes, and she's fixed my clothes before, and she can play keyboard, AND she has like, this big library of fantasy novels back at home! It's so cool!"

"Ah! I-I..." Rinko's blushing.

"Seriously?! That's amazing, Rinko!" Lisa gleams. "You're so skilled! Roselia's really lucky to have you."

"A-ah... it's nothing..."

...

...Rinko Shirokane.

She's stammering and averting her eyes like she's not used to this praise. Really? Because honestly, Lisa looks at all of this and can't help but drop her jaw. Rinko's marvellous. Here stands someone who's got a whole array of different masteries she can weave into magnolias with the dedicated movement of her fingertips. She might be shy, but there's so much talent and power beneath her that you can't even try and deny it. Her blade is fearsome. Ako said that a lot of people bullied and shunned them when they went to dueling events, and all Lisa can think about that is, well, 'shame on them.' They don't know what they're missing out on; anyone who's got a bond with this person is real lucky.

Jaw-dropping might not be enough for it, actually. Rinko might look a bit sleep-deprived, but she evidently juggles a lot of her life well. Lisa shares some of the school journey with her, and they meet up on their return trip to Roselia's base too. And it's just... a lovely little joy, to be with her. She's quiet, sure, but if you give her the space she needs, she's an angel to talk to. Just... so nice, so polite, and so considerate of others, too.

Honestly, how on earth are she and that angel in the same group? It's something she asks whenever they travel together. Rinko juggles school and home with intense practice at Roselia, personal study AND arts and crafts in her spare time. And now she's learnt Rinko sews and plays music, too It's like she's seen even more of this gem's luster. 

What does Lisa do, in comparison? She's in the same situation as Rinko, but she can't deny how tired she feels sometimes; every day feels like a struggle just to make sure she doesn't pass out. She's not up to standard at dueling, and her studies look like they're gonna slip at the rate she's going. Obviously, she won't let it stop her, but she can't deny the sheer exhaustion she feels managing all the duties she has. Usually, she just has to abandon most of them in favor of helping and practicing with Roselia.

Rinko, on the other hand, finds time for everything. She's awesome. How does one shade of black have so much rainbow inside?

"U-um... is something wrong, Lisa...?"

"Mm?" She drags herself out of her haze. "Nah. Just thinking about how amazing you are, is all~."

"A-ah. Th-thank you... it's... nice to hear that from you..."

God, her smile's lovely. Lisa wants to be jealous, but she's more just struck with admiration, with longing. She really wonders why Yukina thinks she's worth anything as a candidate, when Rinko outclasses her entirely; might be a little shy, sure, but otherwise there's nothing Lisa has that she doesn't.

10am. The last day of theorycrafting begins, and Roselia gathers at the table with new resources from Yukina and Rinko in hand. Lisa stretches and stretches her limbs time and time again, but they never lose their tension. Eventually, she just tries to buckle down and focus with everyone else. She makes inputs when she can, asks about anything she's uncertain regarding...

...And when she looks at Rinko, who sometimes answers so effortlessly, she almost wants to ask something else. She almost wants to ask:

What can I do, to shine like you?

\---

She has everything she wants, all of it. Everything her heart desires belongs to her. 

And yet...

Bubble, bubble.

It's pitch-black. Behind her sits a worn, rustic telephone; it hasn't been used for a while now. She doesn't need it anymore, after all.

'Hey, hey, can you pass a needle~?'

'Sure, no prob.' She makes one from nothing, and chucks it right in.

Bubble, bubble.

'Thanks~! You're a real artisan, y'know that?'

She sighs. '...It's nothing special.'

There's a royal, regal red carpet laid out beneath them, hosting the object of their interest. There's smells and sights that boggle the senses. Today, the coven has gathered for the most delightful, the most sinful act of all; rebellion.

Bubble, bubble.

Some of them giggle. Some of them 'ooo' and stare in anticipation. They're all gathered around a cauldron, each with their creations dancing around them. One witch gazes silently into the oozing liquid, while another's idly popping potion after potion into her hands, dancing and levitating them all around. It's annoyingly lively.

'Hey, hey. Have we set up our demonic ritual yet?' One excitedly whispers.

'Be patient. This process cannot be rushed,' another responds.

'But, but! I wanna show it to the world already!'

'In due time. We will simply test for a reaction today,' says the silent one. 'We will not be conducting the ritual for another week.'

'Awwwwwwww.'

She sighs, and watches them waffle around. There's a whole variety of currents overflowing the air; flowers, potions, ice, what have you... it's a cacophony of magic. She hates to admit it, but she's kind of intimidated; these guys are REAL good. That ridiculously strong master-of-all, that fearless lilting potion-juggler, the frosty chisel-wielding sculpturer... just, ugh.

The demon sighs. She's not going to bother hiding her grumpiness. She simply perches on the chair like an upset falcon, crouching inside her dusk-dressed wings. They're rough, clawed, draped in scales you could lose your sight in... and yet here she is, grouching. Her hair is black, elegant, and yet it's flopping over like a mop. Her violet eyes are supposed to be awe-inspiring, but are they really? I mean, look at these witches around her. They're just...

Gah. No, no. She WANTED this. And she still does; being here is amazing. It's just...

...Is she really worthy of all this?

Silly question, yeah. Her angel half tells her she's doing just fine. But this isn't a fear the demon usually has (if at all). Isn't this ridiculous? When people look at a powerful monster like her, THEY should be the ones feeling fear. Awe, even! Admiration! She doubts she looks like that to the rest of the witches right now, even if they say she's great. After all, she's acting like a wimp.

'...Hey, you guys. You're all prepared for this, right?' She asks.

'Of course!' One cutie poses enthusiastically. 'My demonic comrade, we'll cut the heavens apart together with our, um... arcane...'

'Artistry.'

'You're still so good at that!'

'Don't you worry~,' the potion-brewer beams. 'Witches don't back down on their craft just because it's scary, do they?'

'Good. Just making sure,' she says.

'The concern's appreciated~.'

They all continue their symphony, as if the demon's presence is perfectly normal. As if the demon wimping around instead of posing proudly is just normal. Why are they so content with her cold feet? Even that silent master, the one who outranks even the demon by a mile and a half, seems perfectly fine with letting the demon... dilly-dally about.

She sighs. For the first time, she's gotten a taste of how her angelic half usually feels.

'Excuse me,' one witch approaches her. 'We're short-supplied on this ingredient. Could you weave it for us?'

'No problem.' 

The demon dances her hands and strings alight the pitch-black around her, turning dusk into a hallowed spectacle. 

Then she holds it out. 'Here you go.'

'...This is gorgeously intricate. How did you form that so quickly?'

Ack! Curses... the demon's blushing a bit. This icy Ixtab doesn't usually give compliments, so that came out of nowhere. "I-It's nothing big. That's just my craft."

'I see.' The witch nods. 'It's no wonder she wanted you to join us.'

...

...She can't respond to that.

See, this is the problem. She knows; she's the strongest demon around. She's the tearer of tales, skills like diamond. When they say she's good and worthy to join them, they mean it. And she knows she's qualified, too. Even her angel half agrees on that sometimes; she's just usually too busy doting on everyone else to acknowledge it.

'Gather around, everyone. Let's test our combined strength so far.'

'Aye aye~!'

Five palms beckon the surface of the loving cauldron. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble... their masteries combined show a lovely, visceral reaction. Visions of the stars falling from the sky and crashing to the earth echo in the reflection.

'Looking good, looking good~!' The potion-brewer smiles. 'You guys're amazing, you know that~?'

'Focus time on your own craft, rather than complimenting ours,' another responds. 'There's no excuse for slacking here.'

'Aw, you're worried about me? Cute! You're so sweet~.'

'Sw-sweet? I-'

A lullaby of her laughter, and it's cut off. Wow; she just shut her down hard. Takes a special kind of person to make the Ice Queen stammer.

...She's brave, that one.

'Concentrate.' The head's capturing voice rings. 'We only have a week until the ritual completes. We must focus as much power as we can if we are to summon our rebellion.'

There's a few grumbles, but they get back to it; nobody here wants to give it any less than their best, obviously. They're all pushing as much as they can. Witches don't satisfy themselves with a mere temper tantrum in a cage; no, they break free like soaring birds, and wield their identities as blades to cut down those would defy them. The demon's in some good company.

...But as the witches' palms glow alight over the cauldron, the demon sneaks a few glances to her potion-brewing buddy. The gal notices, and gives her a heart-throbbing wink. And what a wink it is; she can't deny she's heated up a bit from it. No wonder Icy got melted.

That potion brewer. She shines. She's by far the newest to her craft out of anyone here; the rest of them are all big-time veterans. She might be fairly behind the rest of them, but that's still an astonishing feat. And it's all because she tackles everything fearlessly; sometimes too much, even. That gorgeous figure of hers takes every blow in the world, shrugs it off, spits the grit out and keeps sauntering forward, watching out for everyone around her all the while. She's strong, she's kind, she's loving... and she's brave. Brave like a dazzling knight. Brave like the demon isn't right now.

Because as much as it sucks to admit it, the demon's scared. 

She's scared of the witch-hunters. 

Prowling the night, in search of sinners. Wrapped in empty suits and armed with spiked batons, they ruthlessly beat any opposition they see into the ground. The demon can be as strong and as masterful with her magic as she wants, but no amount of mastery will stop the cold hand of normality on its own. She needs bravery, too.

So as the witches' palms glow, she continues to gaze at the potion-brewer. And in her head, she asks:

"...What can I do, to shine like you?"

"Eh? What'd you say, Rinrin?"

.

...Eh?

She blinks. There's no cauldron anymore, no pitch-black darkness. Just wood instead. She can see the portrait of a rose and the end of a red carpet from the corner of her eye. She's looking at the door to one of the bedrooms of Roselia's base, the middle door out of five.

"Rinrin! Earth to Rinrin!"

"Ah!" Rinko jumps, and turns to her left. "Um... is everything okay, Ako?"

"You were murmuring something. Are you feeling sick?" Ako press- oh god, Ako's hand is on her forehead, help help help "No, you don't seem to be..."

"U-um! Ako... I-I-I-I-"

"Oh! My bad!" She hurriedly moves it off, and gives Rinko a big smile. "Sorry, I should've asked first."

...It's heavenly. She's beside the person she cares for more than anyone else... she has companions who care for her safety and wellbeing by her side... and they're all doing something amazing together, aren't they? This is everything Rinko wanted. 

"Thank you..." Right. Breathing's back. She's, um... okay, it's 5:30pm on Sunday right now... and... "Um... which archetype were we discussing?"

"This one, this one again!" Ako points at a set of cards depicting anthropomorphised warriors. "Zoodiacs! They're the one I still don't get. I know they all stack on each other to make Xyz Monsters, but I'm drawing a blank on the rest."

"Oh..." Rinko looks over the cards. "This deck... focuses a lot on giving its bosses new effects by attaching more Materials. Some of them... also allow for recycling. Like..." she points to _Zoodiac Combo._ "This one."

"Whoa! That card's art looks so cool!" Ako's eyes give that enamouring glimmer. "A horde of, uhhhhh, beastly bastions gather to defeat a mighty monstrosity!"

"That card... is part of a set..." Rinko says. "There's 2 other cards... that depict these kinds of battles..."

"Whoa, seriously?! You gotta show me the rest sometime, Rinrin!"

She can't help but smile. "I've... already shown you before, Ako..."

"Oh. W-well, it's fine, isn't it? The Dark Lord's memory works in strange ways, is all," she nods fiercely. "Hey, Rinrin. Do you think Yukina might pick me as the candidate? I've been so excited ever since she announced our attack date."

...The candidate.

"Yeah," she responds. "I... think you've been doing really good. Although, you might have to make less noise when-"

"YAY! RINRIN SAID I COULD BE THE CANDIDATE!"

She's about to giggle, but then the two of them jump; Sayo's just opened the door from her room, with Yukina beside her. "You two are quite enthusiastic, I see."

"S-Sayo. I'm sorry..."

"Here." The mythril wolf hands her a huge pad of A4 paper. "Your advice was extremely helpful; I don't know why I didn't think of it before. Writing scenarios down has helped me immensely, compared to composing hypothetical duels in my head. I'll purchase some spare paper of my own to make use of it."

"I see... um..." the angel murmurs. "You can use that pad in the meantime, if it'd help you."

"Do you have any more paper on you currently?"

"N-no. Sorry... I had more at home, but I didn't want to carry too much here..."

"Then keep this for now." The pad's practically shoved into her hands. "I'm not in the habit of accepting excessive generosity. Hone your own skills too."

.

"...Right. I'm sorry..."

"There's no need to apologise. You've been a humongous aid to our cause."

"Oh, oh! What about me?" Ako perks up.

"..." Sayo gazes with a strange kind of stare. "Yes, you've been doing your part. But..." she cuts into her pupil. "Now that Roselia's practice for week 1 has ended, this is the most opportune time for YOU to do your homework."

"Agh! But, but! Me and Rinrin are doing more research! We're doing Roselia stuff right now, so-"

"Balance your training and your studies. You will be doing plenty of practice tomorrow."

"Urk." Ako slumps. "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine, mom..."

Rinko can't help but smile. For all her iron resolve, cold exterior and, um, lack of facial expression... Sayo is rather sweet at heart. "Ako... let's head to your room. We can sort it out there."

"Eh? Are you gonna help me with it?"

She nods. She... can't really say no, to those eyes. Saying yes makes her feel... something she can't quite describe. Something that strangely feels both angelic and demonic.

"Yay! I'll get out all the annoying problems Sayo gave me! See you in a minute!"

"Don't run in the-" Sayo can't even finish her sentence before the door shuts. "Good grief." 

"I'm... sorry about the commotion..." she bows towards the other two.

"I don't mind. Your enthusiasm is exactly one of the components Roselia needs, after all," Yukina says. 

"I... I see..."

For a moment, two wolves seem to be staring her down.

Then, that amber pierces her. "Rinko."

"Y-yes?"

"Have you considered whether you'd like to be Roselia's candidate, yet?"

...

Fear creeps into her. The demon inside shivers.

"H-huh?"

"I will be perfectly honest with you," she grips. "Out of all of our members, it's possible that you're the best suited to our first strike."

Adrenaline, adrenaline of a kind she can't tell, runs through her. She wants to run, she wants to run back, she wants to run forth. "I... well... I've... t-thought a-about it... I-I've..."

They simply watch. Their look is calm, so where is her tension coming from?

"I... um... I-I'd... I can do it," she tries to say. "I-I... I..."

Silence. She can't make it out; it's like all the voice she wanted to have is just... gone. She tries to summon the demon, but it can't come out. That dark wing, the one that should've challenged the terrifying world outside... can't muster itself. What's stopping her?

"I... I, um... want to..."

"Do not force yourself."

"...!" She casts her gaze to the ground.

"It will do you no good to claim you are prepared when you are not," Yukina says. "Do not push yourself into a role you are afraid to take."

"B-but...!" She tries to protest. "I... I joined Roselia because I want to-"

"You are already helping us significantly, are you not? Anyone here could testify to that," Sayo says. "If you want to gather your courage, take the proper time to do so."

"I... I know, but... it doesn't mean anything if-" she cuts herself off. At this point, she knows she's just making excuses. But... but...!

Why does she feel so frustrated at herself?

"It is okay to feel fear."

"...!"

Those amber words ring through her blood.

"That is why you've spent so much time helping the other members, no?" Yukina swipes clean. "Take your time to contemplate your readiness. Fearing an illegal activity is what any normal person would do. After all, the consequences of such activities can threaten the remainder of your entire life. If wearing your angel's wing would comfort you in the meantime, we are happy to accommodate you."

"I-I..." Rinko grabs her arm. "Thank... you..."

"Sayo," Yukina says. "Let's continue."

"Of course," she nods, and the two of them venture into their room. But Sayo gives one last look at Rinko before closing the door.

The look says 'pace yourself'.

Shut.

...

...But this is exactly why.

The demon inside her shakes. She roars within. Roselia fills her with so much energy. Back on the day she and Ako first met the wolves, their fearless visages inspired her. And they still do. Just... what can she do, to become like them? To spread her own wings, further and further? She wants to be fearless... just like them...

She thinks of her companions, and she feels alone, in a strange way. Does... does nobody else fear the consequences of breaking the law? Of risking your entire life, fighting powers you can't comprehend, for the sake of a goal? Is their personal resolve so strong that they can throw aside the mantle of society itself? Why... why doesn't her demonic half have that power? She wants to, more than anything, throw away that mantle!

'Pace yourself'. 

...She takes the advice for now, and lets the angel breathe. She enters her cherished friend's room.

"Rinrin, Rinrin!"

Ako's room doesn't have much available decor, but she's still spruced it up all she can. A few pieces of merchandise, some demonic banners, and that quaint little laptop Rinko gave her. It's all the expression Ako usually has, all the enamouring expression... but nothing's more captivating to Rinko than those lapping crimson eyes.

Ako's stolen the chair from Sayo's room, so the two of them sit at the desk together. She hums as they walk through problem after problem. In a way, it's just like their time together before Roselia. How do some things stay the same despite everything, and yet still feel more and more joyous each day? When it's Ako, she wants to wrap both wings around for as long as she can. 

"Hey, Rinrin, Rinrin~," Ako sings. "I'm excited. I can't stop thinking about what I'm gonna do next week."

Excited.

"I wanna do everything I can!" The dark lord jumps up from her chair. "Together, we'll make Roselia the coolest team in the world! Everyone'll tremble! And I'm gonna do all I can to help make that true!"

...

"...Yeah," she says. Violet radiates. "...Me too."

An hour passes. With crimson by her side, she's given the energy to think once again. No matter how accepting Roselia is of her current contribution, she wants more. She wants to do more. She's never had so much self-drive in her life before. She wants to unleash it. Unleash it, and even more. More, more and more.

She wants to find a way... to become like everyone else. To become fearless. And no doubt Ako does, too.

Eventually, the little devil tires, and slumps on the desk like a bean bag. Rinko hums in joy; she's almost, uh... tempted... to take a photo. But instead, she gets a blanket, and drapes it over her drooling friend.

...

...Friend...

...N-no. She doesn't have the courage, to see if there's anything more to their bond right now. 

Instead, she gets up, and strokes Ako's hair as she whispers; "Good night."

She closes the door. The clouds are grey, the sky begins to steal all light. As the stars near on emerging, the world slowly turns blue. Rinko wanders out into the entranceway, and stares down the door.

...

...But now that she's alone, it creeps back.

With every day that passes, the demon wishes she could be strong once more. She'll never forget the feeling she first had when amber let Violet Red run through her veins. What... what can she do, to hit that peak again? To feel like you'll defy the world no matter how much it bares its pulsing fangs at you?

The base is dark. There's a draft of cold air. Rinko stares at the door merely a few metres away. What lies beyond is an enemy she fears like nothing else. The faces that lie beneath the screen are unknown to her, just like they were before.

I-it'd be one thing to fear an outing due to bullies. But this, this... this is something that could get them arrested, isn't it? February 15th could spell a death knell for someone's ordinary life. Rinko wants to not care about that, to cast it aside; after all, there's so many people she's learned about here, people who the ordinary world cared not for. Why can't she cast aside her fear like they did?

The fear may be reasonable. But deep inside, her demonic half cowers at the thought of having her reign suppressed by such a cold, callous enemy. Faces of all kinds may haunt the anxiety, but there's nothing more terrifying than the law.

...The angel breathes. She turns to the right, wanting a cup of coffee in the kitchen for her thoughts. It'll be nice to collect her thoughts on her own. She's expecting the room to be empty.

"Hmm-hm-hmm~" shik, shik-

But she stops in her tracks.

"A-ah."

Because what she sees instead is that dazzling knight. 

For a moment, they're stuck, looking at each other. Rinko stares into the delightful opal of the one she admires, ready to fall back into being on the receiving end of a peaceful conversation. 'How are you doing?' 'Feeling ready for school today?' They're always just casual, daily questions lacking in any depth or meaning, and yet Lisa always makes them feel so comforting.

But then she notices something amazing. Lisa's making something... oh! She's making a scarf! 

She's sewing! She can feel her spirit brighten. Does that mean the both of them are into-

"Forget you saw anything!"

It cracks.

"L-Lisa?" She squeaks.

"Oh. S... sorry for yelling," Lisa says. She's... is she shaking? "Just. F-forget you saw me doing that, yeah~? I'm sorry, really."

"Oh, no, I'm sorry! I... didn't mean to disturb you."

"N-no, no, you didn't do anything like that! I was just slacking, basically." She pushes herself up. "I'll just, uh, head back to my roo-"

It happens again. Like earlier in the day, Lisa's legs turn to stone, and begins to fall.

It's slow. Rinko's half a second late in realizing, and just ends up panicking in the darkness, unable to take any action.

THWUMP! There's the sound of needles pattering on the floor. Specks of light flicker from metal. "Ack!"

"L-Lisa!"

"Ow, ow... a-ah..."

It's pained. Rinko swallows her fear and pulls Lisa over, helping her up onto a chair and looking for any wound; "U-um, your right arm... L-Lisa..."

"A-ah." She sweats. "I'm a real idiot. The needles probably cut it when I tripped..."

"I'll get the first-aid!"

"N-no, it's okay! I can grab it! It's my-"

But Rinko's already ran to the cupboard nearby. That dazzling knight always helps the rest of them no matter how much she hurts, after all.

"Here..." Right back, as fast as she can. "Can you lift your sleeve?"

"S-sure. My bad..." A black jacket's rolled up; Lisa still gives as sunny a smile as she can. "It only grazed the skin a bit, so don't fret too much, okay?"

N-no! Rinko's going to fret as much as she wants; she can practically feel her heartbeat thumping as she patches up the cut. It's hard not to stare longingly at Lisa's arm, not with all it does to lift things up for others.

The clock ticks. She can hear the sound of gritted teeth. She looks over to Lisa's face, but the knight's eyes are shadowed.

"I'm... so sorry. That's the second time I've tripped, too."

"It's fine." She finishes the work she needs. "Here... I'm done."

Lisa takes a few surprisingly unpained breaths. "Wow, you've already weaved it right up. You're an angel, Rinko~."

"What is all the commotion about?"

Lisa's breath dies on her lips. She whirls her head towards the wolf with a terror Rinko's never seen before.

"Are you injured, Lisa? I heard a rather startled yelp," Sayo says. "...Is that a scarf-"

"IT'S NOTHING!"

Zip.

The two look at Lisa in complete shock.

"J-JUST... just... turn back." Lisa scowls, and blocks the scarf from Sayo's vision with her shaking right hand. "I'm sorry. I was just practicing, so turn back. You didn't see anything. Just turn back and pretend you didn't see a single thing."

"What? What on earth are you going on abou-"

"Please leave!"

It's a ferocity like that of a shackled lion. The loving opal Rinko once saw is replaced by something primal, something instinctual. A cornered beast.

"..." Sayo looks terrified, at first. But then her expression turns to something more comprehending. She closes her eyes. "...Thank you for the lunch you made."

The wolf turns and leaves. A few seconds later, a door closes.

Lisa breathes. She doesn't move, or start another conversation. The merry smile Rinko saw on her face day after day is nowhere to be seen.

...Rinko realises. All this time, Lisa's always been asking Rinko question after question. She's always prodded and probed the others about their interests and feelings. But when was the last time she talked about herself?

She asks; what is Lisa like as a person? Is Lisa someone who naturally overworks herself to the point of exhaustion and self-repression? Is that her normal self... or did Rinko just assume that? After all... she'd never met Lisa, before the night the inferno tore everything down. And that inferno definitely left its mark.

The angel surges.

"Um... Lisa..." she asks, ignoring her own sweat. "D-do you-"

"..." Rinko yelps; Lisa's shadowed look is spine-chilling. But slowly, it morphs back into composure. "S-sorry." She sits back down in a chair, and tries her best to smile. "What were you asking?"

"Um, do you... l-like to, sew, in your spare time?"

"Y-yeah. I do," Lisa says. "I used to make little comfort items for Yukina in the winter. S-she still keeps the blanket I gave her a few years ago. Cute, right?"

"...Yeah." It sounds like what the knight would typically say. But Rinko can hear the muted strain in every breath she takes. "Um... would you... like to..."

She... she can't finish it.

Lisa's stillness makes a gorgon cry, for a second. But she eventually shakes her head. "...Sorry. I don't want to talk about this right now."

The chair's pushed aside.

"I'm gonna spend the evening training," Lisa says. "S-see you later, Rinko."

...

...It's clicking together.

The desperation to hide the scarf. The questions always asked during Roselia's sessions.

When Rinko looks at the mane of the knight leaving her behind, she takes a step closer to understanding. And the demon realises she might not be as alone as she thought.

But why?

She has to find out. Lisa's healing heart has done so much to support them. She's the only person here who makes life at Roselia feel some sense of... ease. If Rinko can't overcome her own fear... then she can at least be a pillar for one of the bravest people she knows.

"U-um! Lisa!" She takes a step forward.

Lisa stops and turns her head ever so slightly. "What is it?"

"Would you... like to have a proper duel? If you want to train... I could always be your partner."

Suddenly, a gasp. It's so strangely full of life, all of a sudden. "You mean it?"

"Y-yes." Rinko nods. "If it's... a l-lack of confidence you're feeling... I could help you get... a better picture of your skills..."

It's cold. A wind hovers through the entranceway, melting the closed door. A crystal lion's mane flows.

...And the lion smiles. "Thanks, Rinko. I know how amazing you are, so this'll be a really good opportunity." A friendly wave. "I'll get my duel disk!"

"What? W... wait!" Rinko reaches out. "I thought we would... play on tabletop. Couldn't playing with duel disks h-hurt your right arm?"

"Yeah. It could," Lisa says. "But I don't really mind that."

.

"The concern's appreciated~," Lisa sings. "Meet me outside! And don't get cold out there; get a coat~!"

...

Rinko whispers, to no one but herself.

"...Okay. And... I... won't hold anything back. You'll see... that you're not as weak as you think."

The cold beckons. Rinko borrows Ako's fluffy winter coat, and heads outside.

The shrine grounds have never been one for nature's full embrace. Though trees surround it at all times, it much prefers the emptiness of slab after slab of rock, wrapped in wracked dirt. Only a few clumps grass live on the ground Roselia stands upon. The scenery is draped in lazulic blue, all within suffocating from the night sky's approach. Even with the full chorus of the clouds, the colour is undeniable.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting~!" There's a friendly wave. "You look ready as ever, Rinko!"

"O-oh." 

She watches Lisa skip with eerie enthusiasm to the other side of the field. The line of stone beckoning Roselia's base separates the pair.

"I'm excited, to be honest~. Feels like we're getting a headstart on week 2." 

"...Yeah," Rinko responds. "I'm... excited to be dueling you too, Lisa."

"Really? ...Ehehehe~." Lisa hold her duel disk up. "Well, if Rinko's saying that to me, I've gotta bring my best!"

They blaze.

The surface of a gem has never been so hot to the touch. But the lapis doesn't burn those who land upon it; rather, it stores the heat inside, becoming a beautiful pristine buckler on Lisa's shaking right arm. An armament carved lovingly in patterns of wings and shards gleams a pure-white on a bastion's holograph, serving as her shield.

Then, the heat uncontrollably breaks free, simply becoming impossible to contain. A beautiful pristine blade, worn by time, yet carving its loving shape into the hearts around it. Until the cruel toll beckons it spills blood, it merely sings all to sleep with its love. Gleaming a pure-white, Lisa's sword gleams truer than it ever did before, becoming the most unshakable vow aloud.

The jacket can only hide so much of Lisa's personal colour. Lazuli seeps up her jeans, drowning the red on her shirt above.

...Knowing that Lisa shares an interest with her... it's excited her. It's like she's found the first point connecting her to the group she admires. And now, she moves to mark B, wanting to unlock the heart that lies within.

Violet Red runs. 

Rinko feels her own gaze turn subtly yet all-consumingly commanding. Her hands covers one eye as the lines of a stave dance from nothingness around her, weaving a royal orchestra with no movement from herself. Their merge signifies the illumination of a disk's edges, revealing what adorns the demon's wrist beneath... and the wing reveals. Rough, scaled, clawed. Drowned in a charismatic shadow of miasma, the half Rinko wishes to connect to lends its power. Two causes unite into one.

"..." She can hear Lisa's fear. "...B-bring it on! Show me what you've got, Rinko! I've been excited to see you duel."

It's worrying to see. Now Rinko realises; she was normalising Lisa's state this whole time. She simply perceived Lisa's shaking and sweating as something to be admired. Something that didn't belie terror. 

But... Lisa evidently wants to keep training. And maybe there's something she can do. So...

"...Okay."

The air struggles.

"**DUEL!**"  
"**DUEL!**"

"_I-I'll go first!_" 5 cards are spread apart behind the buckler. "I summon _Crystal Rose in attack position!_"

**500ATK.** Beautiful, beautiful flower. Each and every inch of it shines. "_Crystal Rose's_ effect; by sending a Gem-Knight monster from my deck to my graveyard, Rose gains its name until the end of its turn!"

The lustrous petals turn lazulic. Lisa stares at it with an indecipherable longing. And as she does, it can't help but flow. "...I activate the spell card _Gem-Knight Fusion!_"

Light bursts. A pair of earrings gleam.

The current returns, and Lisa's alluring hair feels like it's one with the surging rapids. Grain after loving grain of beautiful, beautiful crystal. Rinko can feel herself gaze in wonder; even as exhausted as the knight is, her chocolate heart brushes the demon, like pink brushes the dusty currents beneath her feet. The adored gemstones are a stream, each and every piece a dream. "My materials are Rose as _Gem-Knight Lazuli_ on the field, and _Gem-Knight Lapis_ in my hand!"

Brilliantly cherished blue. It's like the vision runs into the head; a dismally lit brick, pouring in the merciless rain. A rose isn't laid to the grave; it's held tightly in her hands, never to be let go. Never. The currents carry blues, brilliant and true. It's a blue so deep and mournfully loving that it imbues the eyes of all who see it.

Lisa's eyes don't close. She merely holds her trembling right hand up to her chest, the shield gripping around her heart. "O lazuli knight of memories, lend me your neverending power! O lapis knight of love, defrost my frozen tears! Look upon the depths of the forest in the night, and shine until you can never be torn apart! Think of your vehicle of memories, think of your eternal bond. Please, I beg of you, let your feelings flow between you, and let the bond that emerges combine your souls into one! Make your eternal vow!"

Lisa awakens; her eyes are lent the anguished, empathic blaze, feelings etched deep within. "_Fusion Summon! Level 5, Gem-Knight Lapis Lazuli!_"

The shrine's trees etch hue until the world laces all arms. Lisa's sword and shield carry the colour of the purified tide, pulling back until the sea sinks in. What shines even in the deepest depths is revealed; a beautiful knight draped in rose blue, carrying a connection that cannot be. The **2400ATK** forming its bond is the ultimate fantasy.

...Lisa's right arm is... shaking, whenever she makes a sweeping pose... but she still does it. Can anyone... truly call her smile fake? "I won't let the lack of a Battle Phase stop me from attacking, Rinko; I activate Lapis Lazuli's effect! I'll send _Gem-Knight Ruby_ from my Extra Deck to the graveyard, and inflict 500 damage for each Special Summoned monster on the field!"

One ball. Fragments of a shattered red find a new form, dancing from beneath into the loving light, and Lapis holds it in her hand as if they were meant to be. Lapis uses the fantastical red as her own, and fires it into Rinko straight and true.

"Ffhh...!" It barely causes much of a gust, but her LP takes the hit; **3500.**

"How's that for a first move?" Lisa manages a wink.

"...It's... striking..." Rinko nods. "...What next?"

"Glad you asked~! Next, I activate the effect of _Crystal Rose_ in my graveyard; by banishing a Fusion Monster from my graveyard, I can Special Summon it back to the field!"

"I see. Lapis Lazuli... allowed you to set up the required Fusion Monster."

"You got it!" Lisa looks down at her duel disk's display. "The card I choose to banish is-"

...

The breeze is cold.

Lisa's vivacity fades. Her shaking... is strengthening, isn't it? Why is that? She simply keeps a weary smile, and looks down at the disk... with what feels like some kind of longing. "...I choose to banish _Gem-Knight Ruby._" 

**500ATK.** With the red's removal, the rose returns.

"..." She shakes her head. "Sorry! I got a bit distracted. I'll activate _Crystal Rose's_ effect once again; this time, I'm sending _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ to my graveyard so Rose can imitate it!"

It's another striking colour for the surface to take, an icier hue. Neither nutrient nor nature resides in a plant made of pure rock, and yet it presents a beauty all the same. 

"I won't stop at just one Fusion. I can do as many as I need!" Lisa declares; "I activate the graveyard effect of _Gem-Knight Fusion!_ By banishing a Gem-Knight monster from my graveyard, I can add a Gem-Knight Fusion Summoning card from my graveyard back to my hand!" The colour of her blade makes way. "I activate Fusion once again! My materials are _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ on the field, and _Gem-Knight Obsidian_ in my hand!"

The currents carry brittle blue and blessed black, saying goodbye to warmth. But it's still a treasure anyone with a perceiving eye could love too. Despite their faded fatalism, Lisa stands proud, if shaking, in their dusty center. Her blade melds once again with her new world as she grips her chest; "O sapphire knight of safety, lend me your frozen determination! O obsidian knight of mastery, lend me your silent serenity! Think of the reclusions you both ream, of the barriers that plaster your softened skin. Let your feelings flow between you, and let the bond that emerges combine your souls into one! Make your vow!"

Lisa awakens; her eyes are lent a frozen fire, feelings etched deep within. "_Fusion Summon! Level 6! Gem-Knight Aquamarine!_"

Forceful, crafted, cared for. In front of Lisa, an all-covering beehived barrier of blue makes its indomitable position heaved into the front. Behind it, the light fades to make way for a hooded figure; a rogue knight who seeks merely the time she needs. Beneath her cloak likes a subtle but sharpened blade of shield and steel, arming her with **2900DEF.**

"Whew! Not too b-bad, right~?" She nearly trips on her words. But Lisa stands as tall as she can, attempting to emphasise the barrier; "And check out her effect! If my opponents monsters' ATK are lower than Aquamarine's DEF, they're rendered completely unable to attack!"

"...I see. That's... your first turn play."

"I'm not done yet!" Lisa arms her blade with 2 more. "I set one card face-down... and when _Gem-Knight Obsidian_ is sent to the graveyard, she can revive a Gem-Knight Normal Monster from there too! Come back, Sapphire!"

Another **2100DEF** wall, hiding behind the barrier. "That's my turn for now, Rinko. How was it?"

"It was... impressive." It's the words of a demon who knows the knight's belied skill. "You set up both an offensive and defensive strategy."

Lisa smiles; "But it's nowhere near enough, right?"

"_...My turn._" Rinko draws, and her cards alight into glowing orbs, flying around her side. One floats down to her vehement blade; "I... summon _Witchcrafter Pittore in attack position._"

It splits into a projected snowglobe, weaving into the form of a plucky **1000ATK** mage juggling potion after potion in her hand. Her intricate staff, shaped almost like a painter's nozzle, loads ingredient after ingredient, pulsing a rainbow that decorates the tips of the mage's hair like strands of candy. "Pittore's effect... I'll tribute this monster and discard 1 spell card from my hand... to Special Summon a new Witchcrafter monster." Her fingers glow. "Come to my side, _Witchcrafter Edel._"

Heart, beat Allegro! Strands from her hands disrobe one witch's form into its composite runes, and spins them into another treasured friend. Crystal flowers grow in the field beneath Edel as she twirls her **2000ATK** wrench around, ponytail dangling in the quaint breeze above her energized grin.

"Aw, she's so pretty~!" Lisa sings. "You've got a gem all your own, don't you Rinko?"

"...I do," she says. "L-Lisa. Do you like being in Roselia?"

"Yeah," the knight nods resolute. "I feel tired pretty often. But I have a goal I want to work towards, and a bunch of amazing people to work with. Like you~!"

'Tired' might be an understatement. Rinko feels some wear from her work, but Lisa looks... dismantled, in comparison. The more Rinko looks at her, the more the concern grows.

But still; "T-thank you," Rinko says. "And, um... it's lovely, working with you too. You're... always thinking of how everyone else feels, Lisa..."

"...You mean it?"

She nods.

"Ahaha~. I'm kind of surprised." Her facial muscles look muted, but Lisa lets elation scatter lightly. "That's... really nice to hear. Know that I'm always here for you guys, okay?"

"...Okay," Rinko says. Her eyes gleam; she peers deeper. "I activate the effect of Pittore; I'll banish it from my graveyard, letting me draw 1 card... as long as I discard a Witchcrafter card afterwards." Perusing her selection of tools, she taps one orb into the dust. "I discard _Witchcrafter Potterie_; then, I'll activate Potterie's effect... banishing it from the graveyard, to retrieve _Witchcrafter Scroll_ from my graveyard."

The tool she used for Pittore returns. Now, her blood blooms. "Edel's effect. I discard Scroll once more to Special Summon a Witchcrafter monster from my hand."

Andante! Edel's crystals give Rinko the strings she needs. Maneuvers she's practiced for years come to life at her fingertips, and she becomes the conductor weaving her world. Each movement carries her dusk mane in the wind with her, bringing her form to life; "Display your dreams, _Witchcrafter Haine._" 

It starts with the ends of a black cape, pointed like demonic wings. Slowly, it builds up into the leather of an experienced witch, gorgeously armed with an array of needles. The choices and details sent as a tribute to her staff make it a design one could only consider a masterpiece; a staff the witch holds in the air as if it were an instinctual companion, rather than a **2400ATK** tool of intense mastery. "Haine's effect. I discard _Witchcrafter Holiday_ from my hand... to target a face-up monster on my opponent's field, and destroy it. I choose..." She gently lays a hand out. "..._Gem-Knight Aquamarine._"

Lisa gasps at the following spectacle; Haine dances with not a hint of hesitation in her hand, and the strings flying out from her staff find gaps in Aquamarine's barrier that shouldn't even exist. The staunch knight is removed, and Rinko crumbles the wall between her and Lisa.

"...Wow. I should've known you'd get through that, huh? But that's fine; now I can activate my counterattack!"

Lisa manages confidence as the pieces of the fallen barrier suddenly reverberate with life, forming a block of beautiful gems; then, they point and shine in the direction of Haine. "_Gem-Knight Aquamarine's_ second effect! When this monster's sent to the graveyard, I can target one card my opponent controls and return it to the hand! I choose _Witchcrafter Haine!_" There's an intensely strong light of ejection emitting from the blue. "Not bad at all, huh?"

"...I'm... afraid that works negatively for you, now."

"Huh?" Lisa's confidence shakes. "U-uh-oh... did I mess up already?"

One of Rinko's most intricate tools gleams from her grasp. One both crafter and craft, the true expression of mastery. "The effect of... _Witchcrafter Golem Aruru._" Rinko draws a shining tool to her blade. "When a Spellcaster-Type monster I control... is targeted by an opponent's attack or effect... I can Special Summon Aruru, and return one card you control to the hand."

As the blue returns Haine back into an orb by Rinko's side, countless tools dance around the demon's side. In a reverent rondo, Rinko directs the emblems of her multiple masteries, calmly and resolutely representing her repressed ambitions. 

Then, in Haine's place, a magnificently crafted golem of a towering height takes place as the Witchcrafters' **2800ATK** magnum opus. A being made entirely of love and dedication, blood and mind poured into its subversion of clandestine. "With Aruru's effect, I target, and choose to return to the hand... your face-down, Lisa."

Lisa gasps, and stumbles.

The golem's eyes gleam. A green light is about to devour the hidden armament on the knight's blade; but in a distress Rinko's seen before, Lisa swipes a hand in haste; "T-then I'll activate the face-down in response! Here goes _Fragment Fusion!_"

The ground beneath them hints at death. Cracks grow like the scars of a wilting flower.

But she takes a step forward, and tries to shine. "Through this trap card, I can banish Gem-Knight monsters from my graveyard to summon Gem-Knight Fusion Monsters from my Extra Deck!" She grits her teeth. "My materials are _Gem-Knight Lapis_ and _Crystal Rose!_"

They're brittle, fragile. The remnants, the fragments, of what were left, are so minute in comparison to the rapids that usually surge beneath Lisa. But regardless; "No matter how much my soul is broken, no matter how much it falls apart... I'll always be able to bring everything back together! So lapis knight of love, defrost my frozen tears once more and uphold your vow!"

It's beautiful, in a way. Rinko can't keep her eyes off from Lisa's shaking limbs.

"_Fusion Summon! Level 8, Gem-Knight Zirconia!_"

It should be magnificent. The gigantic, towering form of zirconia should be unbroken; a shining, rugged emblem of determination in tearing the stars down. Her height should be inspiring, made from Lisa's hands, made from the hands of one Rinko admires so much. **2900 ATK** taken form should bring resolution.

But it's pointless.

"That... did not help you, Lisa."

"H-huh?"

"I attack _Gem-Knight Lapis Lazuli_ with _Witchcrafter Golem Aruru._"

A flurry of twirling lasers carve through the fantastical future. Lisa gasps, her LP falling to **3600;** the surprise even makes one of her knees shudder, as if it's about to give way.

"Then I end my turn."

_Gem-Knight Zirconia_ shatters.

...

Lisa stares in desolate realisation.

"Gem-Knights s-summoned by _Fragment Fusion_ are destroyed at the end of the turn. And you already had _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ on the field... so my _Witchcrafter Edel_ did not have the ATK necessary to land another hit on you. Summoning Zirconia didn't help. I-I'm sorry."

"A-ah. Right, right..." The knight's gaze doesn't shadow; it just looks in resignation. 

Rinko's glad, almost... if Lisa looked that depleted, she'd feel guilty in giving feedback. "Um... with the end of my turn, the effects of the Witchcrafter spells in my graveyard activate." Rinko gently pulls the curtains down. "Witchcrafter Normal Spells that I do not activate during a turn... are returned from my graveyard to my hand at the End Phase."

Witchcrafter Holiday comes back as one orb. Then, an open paper on the front of a card is laid out to the sky; "_Witchcrafter Scroll's_ effect. Because I did not use its second effect this turn, I can place it from my graveyard onto the field at the End Phase."

Rinko's lights settle, her overture complete. 

...

The blue in the air dies out. The light begins to fade. The colour in the air can barely even be called grey, now; it's starting to become nothing but emptiness.

"A... ahaha. Well, that was pretty messy of me." Lisa tries to scratch her head. "I knew the Witchcrafter archetype had Aruru, but I didn't realise that'd make Aquamarine's effect dangerous for me." The words are dry. "And I wasted the Gem-Knights in my graveyard with _Fragment Fusion_, too."

It's definitely messy. But she might not realise; it's even messier than what she usually does, isn't it? The bags under her eyes, the dishevelled strands in her normally perfect hair... they're accumulating...

"Well, at least I can keep it in mind now. This helps; thanks, Rinko." Lisa tries to smile.

"It's... no problem."

"_My turn, then._" Lisa draws, for a total of exactly 1 card in the hand. "...Wow, I... really blew it all on the first turn, d-didn't I? Ugh..."

"Um... the effect of _Witchcrafter Golem Aruru_," Rinko starts. "During my opponent's Standby Phase, this monster returns from the field to my hand-" But she stops. She's not paying attention to the game; rather, it's the fact that "L-Lisa!"

"...Ah!"

Just in time.

Lisa slams her foot down, preventing herself from falling.

"S-sorry about that... thanks, Rinko." She's already looking back at the game board. "For my turn, I should... yeah... maybe t-that'd might..."

"U-um, Lisa!" Rinko can't just stand there, though! "Do... do you want to pause, for now? If you're at risk of fainting, you should-"

"I'm fine, I'm fine! I promise," she croaks. "I want this, trust me. I need as much practice as I can get, y'know?"

"But... if you're not able to concentrate, or if you hurt yourself, then-"

"No. I AM gonna concentrate."

...

"Don't worry about me, Rinko. This is just what it's going to take for me, yeah?" A supposedly easy smile. "Concentrating when my brain's fried, moving when my limbs are stuck... that's just what I need a little of, okay? It's not any serious threat to me, anyway~."

Rinko can't move.

The words are pained; even Lisa's genuine joy and amicability can't shroud the huskiness of her voice any longer. But Rinko realises; what she's aiming to do might be impossible. Even if she quit this duel, nothing good would come of it.

Because there's no stopping Lisa. 

"I may not have much left, b-but I'm not out yet!" Lisa declares; "I activate the graveyard effect of _Gem-Knight Fusion_; I banish _Gem-Knight Obsidian_ to return Fusion to my hand!"

Crystal currents roar around Lisa's feet again, obscuring her limbs; one could swear the gems are almost pouring into her.

"Then, I activate the second effect of _Fragment Fusion_; by banishing this card from my graveyard, I can add a banished Gem-Knight monster back to my hand. I'm grabbing Obsidian!"

They glow, the gems glow. Around the knight, each and every gem has a luster that anyone would admire.

"Where was I... oh, right! I activate _Gem-Knight Fusion!_ My materials are _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ on my field and _Gem-Knight Obsidian_ in my hand!"

Brittle blue and blessed black; the surge roars with ferocity as its light fades. But Lisa seems happy to keep it that way; her sword and shield return to a desaturated blue, covering her hands with blinding crystallic light.

Rinko normally remembers; Lisa loves clasping her hands to her heart when she uses this card. But right now, it feels like she's just forgotten to move them. "O sapphire knight of safety, lend me your frozen determination... o obsidian knight of mastery, l-lend me your silent serenity..." she shakes her head. "Think of the cause that unites you, think of the challenge you both face. Let your feelings flow between you, and let the bond that emerges combine your souls! Make your vow!"

Lisa manages to awaken; her eyes are lent a monochrome fire, feelings etched deep within. "_I Fusion Summon another Gem-Knight Zirconia!_"

The behemoth that emerges again is tall like nothing else; the steel of its resolve and tenacity dwarf Lisa's figure, **2900ATK** imbued into its raw, crystallised arms; sheer crystal blunts packed to the brim with 'gem'.

In fact, the entire field beneath Zirconia's feet is becoming drowned in a shining, crystal surface. The colour is gorgeously intense and eye-catching, like a reverberating, glistening diamond.

"...It's beautiful," Rinko says.

"Right? And t-that's not all, obviously! I'll gather my gems as long as they need me!" She throws an arm out; "_Gem-Knight Obsidian's_ effect! I Special Summon _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ from my graveyard again!"

It fills her body. Beautiful **2100DEF** sapphire.

"I activate _Gem-Knight Fusion's_ effect again; I banish _Gem-Knight Lapis Lazuli_ from my graveyard to return Fusion to the hand!"

The ground has no nature, no life or light of its own; it only keeps borrowing from the gems, more and more and more. Lisa's figure is illuminated. The knight smiles at her blade, even as her body shakes.

"I summon _Rescue Rabbit in attack position_, and activate its effect; I can banish this card from my field to Special Summon 2 Level 4 Normal Monsters from my deck! I choose..."

...

"...uh, 2 _Gem-Knight Garnets_..."

Gems fill the field, more and more and more and more and more. Two burning warriors with **1900ATK** join them all.

The colour in the field is overwhelming. One could have their limbs frozen by it.

"...O-oh, right. I... I don't remember what I was going to do."

Rinko grips her arm; is it okay to continue this? Lisa keeps looking like she's about to faint again, but there's... no way she could be convinced to stop. The resolution in those blazing eyes won't die, no matter how much Lisa's strength does, will it?

But the demon whispers to the angel; there's another way!

...There is.

"Um... Lisa..." Rinko asks. "Do you... like your deck?"

"H-huh?"

It might work. Lisa's brow loosens.

"You... talk about your cards like they're your friends... I feel the same way, sometimes, with my cards. So I thought..."

"Yeah. You're right," Lisa says. "I've had this deck for a long time, so I'm kinda attached to it~."

It ends there. "I-I see," Rinko starts up again, trying to find a way forward. "U-um, Lisa... if you're having trouble making a plan... I think choosing a strategy on instinct... might be ok..."

It dies.

The entire field's luster is wiped clean in an instant. The crystal surface beneath the duelists' feet loses every piece of shine, every piece of colour, in an instant. The world's voice is silenced, frozen in cold agony beneath the rigid bonds of rock.

"...You know what? You might be right. Maybe I'm just... thinking too hard..." 

The air can't make a single sound. The wind's lungs are gone.

Lisa wipes her sweat off. "O-okay... here goes nothing!"

A gulp.

"With my 2 Level 4 _Gem-Knight Garnets_, I establish the Overlay Network!"

Suddenly, the burning knights blaze, brighter and brighter, claiming the only colour on the field. Bit by bit, their forms phase into each other, closer and closer and closer and closer and closer. With each and every buildup, each and every second, the light grows, until-

It dies. Like the rest of the field, it stills into nothingness.

And then, the garnets freeze. Midway into merging, their bodies freeze into an unfinished fusion. A knight untold.

Trembling, shaking. The world begs for air, with no voice to plea. It already brought its own end, once it drowned itself in the gems.

CRRACCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK! SCREEEEEEEECCCCCCCCHHHH!

Lightning. The kaleidoscope roars in pain, drowning the unfinished vow, and its body shakes into logic through sheer willpower, demanding movement no matter how impossible it becomes. The knight's limbs cannot bend, yet they do. And such a demand from the world places strain unbearable on her body.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRCCCCCCCCKKKK!

A rancid energy, coloured like infected rhodonite, finds a way to scream, pouring out from the knight's back. A joint breaks, a leg mutates. Callously sharp crystals jut out from one shoulder. The gems bleed through an entire arm, becoming a mockery of a limb. The flesh-ripping grind of rock against rock chokes the field with an aching dirge.

A shadow drowns Rinko, and she gasps.

A horrific abomination of a knight, the imminent future. Every single piece of the broken bearer has extremities that should not be. A horn in the head like a burrowed blade, a patch at the stomach that refuses any form. By the side of Zirconia, one red eye finds its way through the cracks and stares Rinko down, telling the tale of a loving soul lost to a beautiful abyss. 

The consequence is horrific. How it manages to move, nobody could ever explain; but the mere sight freezes one's heart to the spot, eliciting eulogies from any mind. 

A voice can be heard behind the monster's shade.

"It's... weird. I know I shouldn't be winging things, but... playing like this feels almost r-relieving, in a way. Thanks, Rinko."

Its weapon declares **2900ATK** despite no doubt of its death. Just how can it stand, in its disastrous state?

"Right, then~. Let's keep going!"

There's no possible human answer.

"_Gem-Knight Zirconia_, attack _Witchcrafter Edel!_"

Rinko automates her response, unable to tear her gaze from the being. "I summon _Witchcrafter Golem Aruru_, and target Zirconia to return it to the hand."

Lisa's next move is expected. But Rinko still can't help but jump. The abomination crushes the ground beneath its feet in the middle of Aruru's emergence; horrific rhodonite tendrils burst out from its back and strangle Aruru's staff, directing its beam of energy away from Zirconia and onto a holographic card back.

The second it does, the heart-wrenching abomination momentarily collapses to the ground.

"_**Cairngorgon, Antiluminescent Knight's**_ effect!" Lisa declares; "When my opponent activates something that targets a card on the field, I can detach an Xyz Material from Cairngorgon and choose a different appropriate target instead!" Her smile manages. "What do you think? I set _Gem-Knight Fusion_ onto the field before I attacked, so I could deflect Aruru's effect!"

"Yeah. It's... a very clever move," Rinko says.

"Now I'll resume my attack! Zirconia, attack Aruru instead!"

The towering giant's resolve crushes indefatigably. **3900LP;** the Witchcrafter's emblem is removed.

"Now, _Cairngorgon, Antiluminescent Knight_..." Lisa points. "Attack _Witchcrafter Haine!_"

The monster doesn't respond, initially. It fundamentally shouldn't be able to hear. What it uses to accomplish such a thing, none know. But once it manages to understand those words, joints somehow creak. One could watch a broken wind-up toy collapse through its journey on the carpet, and still call it a marvellous journey, after seeing this.

And yet, despite it all, it lunges with a heart-crushing ferocity. Almost as if it wants to look imposing, to claim reliability.

The ground trembles beneath the wail of rock dragging through. Rinko grits her teeth for a moment; the demon finds its grounds threatened. "_Witchcrafter Haine's_ effect... I discard _Witchcrafter Holiday_ from my hand to target and destroy Cairngorgon."

"Not a chance! Cairngorgon, deflect!"

Rinko can't even blink before it happens. The piety saw a split second to act, and screamed its response into existence. The aura strangles Haine's staff, veering the strings in _Gem-Knight Sapphire's_ direction and shattering her instead.

The tendrils retract, and Cairngorgon lands a malignant spike of empty crystal into the ground, tearing the world apart. Haine shatters... and Rinko calmly stands, LP holding at **3400.**

"Whew... I thought I'd never get past them." Lisa wipes some sweat off. "Your monsters' effects are real scary, Rinko. You're fun to duel."

"...Thank you."

"Don't mention it~! That's my turn over, then."

Lisa slacks, but her monster can't loosen its limbs. It stands stiff. It looks almost scared.

In a way, that horrific determination is strong like nothing else.

But if you apply too much pressure, anything will eventually break.

Rinko's discarded spell returns, and another new orb joins it; "_My turn, then..._" Violet watches. "_Witchcrafter Edel's_ second effect; I can tribute this monster to Special Summon a Witchcrafter from my graveyard. I... choose Haine."

It hardly took half a minute for the weaving sorceress to return. But Lisa doesn't grimace; her smile's as beautiful to Rinko as ever. "Hey, Rinko. Do you like your deck too?"

"U-um!"

...Even in this situation, does she have to stumble so much? Lisa just makes every conversation feel so natural, makes Rinko feel like she can open up. Can she have a bit of Lisa's confidence for herself?

"Aw, cutie~." Lisa manages a wink. "Whenever you blush like that, the response's usually positive, right?"

She can still notice that, even now.

"Um... yes..." Rinko's limbs lose their tension. "I... it's not the only deck I use, but... it's my favorite. U-um..." she breathes. "T-the Witchcrafter crest... is a pair of tools laid across a magic sigil. That's one of... my favorite aspects of it."

"They're all creators, huh?" Lisa says. "Is Edel your favorite? Or how about Haine? She's got a staff that sews things, after all~!"

"...Hehe... um. I like Haine a lot, for that reason. B-but neither of those are my favorite."

"Wow~. Maybe one day, I'll become good enough to see Rinko's prized monster." Lisa stretches. "Haine's my favorite from your deck right now, though. For, well. Let's just say you might know the reason~."

...

...Is it strange for both the angel and the demon to surge? Perhaps not. After all, something that benefits you, can spread onto others... and vice versa. 

Rinko realises; maybe Lisa, too, thinks of herself as alone in fearing.

"...Yeah. Thank you... Lisa..." Rinko says. "Um... I'll continue my turn. I activate Haine's effect; I discard _Witchcrafter Holiday_ to destroy Cairngorgon."

A demon undaunted. The master dances needles and threads through the air until the monstrosity's form is torn apart, so quickly and efficiently.

Lisa stares at the scene longingly. Before the crystal surface fades from the field, it shows just a little colour again. "R-right. I ran out of Xyz Materials to use her effect with... well. That, uh. Makes me feel a bit small. Guess it's just me and you, Zirconia~."

"It's ok." Rinko nods. "You made some strong maneuvers, still. You... were just a little reckless. That's why you fell apart early on."

"F-figures. Well," Lisa moves as vividly as she can, and puts a hand on her hip. "Can I see something a little smoother and stronger from you~?"

"Yeah."

An angelic symphony, a demonic orchestra. Two hands begin to weave their composition through the air.

Violet Red seeps. The first movement! "I... activate the spell card _Witchcrafter Creation_... allowing me to add 1 Witchcrafter monster from my deck to my hand." The lights dance. "I add, and summon... a new _Witchcrafter Potterie in attack position._"

A timid figure with **2000DEF.** Now, the second movement! "By tributing Potterie... and sending _Witchcrafter Scroll_ from my field to my graveyard... I summon _Witchcrafter Madame Verre_ from my deck."

**1000ATK;** the pages flip. The head witch calmly glows in. She's an ephemeral being wrapped in a mane of hair, whose magic makes the process of breathing look manual. Her gorgeous yet simply patterned staff wields everything and anything in the realm of elemental magic, and has the potential for so much more. She has no craft but the concept of magic itself. 

"Whoa... a master witch, huh..." Lisa sweats. "I'm honoured~."

The third movement! "Potterie's effect... I banish this monster from my graveyard, to add _Witchcrafter Holiday_ back to my hand." The orb returns for a mere second, before obediently becoming a card in the demon's grasp. "I activate _Witchcrafter Holiday_, allowing me to Special Summon _Witchcrafter Edel_ back to the field." 

**2000ATK.** Rinko knows; Lisa is watching in awe as crystal flowers bloom once more. And it's an awe impossible for Rinko to deny; no matter how much she downplays herself, she knows for certain she has at least some skill over her opponent.

It's time for the fourth movement. The finale.

"_Witchcrafter Haine_, attack _Gem-Knight Zirconia._" Rinko curves two vectors through the air with her hands, and the tetra-elements obey a line crossed through. The shrine grounds are Violet Red's admiring audience. "Madame Verre's effect; I reveal _Witchcrafter Draping_ from my hand to have Haine gain a 1000-point boost to her stats."

Haine's threads come to life, and the lines rip through the world, cutting space with gorgeous runways. Verre graces the rays that pave the way to the future.

"Ack!" The towering giant's resolve seemed invincible, and yet it crumbles. Despite all her perseverance, Lisa can't sustain it, falling to **3100LP.** She's finally been opened.

But that's not the climax; this is! Haine's beautiful threads trap the ground beneath Lisa's feet, and the magic of Edel and Verre pulse into them, wrapping Lisa in their embrace. Through Haine's support, the other witches shine their glorious light upon the stars, unleashing their passion in the face of all adversity.

"..._Witchcrafter Edel_ and _Witchcrafter Madame Verre_..." Violet cuts clean. "Attack Lisa Imai directly."

Rebellion toils for its trouble. Their objective is something only their burning passion can carry them through; their confident grins carry a power as deep and as strong as the mastery etched into the movements of their hands, directing their staffs into a cross at Haine's behest!

The threads reverberate. Magical electricity rips through the entirety of the field. The earth itself bows to the demon's might.

"O-oh boy!"

She hears Lisa grit her teeth and brace, before light tears through the sky.

...

"...Whew..."

The knight still stands. She has no reason to, and yet she smiles. **100LP** is all she has left.

"A-ack. You're amazing, Rinko."

"...Thank you. I... still have room to improve, though," she responds. "We... both do." The lights around her dance. "I end my turn. The Witchcrafter spell cards in my graveyard... return to my hand and field."

"..." Lisa sighs in endearment. "It's amazing. I want to be as strong as you one day, Rinko. Maybe that way, I'll be a bit closer to Yukina."

...Closer? The way she and Yukina talk, it feels like the pair are as close as they can already be... is there something missing?

She shakes her head, and focuses on Lisa instead; the knight looks more and more tired by the second, despite the newfound joy on her face. "Um, Lisa... are you going to...?"

"Ah, right. I won't keep my Rinko waiting~." She keeps her hand on top of her deck; "Ready?"

Rinko looks at her determination. All Lisa has is _Gem-Knight Fusion_ in her hand... but the next thing she draws could be something that lets her keep fighting. So, let's see. "...Yes."

"_My turn!_" The card cuts- "Ah."

...

The clouds are beginning to part. But if there was any hint of the Sun left, it's already departed.

Wistful. That's the only word she can use to describe it.

"...Heheh. Funny. Of all the ways for it to end... it has to be this. Ahaha~." She smiles. "Yeah. Well... here you go, Rinko."

She places the card on her blade.

"I set one monster in _face-down defense position_ and end my turn."

"...I see. _My turn._" Rinko draws. A veritable ensemble of magic orbits at her disposal. But she decides to keep it simple; "Haine's effect. I discard a spell card from my hand... to target and destroy your set monster."

A clean motion. Three threads wrap around the holograph of the card's back, and shatter it.

The card was _Gem-Knight Garnet._

"..._Witchcrafter Haine_, attack Lisa directly."

Three needles dance, and rip a storm of strings. Lisa's already retracted her blade before the attack even lands.

Slice.

The demon takes the victory with merely a drop of sweat.

**...0LP.**

"..." She breathes, groans contentedly and stretches. "Whew. Honestly? I still had fun, at least."

"You've... definitely improved, over the past week," Rinko says. "Um... you make some heavy mistakes, but they're usually caused... by a lack of intricate knowledge. If you ironed them out... you'd improve very fast... even faster than you are now."

"...I see." Lisa nods. "Well, that's great~. Guess... I might've... worried too much... huh..."

Rinko gasps at the fall. This time, though, she doesn't stand still; no, she rushes over and catches the knight in her arms, before sitting them down. Lisa's back rests against Rinko's lap.

"Ha... ahaha~." Lisa holds onto Rinko's arms. "I... was on the reverse side of this position, a week ago."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just... tired. Thanks." She brings a lazy hand up to black hair. "Hey, Rinko~. You're... real sweet, you know that? I know why you challenged me to that duel."

"..."

Lisa's face. The face of one she admires is being filled with loving strength, because of her.

"Thanks, Rinko."

"U-um. What for?"

"For worrying about me."

"..."

"I know the others are, too. All of them are telling me to get some rest, constantly." 

"..."

Lisa croaks a hum. "Guess I messed up a bit. I know what Yukina meant now; I'm repressing my own problems. That's probably what's making me feel so desperate. I can't take care of anyone if I'm looking so distressed to them constantly, can I?"

"...Yeah. We... all appreciate your help. But we don't... want you to burn out."

"Hehe. I'm in the arms of an angel, huh?" Lisa shuffles. Rinko can't help but stroke that caramel mane. "You say you appreciate me, but honestly...? I really admire you, Rinko. You do so much for everyone, constantly."

...

"I thought you made it look easy. But I figure that's... well, just because of experience. You honed all your crafts for years on end, right?"

"...Yeah."

"I'm not that like that. I'm... not all that experienced with playing Duel Monsters competitively. That's why I wanna catch up, you know?"

"...Yeah. Um, Lisa..." She gently holds her friend. "You're... not alone... in worrying."

"Eh?" Lisa looks up. "Worrying about what?"

"P... personal doubts," Rinko responds. Violet looks into faded caramel. "I... I don't know what you're dealing with... but I want you to know... I think the rest of us have fears too. I-I..." she breathes. "I... fear about what Roselia's going to do. I'm scared for my own safety."

"...I see." Lisa smiles. "That makes sense. Compared to the rest of us, you've got a relatively normal life set up, huh?"

"I-I'm sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine~. We aren't condemning you for existing, y'know?" She holds one of Rinko's hands. "Take your time; you don't have to be Roselia's candidate for the 15th, if you don't want to. Besides, you help us out so much as is, y'know? We're all getting closer to our goals, thanks to you."

...That's true. Even through indirect action, Rinko is helping both herself and everyone else, isn't she?

"Yeah," Rinko smiles. "And... the same goes for you. Everyone's grateful for what you do, Lisa... so you don't need to-"

"Thanks."

It cuts through. She calmly pushes Rinko's voice back.

"But, I want to catch up," she declares. "I don't plan on doing much else. So I can't spend my free time sewing, or hanging out with anyone outside of Roselia right now."

"A-ah. I... I see."

"I figure nobody'll REALLY judge me for it, but... I've got to train, at least for Yukina's sake. So I can't talk about the interests I share with you yet. Sorry, Rinko."

"...Right."

The breeze revives. It's not invigorating, but it brings life back.

Lisa manages to stand, but Rinko holds her for a bit, just to be safe. "I'll keep training," she says. "And I'll.. uh, try to sort my own stuff out, in the meantime. Who knows; maybe I'll get picked as the candidate, while I'm at it!" She smiles. "That's my plan. I'll keep the fainting to a minimum. And, uh... don't tell the others about what I said, okay? The M.O.'s to not worry them, after all."

Rinko nods.

"Thanks. Sorry to reject your offer, Rinko." The knight's jacket blows in the wind. "But, I mean it when I say I'm grateful. I know I'm not alone, for real. And I know I can ask you guys for help when I need it. That... makes me feel a little more ready, to look back on what's happened lately."

No. Thank you, Lisa. You've helped me too. Because now I know; I'm not the only one who has fears here.

That's why I'll let the angel lift my friends, until the demon gathers the courage she needs. 

Besides... helping oneself and helping others... can sometimes be the same.

"It's late. You two should go to sleep soon."

Amber cuts. The two turn to the deck in front of Roselia's base; at the top of the wooden steps stands the silver empress. Her eyes are the flagbearer to the rogue army's victory.

And tonight, her labyrinth of resolve seems even stronger than before. Merely looking at her takes a piece of your heart and tests its might.

"Yukina~!" Lisa waves. "Thanks. We'll do just that; don't mind our extra practice."

"Save anything else for tomorrow. Week 2 will be intense. We won't just be training in Duel Monsters, either."

"...What... else is there?" Rinko asks.

"Other skills. The ability to carry and convey your voice," the wolf booms. "The ability to capture attention. Skills you'll need for the Central City Exhibition."

"Oooooh. I see, I see~," Lisa says. "Sounds like it's going to be busy!"

"It will. So, rest now. Take a good long rest. You need to be as prepared as you can humanly be." Her hair flows, like a silent assassin. "We need to do as much as we can to ensure the downfall of the Shirasagi Corporation."

"Aye aye~!" Lisa winks at Rinko; "Thanks for everything. See you tomorrow, my lovely angel~."

Violet watches the knight's figure fade into the darkness; she still staggers, still wavers. Rinko couldn't stop her from burning herself forward... but, at least, there's a hope she's made Lisa feel less scared. Less scared of her peers, less scared of her environment... more free to keep herself just a bit more intact.

Her thoughts are cut; Yukina's heart-grabbing gaze has affixed her to the spot.

A nod is all it takes.

Then, the door closes. 

The clouds are beginning to part, and the night sky gleams through. They're all visible now; the countless stars in the sky. The stars that tell the arts what they should want.

...February 15th. On that day, an event will shake the entirety of the dual-district like nothing else.

Roselia will threaten the image of dueling as the world knows it, and the shackles will crumble.

The demon slowly gathers courage. What lies on the other side... begs to be reached.

\---

"...Tomoe. Do you know what my greatest fear is right now?"

"Uh." The rider sweats. "N-no? What is it?"

"Don't chicken OUT on me, Tomoe," the voice cuts. "Guess."

"Um... that Toyama Confectionary's gonna be out of stock before you get there tomorrow?"

"WRONG. Guess again."

"I don't know! Honest!"

"Then, I'll tell you, Tomoe..." Preying eyes gleam. "My greatest fear..."

The world turns silent, for a mere second.

And then Himari does her thing. "...IS THAT YOU FORGOT TO RETURN MY 5TH VOLUME OF 'BLOOM INTO ME' AGAIN!"

.

"O-oh." Tomoe blinks. "Yeah, you're right. Whoops."

"Oh my god! I knew it!"

It's 10pm on Sunday night, and Afterglow's wiped out. The Orchid Rose sighs in endearment as her pink ferret of a friend throws herself onto the bean bag. "Tomoe," Ran starts. "3rd time in a row. Hasn't it been like, two weeks since you promised Himari you'd read it?"

"H-how do you remember that?!" Tomoe balks. "If your memory of it's that strong, maybe the manga's right up your alley instead of mine!"

"H-hey! Don't start throwing accusations at me!"

"Oh my god!" Himari yells. "You mean you were lying when you said you were interested in it? I gave you the 5th volume BECAUSE you said you'd be happy to read more!"

"U-um! You guys..."

"I wasn't kidding! Honest!" Tomoe's muscled figure has never looked less intimidating. "It's, just... I forget about that kind of stuff sometimes, y'know? That's all!"

"Not hearing it. Traitor. Unbelievable."

"Okay, okay," Tomoe yawns, evidently not ready for another row. She just dunks herself beside Himari on the bean bag instead. "Read it with me tomorrow at school, then. How about that?"

"Accepted. I'm too sleepy to reject it right now."

"Whew."

Ran sighs. How can one person have so much 'loud' on the night before a school week?

"It's... been fun today, hasn't it?" Tsugumi lets out an adorable yawn and sits beside her, as Himari drags Tomoe through 15 different musicians in the romance genre on her phone. "I'm glad we all organised the trip together. Haneoka Coast has some really nice locations..."

"I-it's no problem," Ran scratches her head. "Sorry if I look distracted lately."

"It's fine! You're trying to get better at Duel Monsters, right?" Tsugumi smiles. "...Even more than you used to. It's kind of amazing."

Amber pangs.

It beats, it beats, it beats. 

A piece of the sky has fallen into Ran's hands.

"...Yeah." She shuffles. "But I didn't need to ignore you guys because of it."

"Aw, Ran." Ack, she's so sweet. "You worry too much sometimes. You were practicing WITH us, after all."

"Heh. Guess so." Ran leans back. "I'm glad we went out today. I wish Moca wasn't off elsewhere with her friggin' bread tour, but it was still fun with the 4 of us."

"Ehehe. She texted us everything she ate, at least. There were... so many brioches..." Tsugumi giggles. "And thanks for reminding Tomoe and Himari about the aquarium, Ran. I thought we'd never actually visit it before we went back home, the way everything was going."

"No problem. They should actually listen when you're trying to speak up next time," Ran says. "Tomoe spent more time during lunch yelling at the Beyblade arcade machine than she did listening to you."

"I-it's ok, really. It's nice to see Tomoe like that, for a change," Tsugumi whispers. "...And it's all because of you."

"You too, y'know."

"Ehehe."

Ran smiles, and offers a happily returned high-five to Tsugumi. The first week of February's come to a close, and things are already looking up.

Thank god. Just a week back, Ran felt like she couldn't do a thing for anyone. It felt like the sky was just crashing on all their heads. But Afterglow's back together now, and that's what matters. Even Moca's keeping in contact, at least... if from afar.

"...I guess everything is the same as usual," she says.

"Hey!" Himari throws her earphone off. "She said it! WOO!"

"O-oi!" Ugh, sappy! "Don't throw your hands up just for that."

"Nuh-uh! Come here, you!" Oh god, before she knows it- AGH! Yup, Himari's monster tackle.

"Oh? You're having a group hug without me?" Tomoe grins. "Well, I GUESS it's no fair if I'm left out, riiiiight?"

Ack! There's a chorus of giggling as Tomoe grabs the three of them together. "T-Tomoe! Um, my hairclip!"

"Oh! Sorry, is it damaged?" Tomoe picks it up from the ground. "Whew, it's fine. I'll avoid the vitals next time, Tsugumi."

"You'd better! I gave that as a gift to her!" Himari pouts.

"I'll treat it with greater care, your majesty."

It's something Ran can't help but start smiling at; who cares about putting the breaks on your face when you've finally breached that damning wall?

Tsugumi's mom comes in and hollers them to sleep, eventually; thank god. Ran loves these doofuses, but any more pep from Himari and she would've passed out on the floor already. Futons? Way better for that.

Obviously, they can't help but goof for a few minutes after the lights go out. Look, just reason here; the juggling balls sitting on the carpet next to her were too tempting, okay? Throwing one at Tomoe was too good to pass up.

And obviously, that devolved quick. It was chaos; she denied starting it, just to piss Tomoe off, and ate a storm in return. Seeing that red-haired rider with a smile on her face feels amazing after all that's happened.

Then it eventually turns silent. Their weary bodies beg for comfort, in the realm of the night sky.

The stars twinkle through the window.

And a meek voice tries to make itself distinguished.

"...Hey, you guys," Tsugumi asks. "Do you think Moca's going to show up to school tomorrow? Her absence record is starting to pile up..."

"Itsh... fine..." Himari's already fading away. "She was... teeeeeeechnically 'in' last week, anyway... just dodging classes, is all. She gave that... homework in too, right..."

"Yeah, but-"

Tsugumi's cut off with a pat on the head. "Don't worry about it. Get some sleep, Tsugu," Tomoe sings. "You know what Moca's like. She'll come in with 3 bakery bags for us tomorrow, like she usually does. All the drama probably just made her want to take a break for a week. Chill n' all that." The hand retracts. "So don't worry."

"...Okay," Tsugumi murmurs. "I hope that's the case. Goodnight, you guys."

"Niiiight~."

Ran sends Tsugumi a quick look of acknowledgement through matted hair. The smile tells her it's appreciated.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"...Snnnnnzzzzzzz..."

Everything feels... comforting. Looking at the picture frames on Tsugumi's shelves, the futons laid out beside each other, the fluffy carpet, the simple painting and lights... the plushies laid neatly on the carpet, the music CDs and clothes strewn about the room... it's home, no matter which member's house it is.

And it should be. After all, Ran tore the walls down. And she knows she can do so again. They weren't temporary changes, either; they're all moving forward. Tomoe isn't going to tear herself away from everyone else anymore, no matter what she's going through. So Afterglow's sticking together, for real this time. They promised, after all.

...But...

...Ran looks up to the ceiling, blocking her view of the sky above.

And she can't help but feel that something isn't right.

"...Moca..."

The window gives no more light to the quaint room.

Afterglow sleeps in a forest's darkness.


	23. A.T. Case Files: #1

...

...

...

It's dark. Easy to hide in. The perfect environment for someone like her.

...

Tapes.

There's four. Four tapes have recorded her life up to this point. They're cold to the touch.

Scattered, segmented screenshots. But they're the most vivid things she remembers.

A television. Cathode ray tube, to be exact. Obtuse, heavy. The surface isn't flatscreen like modern kinds; instead, it's slightly curved. It's not the oldest model in the world; you can tell by the transistors in its makeup. But to the modern era, it's basically a relic.

Funny. Her mind can picture this television so easily. How smart she must be.

She inserts one tape into the darkness beneath. 

...

...

...whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr................

The screen is faint. The initial colour is black. But the light coming from it drowns her eyes.

Static. Sepia-tone. One can see little bolts of white blink over an etched heart.

**A.T.**

Stand stiff, like a meeting with no chairs.

**Case File #1**

And watch the coward's tale.

...

...

...

Early summer.

There's a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

It opens, meekly and timidly. "P-pardon my intrusion, sir!"

"Wahaha!" His laugh is rather boisterous. "No trouble at all! It's always nice seeing the new star of the show!"

"Y-you're too kind..."

Her young face. How happy it looks, how flattered. There's a few beads of sweat under her cheek, and she's a little low on sleep. But that enthusiasm she had was electrifying, wasn't it?

"Take a seat, new star!" Her boss is sharply dressed; grey suit, homely 'dad' tie in front. But he also leans back in his comfy chair and carries his voice gently. "How've you liked your work experience here? Is the company nice?"

"It's amazing!" She jumps. "O-oh, sorry for the noise. Um, it's been a great honour to work here! I've learned a lot from my first time in a work environment!"

"And it's been a great honour to have you, let me tell you," the boss leans forward. "We were a little worried about you at first; 13 years old, and she wanted to gain practical experience already? But boy, were we lucky to have you. I hope it hasn't been overwhelming."

"N-no, not at all," she says, stretching her strained hands. "I hope I've been of help!"

"Ahaha! You're modest as always!" He booms. "You make the apprentices look like the kids here, you know that? Your knowledge and skills're something else. I genuinely mean it when I say your expertise's helped us with our Duel Monsters technology."

"R... really?"

"Of course, of course! We might not be big shots like the ShiraCorp, but take it with pride when I say you've done some great work for a great company!"

Her eyes brighten. Her innocent young soul fires off at all circuits. "Thank you so much! My time here's helped me understand so many new things too! I'm really excited to keep applying what I've learnt!"

"THAT'S the spirit! I'll make sure to let your teachers know how much you helped us," the boss says. "It's your last day today, so feel free to slack off if you wanna, yeah? Our treat," he chuckles.

"O-oh, no, I couldn't possibly-"

"I mean it." His face conveys earnestness to the innocent lamb. "We prioritise the health of our workers above all else. Even temporary young'uns like you, you know? If you need the break, take it; nobody here would judge you for it."

"I-I appreciate it, really," she responds, rubbing the bags on her eyes. "Thank you very much. But I'll keep at it today too!"

"You, are, a, STAR, you know that?" The boss claps his hands, and stands up. "Well, anything you do today'll be the icing on top, to us. Hope your day goes well; come back before you clock out, and I'll have your certificate ready for you!"

"Understood!" Another hearty salute. "Have a good day, sir!"

She's about to leave the door. That should have been it.

"Oh, and one more thing..."

But when she turns, she sees her boss grabbing a ticket of some kind, and handing it over. 

"Here you go. A qualifying pass for the Haneoka Festival's Machine-Type Tournament!" He winks. "Let's just say being one of its organizers gives me some perks. Fill out the form online, and you'll be able to play with some fresh young pros."

"W-what?!" She nearly topples over from the shock. "Y-you'd really give this to me, sir? I-"

"Ahahaha! That's what I expected," he booms. "But ohohoho. Don't fret; we all know you've got a secret passion for Duel Monsters yourself. I even saw that discussion you had about Brionac. You basically made a whole essay about that card!"

She remembers her thoughts at the time; he saw that? That's so morbidly embarrassing! "A-a-a-ah... I'm so sorry..."

"No way, no way; that's EXACTLY the kind of passion people adore," he gives a thumbs-up. "Sure, some naysayers'd call you childish for it. But there's nothing wrong with a little love for your sport, is there?"

"W-well..."

"Give it some thought. Your backstage aid is amazing. But nobody's saying you're only allowed to build the monster holographs; why not use them, too?" He winks. "...Bet you have quite a few decks made in your spare time, don't you?"

It's validating, it's encouraging. Each and every one of his words feels like it invigorates someone to climb the ladder as much as they can.

The ladder to the stars.

"T-thank you so much!" She's beaming. "I'll... I'll give it a shot! I hope I won't let you down!"

A grin. "Now that's the spirit!"

\---

The sepia of her tape fits the scenery.

It's a low-traffic area of Haneoka Central City; there's a dusty park nearby, a few surrounding roads closed off so the audience can watch. In the center, there's a modest raised podium purposed as the arena, designed almost like a boxing ring. It's a frequent choice of stage for those organising tournaments on a budget.

It's half an hour before it begins; her body is shaking, every neuron in her brain is firing 'panic'. But she stays; because deep down, she's excited at the chance to duel someone on the big stage.

Electricity runs through her.

Minutes pass, and she battles between the adrenalines of passion and distress. It's been a week since her first work experience ended, but her boss's words still ring in her head. A supporting role is always what she's liked, but watching duels on the big stage is amazing like nothing else. She doesn't usually tell others about it, but she really does like playing the sport too; she juggles dreams of intense strategy as much as she does dreams of advanced circuitry.

And there's been so many people, along the way, who've encouraged her. Her mom's always ecstatic about her skills, and her teachers are always proud of her. And all her coworkers at the company were really happy to have her. All of them wished her luck on the day she left. They're all so willing to support her... so, why not take a bit of their courage for herself?

If they say she's got the skills for it, then she should believe that. Trust in their words.

Tick. Tock. Slowly, the fear fades, and the clamour grows. Ten minutes are left. She can only wonder what kind of duelists she'll end up-

"Can you believe it? It's a miracle; god, I'm so glad he actually got arrested."

She jumps at the cut of the nearby conversation. The tone's pretty sharp...

...Wait, isn't that...?

"U-um! You guys!" She waves.

"Oh, hey! It's whiz kid!" Their faces immediately brighten upon seeing her. They're a sibling pair of rugged employees who were at her previous workplace; a duo who always made sure she was doing okay.

"It's nice to see you two again! How are you?" She asks.

"We're getting by," the brother smiles. "We thought we'd come here to watch the games. Did you help make this stage?"

"That's a bit presumptuous," the sister cuts in. "She's 13, y'know? Just because a Duel Monsters arena exists, doesn't mean she helped build it."

"It is a pretty easy assumption to make, though," the young girl chuckles.

"See? I'm not entiiiirely wrong, am I?" He says. "Ooo! That ID card, whiz kid... that means you're participating in the tournament! Heck yeah!"

"W-well-"

"For real? Congratulations!" The sister offers a high five, which she meekly accepts. "You're a real geek-out at the game, aren't you? We'll be looking forward to watching you play!"

"H-hehe... thank you," she bows. "Um... did the boss invite you two as well? He gave me a ticket; that's how I was able to participate."

...

The conversation silences, immediately.

"U-um..." she naively asks, "is something wrong?"

The pair look at each other. "Should we tell her?" The brother asks.

"Obviously not. She's just a kid."

"I dunno. I think knowing about this stuff earlier helps you, honestly." His gaze turns a serious previously unknown. "Hey, whiz kid. I've got some bad news to share."

"W... what is it?"

"Your previous boss got arrested for corruption."

.

...

...The world darkens.

"...Corruption?" She shakes. "What does that mean?"

"Don't tell her-"

The brother shakes his head. "He was a real scummy guy. We never told you, but we worked 8 'til 5 under him with pretty low wages for it. He pestered us into overtime frequently, too."

"8... until 5? Do you mean hours?"

The sister nods. "That's not all. The boss was laundering money for his own pockets. And he had a whole bunch of illegal dealings going on; they found all sorts of wea..." she shakes her head. "No. You're better off not knowing that part. All you need to know is that he was the worst."

Her innocence breaks.

Something empty grows within.

"...But..." The young girl lowers her head. "...He was so nice. He always handed out cupcakes to everyone during work breaks too, didn't he? It's because of him that I'm even here."

"And he worked you to death, didn't he?" The sister smiles, and hands her a lollipop. "Here. Your left eye always winces when you're sleep-deprived. My brother noticed when you were tired on the job."

.

"...Yeah... it was... pretty tiring..." she responds.

But she can barely process it. All this time, she thought she was building up to something bigger, something better. Following your passions takes hard work and lots of hours; feeling on the verge of passing out every day is normal for people with a job, right? That's the feeling of productivity and accomplishment that people always praise.

...Right?

"Us and a bunch of other workers tried to form a union," the brother says. "We were just intending to get better pay for our trouble. But there was a team who came to investigate the boss, and they found out about all the illegal stuff he did. We're out of a job now, thanks to that."

"O-oh."

Her face pains. With every word they say, the stake drives itself deeper and deeper. There's something gnawing at her chest.

"See, I warned you. Shouldn't have told her," the sister cuts. "She's not prepared to know any of this. This stuff's horrible for people her age."

"...I know. But this is the kind of world that necessitates hearing it early, I think." The brother puts a hand on his hip. "You've got to be prepared so you don't get exploited."

...

"Don't worry about us, yeah?" He smiles. "We're used to this stuff. We'll be back on our feet with another job, sooner or later. Gotta pay the bills, after all."

...

"...W-whiz kid?" The sister tries to encourage. "Feeling okay? The tournament's gonna start in 5 minutes..."

It's gone. The courage she had is starting to fade.

The hand that gave her kindness... was coated in oil.

"...Um..." the young girl lifts her head. "S-sorry. I'm feeling a little sick, suddenly. I... I think I'll go home now." She wears a calm, customer-service smile. "I hope you two have a nice day."

They don't say anything as she leaves. 

They only look at her with sympathy.

\---

Her fourth piece of work experience. 

It's nearing the end of summer. She'd taken every opportunity she could over the past few months; that's just what she felt she should do, after all.

It's another company focused on developing Duel Monsters technology. It's here where she first learnt about how Duel Disks are made. She'd spent a bunch of personal time looking into them, so getting a work opportunity involving them was a delight. She jumped straight for it when her teachers emailed her about it.

But the second she walked into the office, she remembered the words of her previous coworkers.

And it started feeling harder to breathe.

But her present self remembers. At this point in time, her electricity hadn't faded just yet. She used to pride herself on that; she'd take the flaws she found in her world, and work the best she could to acknowledge them, moving forward along the way.

What a pathetic thing to take pride in. Because to her present self, moving forward, all on your own, without caring for the people around you...

...is callous.

It all went fine at first. Her eyes glistened at the sight of circuit-boards and hard-light technology. The marvels of the Shirasagi Corporation, which brought dueling into a new age. She was getting to learn about their process hands-on.

She tried to ignore the memories her work evoked. There were coworkers who weren't always fussy, often skipping minor details because their exhaustion was too much to handle. There were coworkers who were amazed at her skills, and supported her dreams, telling her she should follow her passions. There were coworkers who got worried about how much she was doing. There were coworkers who asked her how she was feeling, giving her sweet treats or words of support.

...And for some reason, the words of support made her feel like she was doing something wrong.

She didn't know why. That is, until that day came.

"I said I'M DONE!"

A worker sweeps the entire contents of a desk to the floor in his rage. He's looking at the boss in pure, undiluted anger.

This boss isn't like the last one; she's curt, tout and to-the-point. Her sigh is bitter and haggard as she sweeps a hand through her hair. "What in god's name are you playing at?"

"Didn't hear me? Then I'll repeat it; I'm DONE." He stamps his foot down. "If you're not happy with the way the disk's blade looks, tough. We're up to our necks in work over here!"

"Don't be an idiot!" The boss snaps. "Competition is everything; if we're not making better products than our competitors, our company's going to sink into the ground. Don't slack on your job."

"How many times have you given that reason? Do you get off from depriving our sleep, or something?!"

"Do you all want to lose your jobs?!" A snake's fangs show. "THIS is the world of business. Sink or swim, just like the sport we make tech for. We NEED to make a profit this month, or else my sponsors are going to have my head. Wake up and accept reality."

"Accept reality?! It's only our reality because you're making it that!" The worker stands his ground. "You know what? I've HAD it with you."

"Oh? Have you really?"

The worker sweats. But he continues; "Yeah. That's right; you're the most insufferable fucking shark around. At the end of the day, all this 'profits' nonsense is just an excuse to treat us like corporate slaves! It's because of you that I barely have the energy to talk to my kids when I get home!"

It aches. The young girl shudders as she hears word after word of undiluted torment; she's reminded of her old friends at her previous company.

And she realises; her new boss... is a...

"...Monster," the worker says.

The boss doesn't bat an eye. "I've had so many people call me that, I've lost count."

"That's because it's true, you piece of shit. You haven't smiled a day in your life; all you do is make people toil until they die," he yells. "You'll even make KIDS break their backs for you! The temp's nearly passed out 3 times while she's been here!"

.

...It aches.

"I don't see the problem. She wants to be here," the boss scowls. "She wanted this opportunity, and I gave it. It was her choice."

"Oh, please. You really think she's gonna say no when you drop a stack of papers on her desk?! She's fucking 13 years old! We're adults; we're her role models, and you're abusing that position of authority to work her to the bone!"

It aches.

"If she hates it so much, then she can just leave." Red stabs. "Just like how YOU'RE going to leave now. I'm firing you immediately. I hope you enjoy the prospect of losing your home in the next month."

There's murmurs. It was expected, but it's horrible.

It aches.

It aches, it aches, it aches, it aches it aches and it aches. She realises; all this time, she's been working for monsters, hasn't she? Her first boss was one, and her second boss was one... all of them were. That's why all her coworkers' smiles look so cracked. 

It's horrible. Why do they treat people like this?

She can't. She can't just stand here and watch this. She's... all this time, she's been helping and supporting monsters, without even realising it! Not even for money, not even for a roof over her head; just for her own dreams, just for her own pathetic passions. All this time, she'd assumed all of this was just normal. All the tired panting, all the aching bones, both in her body and in everyone else's, was just the norm. The everyday.

Just... how? How was it not visible to her? How was she so naive to it? 

Her body is strangled by the fire at her front. Looking at their smoke paralyses her. She's just stuck, watching the arguing pair fester in rage. Every piece of her heart cowers in fear at the face of the flames. Nothing can grow in ashes but fear.

The boss notices her, and gives her a pointed look. "...It's you. Get back to work. You don't need to be seeing this."

...

"...Y-yes, ma'am."

And she walks obediently away, doing as she's told.

That was the day her battery's life began to flicker.

...

...

...

The tape stops cold.


	24. Welcome, City

Her body refuses dawn's arrival. 

Again, and again. It's a feeling you want to challenge, and can't help but trip all over. Tear it apart, take it down; and then, in the process, be taken down by it.

The forbidden love of her recurring dream refuses to leave.

5 years old. A small child with a tidied bun of black hair, wrapped in a faded flower-adorned jacket, teetering at her father's side. The sky is bright, blue. The sun is overwhelming. People walk left and right, and the noise curtains her sight. Words coat the air, slathering the summer in an unforgiving light. In a way, the middle of the day has no room for those who don't shine.

She's frightened, scared. When people talk to her father, she hides quietly behind his coat. When kids at the park approach her, she shudders and mewls. How do the adults, and even all the kids she wants to be friends with... just talk? They talk so easily. The intuition of what you should and shouldn't say occurs so naturally to them. How do they form their words and intentions so fast?

Well, she has one thing, at least. The language of flowers. It's something that doesn't use words. And it's so emotive, so evidently communicative, to anyone who takes the time to look at them. 

...Even if her father says nobody does nowadays. That's frustrating. Her little self feels angry hearing that. It's why she listens so intensely when he teaches her. It's why she smiles so bright when her tiny, grubby hands place a few orchids in a pot, and her father smiles in joy at it. Her first arrangement. It's warm, she thinks; even if she has no words, she has all she needs for her family to understand her. That's enough, she presumes.

And then she sees it. 

That frustrating flower.

She hates it. There's no way she could like it.

It's so wrong.

It could hardly be called a flower. In fact, it's not a flower at all. It's fake; if you touched the stem, you'd feel plastic. If you brushed one of its petals, it'd return in synthetic. It confidently carries so many little details, and all of them are just crafted. It's the world's biggest lie. There's no connection you can feel from such an obvious fallacy.

And the colour. That obnoxious colour. It sticks to her; it's so blaring, so jarring, so ugly. In the middle of this sunny, bright-blue sky, in the midst of this natural flowerbed, there's an anomaly. An outcast. An impostor claiming to be just as real as the rest, just as capable of communication as the rest. 

How audacious. After all, its colour immediately betrays it. That colour isn't naturally possible for the species it claims lineage to. You'd only see that colour in a fairytale.

She hates it. It's trying to look special. It's trying to pretty itself up. It's no flower, and yet here it is, trying to be one. It's not natural in the slightest; it's just mocking what it was borne from. It can't have an identity without being a cheap imitator. She yells; who would like such a thing?

And yet it sticks to her.

It comes back to her.

It captures her heart.

It indulges in her.

Day after day.

Again and again.

Breath after breath.

She grows older. It refuses to leave, she says, but she's lying. Rather, she refuses to take her eyes off it, no matter how much she claims to hate it. She looks at it, and feels her heartbeat slip away.

It's not genuine, she says. It's unnatural. It's not a real flower. It doesn't convey any meaning. It's not like the arrangements her father makes. Her father wouldn't allow such an imposter in his arrangements.

But it sticks to her. She grows up, and accepts a card for a game as a gift from her new friends. She puts a blade on her wrist. What's up with that? The card isn't a real monster; it's just a fake. An imitation. The blade isn't a genuine weapon, it isn't sharp; it's just a symbol. Why do they all like this sport so much?

It sticks to her. She grows up, and realises she wasn't a boy like the world said she was. No, she's absolutely, definitely a girl. Her friends celebrate her, and her family accommodates her. What's up with that? Her 'natural' body is what made people think she's a boy, isn't it? Why does she know otherwise? Why do people accept otherwise? Why does this new, chosen identity feel natural instead now?

It sticks to her. She grows up, and starts casting her orchid eyes on clothes of muted dark or pure black. Damage, chains, spikes... what's up with that? Why is she interested in these things? They're so gaudy, so flashy. They're like a costume that hides the 'real' person beneath, and yet she feels she'd be 'realer' if she put them on. Knows, even. Why is that? Why does she want to try them?

It sticks to her. She grows up, and rebels against her father's sudden condemnation of her passion. She dyes a streak of her hair in beautiful, bloody red; it's fake, and yet her jaw drops when she looks at herself in the mirror. She buys graphic tees, studded belts, ripped jackets, scarred stockings, gloves, garters, chokers, hoodies... and she loses her own breath when she realises what she's showing her friends.

And they smile. They cheer.

...She keeps denying it. No... this is embarrassing. This is corny. This is immature. This is... it's not normal. No, no, no, she says, even as the bolt in her mane strikes the core of her identity; it's all just...

...no... there's... there's something about this she... likes. She's smiling. She draws cards into her hand and acts like they're armaments. She claims she has a voice, and hardly speaks at all. She wears an asymmetric shirt with a hoodie she printed the graphic for, and shows it with pride. She starts treating what should be trivial and fake with weight and gravity. A holograph of a dragon shows, and she crouches when the wind pretends to blow. Why is that?

Time after time, she fails to figure it out; she'll never know, will she? She'll never find the words to explain what this feeling is. All she does know... is that this is who she is. There's nobody else she'd rather be. She figured that was it; this was just a part of her everyday now. 

But then it pulled at her again. No; rather, it thrusted her in.

On January's edge, as she drew her blade against the fallen angels, a piece of amber fell from the sky. She fell deeper than she ever knew she could.

And in the depths of the amber's shape was that very same flower.

...

...There's no way. How? How is that flower here? No, no, she knows exactly why. And she hates it. No, more than that; she should despise it. If this is what the flower means, then it should be nothing but her sworn enemy. 

But she can't. Because she realises what this simple game has given her. Everything about her, at her core, stops her from swearing it all away. So when that flower falls from the sky, she doesn't toss it aside. When that flower descends upon her and runs its blade into her, she doesn't deny how fast her heart's beating.

Instead, she gives into her craving.

Her lips caress the surface. She kisses a petal, and the flower blooms.

...

...

...

"Ah!"

Wake up, wake up!

The first seconds of her conscious, and her vision hits the rollercoaster. She can feel the blush on her face, and she begs for it to slow down. When it stills, she sees the room, she gets up from her bed, she hits the wooden floor, she turns to the left-

There.

Her windowsill always keeps a couple of particular arrangements. But among them is something that isn't a flower or arrangement at all. The same emblem that's been haunting her dreams for a week now.

Ever since that accursed wolf began to haunt her heart.

...

...What is she doing, sitting around here? Get moving already!

Shave, brush, re-dye! Shirt off-one-shoulder dowsed in storming sakura, denim jacket studded for buttons, jeans ripped with red and boots striped in monotone! The school forbids leather, but she'll wear fingerless gloves and see if the teachers don't notice.

That's it, that's all. Ran brings her blade, and heads downstairs.

Step after step, she almost wants to run. She doesn't want to sit still for even a second; her blood is pumping like it's never been before, day after day. Everything she needs is right here!

"Ran."

"...!"

She stops, for a moment. Before heading out the door, she turns back and sees her father.

...

He smiles. "I'll see you later."

A nod. "Yeah."

Go.

Go, go, go, go, go!

Out the door, down the cement, down the brick, right onto the gravel-graven trail. The river's by her side, the sun's rising in the sky, but she won't bask in them; she'll use them to rush forward!

Tread like a trailblazer, run like a reaper. The river practically rushes by, the distance between her house and Circle has never felt so short in her life.

She hits the gate. It's still quiet. She's supposed to wait for the rest of Afterglow. That's fine; she leans against the wall and gets her phone out, scouring the internet for information someone would call meticulous. More, more and more... she wants to learn even more! She opens more in the window, searches through even more, and-

.

She stops.

"...Why am I doing this?"

Adrenaline. It's a murky feeling that never gives word to its reason. The sensation it gives you has no description beyond making your blood pump, and she bordered on overdrive. She slumps her head and starts to regulate her breathing, pacing herself. There's no point in burning out before lessons even begin, after all.

...Right. It's Monday, the 8th of February. The gravel hinted in mud scratches beneath her shoes, creating an ambience only the birds choose to accompany. She looks at the sky snogged pink, sun shining bright in a bevy of translucent clouds, and takes in the rough-and-ready red brick of Circle's time-worn yet modest walls. To her left is the mural of a dragon bursting out from a Duel Monsters card, baring its fangs at her in a deliberate performance. The Haneoka Qualifier Cup is 3 weeks away, isn't it? She needs to get ready, for everything. There's the ceiling above, the amber that lies beyond, the people beside her... there's so much she's thinking about, and she can't even begin to organise it.

But that's fine. Because she has her blade, right here. This is a tournament for Duel Monsters; the perfect place to make her voice known.

'It's embarrassing,' her mind howls. 'You're like an overexcited child.'

But that's fine. Because-

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

-she smiles. She turns towards the gate, and sees 3 figures headed her way. One of them's waving both her hands out-

-oh crap, Himari's gonna trip if she keeps doing that-

"AGHHHGHH!" Thank god, she's caught before she drops. "T-Tsugu! You're my hero! My guardian angel!"

Step after step. Ran breaches the walls, and closes the distance to what she holds dear more than anything else.

Her friends.

"Guys. Morning."

"Morning, Ran!" Tsugumi beams. "Your style looks really striking today!"

"She's been going full punk lately, hasn't she?" Tomoe grins beside her. "You're never returning that jacket to me, are you?"

"S-shut up," she mutters. "You've got that new one anyway. Are you ever taking that thing off?"

"Ha. This thing?" Tomoe tugs at the black cotton shroud tied around her waist. It looks fancy; not at all like the rider's usual style. "Nah. I've gotta keep it for now. I don't why, but I feel kinda attached to it. Besides, it's cool seeing a change in your wardrobe again, Ran."

"Ugh. Stop that. It's just a few new clothes, is all."

"Raaaaaaaaaaaan!" Himari frets at her side immediately. "Tomoe didn't keep you up too late, right? I got worried sick when you followed her out of Tsugumi's house!"

"N-no, it's fine," she says. "I still got to sleep before midnight in the end."

"Ah, right... sorry about that, you guys," Tomoe sighs. "My parents were just a little worried about me."

"Explain to us what happened! Ran got so worried, she chased you in the middle of our sleepover!"

"A-ah!" Tsugumi waves her hands out. "H-Himari, it's probably-"

But she's cut off with a pat on the shoulder. "It's chill. I can say it." Tomoe stretches her muscles and unwinds. "...They're worried, still. I think with Ako gone, they're a little lonely when I'm not in the house."

"O-oh. Uh." Himari stumbles back. "Ack, my bad! I didn't realise I was stepping on something again-"

"Like I said, it's fine. Keep that smile up, Himari!" Tomoe stands tall. "We're rolling with the punches, remember?"

"R-right! I'll try not to accidentally throw them at you, though..."

"Tsugumi," Ran butts in. "...Did you bring the cards?"

"Mm?" Oh god, does she not remember? "Oh, right! Of course!" Whew. There's a few given to her; "Like I said, I have too many spares of these. F-feel free to try them!"

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it! You need them more than I do now, anyway, don't you?"

"I-it's nothing big," she tries to say. "I'm just... playing around a bit more lately, is all."

But the doofy grins on all her friends tell her it's fruitless. Great.

"Hm. You guys think she's gone full-time?" Tomoe ponders.

"Yup. De. Fi. Net. Ely."

"Yeah, definitely."

"D-definitely what?" She murmurs.

Himari points a finger at her imposingly- well, as imposingly as she can, anyway. "I diagnose YOU, Ran Mitake... with full-time Duel Monsters fanatic."

"Yup, yup," Tomoe nods. "Trust it from ol' leader. You've gone on a dueling binge."

"Hehe. It's terminal, probably."

"Not you too." Ran balks. "Sheesh, what's with all the teasing today? Are you guys trying to fill the Moca quota?"

"Well, we're ALL gonna have to at this rate!" Himari pouts, and slams her fists into her sides way harder than she should. "Where is that buffoon, anyway? When is my early Monday Afterglow meetup finally going to have perfect attendance?!"

"Having trouble with the leader position, Himari?"

"You're not stealing it from me, Ran! No matter how g-good you get!"

...

"...Heh. You got it, leader."

Smiles. 

Tomoe's smile reminds her of the desert in sunset. Take a look through a picture, and you only feel the cold air. But bring yourself there, and you're feeling the heat in the passenger's seat just before the night comes, and the fire fills you up inside, even as you camp under the distant sky.

Himari's smile is like a golden cupcake. It's masterfully made, fueled from years of crafting, but it tastes just like the kind of left hook Himari would accidentally give. She'd probably think the icing would be as good on the tongue as it looked; she never settles for a simpler colour nowadays. Unless it's pink, obviously. Or rainbow lately, for some reason.

Tsugumi's smile is as Tsugurific as you can get. Just the right amount of kick to let anyone start their day. It's one so natural for her, you'll end up seeing it almost every day; you don't have to blink to make sure you're looking at it. That ray of sunshine will just come naturally into your life, without you doing a thing. It's almost too easy to take for granted.

...And Moca's smile. It's goofy and corny like liquidised cinnamon. Not her normal cheshire grin, no; rather, the silly heart-catcher she forms when she tastes something particularly good or gets a massage from one of her friends. Just a pudgy look of bliss that makes you want to meld her face with your hands like putty.

When was the last time she saw that kind of smile on Moca? It's hard to tell. After all, nobody in Afterglow's seen her face for nearly a week now.

"U-um..." Himari's tapping her watch and shaking. "T-The bell's supposed to ring in 5 minutes, Moca! Any time now!"

No response.

"Oh no... do you think she's ditching class again?"

"C'mon, Tsugu! She's probably just goofing around, right?"

"..."

Tomoe shoots a gaze Ran's way. "It might not be that simple."

"...Yeah. I get the feeling Moca's staying away from us."

"L-let's give it the rest of the day, first!" Himari pumps a fist. "We'll meet up at the training grounds after academic lessons end! Don't be late, you guys!"

"Aye aye, leader!" Tomoe yells. "Argh, I wish we didn't have to keep doing these lessons. We've got the Cup in 3 weeks! Can't we duel a bit more instead?"

"YOU'RE acting greedy lately! When'd our little Tomoe get so hungry?"

"H-Himari! F-forget it, I didn't mean to sound-"

"Tomoe." Ran speaks, and that dork of a red-haired rider looks her way. "Don't worry. It won't be that long before we meet up again."

"Aw, are you gonna miss us?"

"Sh-shut up. I'm just... well, yeah. But I'm just... saying..." Ran breathes. "There's only a couple classroom walls standing between us for the next few hours. We can just wait them out. Then we'll duel again."

"It sounds simple, when you put it like that," Tsugumi says.

The sun begins its course through the day. And the day always comes to sunset, no matter what.

"...That's because it is simple," Ran responds. "The time'll basically whizz by, anyway. Look."

And it all happens in a flash.

\---

"Wow, you weren't kidding."

"Speak for yourself, Tomoe!" Himari sounds like she's breaking 3 different bones from stretching. "Math felt like an extended torture session for me."

"You're exaggerating. Numbers just aren't your strong suit, obviously."

"Oh, hang on, hang on! Quote from the car-brain who mistook 10 cups of Mountain Dew for 20 yesterday!"

A chuckle. Tomoe leans in resignation on her desk. "Okay, okay, you got me."

"Y-you're still okay after having 10 of those, right?"

"No worries, Tsugu." Tomoe hits herself right in her abs. "Stomach of steel! Trust me!"

"You guys're so noisy lately," Ran sighs. "What's with all the party animal vibes?"

"Vibes? Don't steal my language, Ran!" Himari responds. "But isn't it obvious? Everything just feels, like... we can talk to each other again, y'know? Like ol' times!"

"Honestly, these past few days were so relieving," Tsugumi says. "Back when you and Tomoe started clamming up, I got really worried."

Tomoe gives a pat on the back. "My bad, for real. I'm not gonna shut both myself AND Himari up at the same time anymore. Especially not Himari."

"Yeah, you'd better not! I'm never letting go of you guys again!"

"W-whoa!" Oh, great, ANOTHER group hug! "H-Himari, ease the affection a bit!" Ran stutters.

"It's fine, it's fine~, isn't it~? It's like I've come back to you guys after a big trip! Lemme bother you a bit more than usual!" Himari poses. "I'm back to the cafe! Tsugu, can I order 3 chocolate waffles and a cappuccino?"

"Certainly! ...How much sugar for the cappucino?" She grins. "Should I get a whole bottle of cubes again?"

"T-TSUGU! I didn't use THAT much last time!"

They laugh like a bunch of rowdy animals. A sun-kissed sky rests upon the orderly classroom day.

"Unbelievable. I get no respect around here sometimes." Himari pulls back and stands confidently. "Well, enough of that! I declare now to be our official Afterglow Duel meeting time!"

"Huh?" Ran tilts her head. "Don't we usually have that after Circle's dueling lessons?"

"Normally, yeah. But today I've got a plan!"

"What's up? What's hot?" Tomoe says.

"Ah-he-he-hem! Gather around! We have a strategy that'll help us with all of our problems at once! And this strategy was devised by none other than our darling Tsugu; take it away!"

"R-right!" The bumblebee stammers. "I was thinking we could start heading out to Central City, until the Cup begins."

"Eh? City?" Ran tilts her head. Honestly, it's hard to see the appeal of that noisy-ass place. "What's the reason?"

"To be honest, I'm kind of worried." Tsugu frowns. "About Moca. She sends us texts a lot, but I haven't actually seen her since last Tuesday."

"..."

...Moca. What the hell is she up to? She seems fine, but 'seeming' fine is basically her trademark. "I don't get her," she grumbles. "She's dodging school to go on bakery tours and take pictures of shops around Haneoka, right? Why?"

"I don't know, but it scares me," Tsugumi responds. "Have any of you tried calling her?"

"Me, me! I did! She didn't respond, and I called her like 10 times in a row!"

"If you spam called me 10 times in a row, I'd put you on ignore."

"MEAN, Ran! But seriously; is that just me, or is she giving you guys a blank too?"

Tomoe nods. "Yeah. Texts and pictures are all we've been getting."

"T-that's not all," Tsugumi continues. "I called her Mom, and apparently she's not always home anymore. Sometimes she's out really early, or really late. When her Mom asks, she doesn't explain herself at all."

"Eh? For real?! Is Moca becoming a delinquent?"

"What a bother," Ran says. "There's laying low from drama, and then there's this."

"Yeah. At this rate, her grades are in trouble too, even if she hands in the homework. I... I know this might be a temporary thing, but I'm worried. I want to make sure she isn't drifting apart from us."

"And that's why!" Himari returns. "If we head to City and do a tour of the bakeries ourselves, we're bound to find her eventually, right? We'll pester her until she starts going to school again!"

"I dunno," Ran says. "Do we need to do that? Moca's a shmuck. She'll get sappy and start clinging to us again sooner or later. Searching for her ourselves would be a pain with how slippery she is."

"T-that's what I thought too, at first." Tsugumi says. "But... I don't know. I just have this weird feeling."

...Tsugu's frown. There's the same kind of doubt murking in it as her own. Yeah; it's kind of hard to deny how shifty this all feels. Texts but no voice, pictures but no face; there's something about what Moca's doing that bothers her deep down. It's seemingly the same kind of clownery she usually does, and yet...

"Yeah, that's true. I kinda get what you mean," Ran responds. "She always fakes being happy when she has problems. Then it eventually bursts, and she comes back crying to us. That's what the 'same as always' has been with her. But she's never done something as weird as this before." She shifts her head into gear. "I'm down for it, then."

"Yeah. T-thanks, Ran. And that's not the only benefit of going into City, either!" Tsugumi jumps. "You want to get better at Duel Monsters, right? I was thinking there's facilities in City you could use that Circle doesn't have."

Amber pangs.

She can't deny she's not interested. "...Like what?"

"I was thinking we could go to some of the shops there," Tsugumi says. "Even if we can order most cards online, City's stores usually highlight the interesting or meta-relevant ones. And, um... I was also thinking we could find more people to duel, or teach us about dueling! There's a few places that serve as cafes for duelists to play at, even."

"Eh? Teach us?" Tomoe blinks. "I dunno, Tsugu. You really think Ran's gonna want a mentor?"

"...I don't mind the idea."

"Eh?! Really?"

Oh, come on. "W-what's so surprising about it? Duel Monsters is a sport where you battle another person, isn't it?"

"Hehe. For some reason, I had a feeling you'd say that." Tsugumi smiles.

"See? Isn't it a great idea?" Himari boasts. "I'm so proud of my little Tsugu; we can get our grubby hands back on Moca, we can go shopping, AND we can power up for the Cup! It's a three-in-one plan!"

"I've asked Miss Tsukishima about it already, and she said yes," Tsugu continues. "She said not to stay out too late, though. Especially not during Winter."

"Awesome! I'm down, then!" Tomoe says. "I dunno if I'll search for a mentor or anything; I'm fine so long as I get a chance to see Ako. But I'm happy to help you guys out! Can't go every day, with parents n' all, but I can still tag along usually."

"That's fine! We'll just roll out in groups at a time!" Himari responds. "Tsugu's got a few immediate destinations in mind. When're you guys next free?"

"Um..." Ran raises her hand. "I've got flower arrangement practice tonight. But I can head out with you guys after school tomorrow."

"You're juggling arrangement, school AND Duel Monsters now? Aren't you a busy bee." Tomoe grins. "You're joining Tsugu's hard work club!"

"S-she's more impressive than me in that department, I think," Tsugumi says. 

"No way," Ran responds. "I'm not holding a part-time job yet, you know?"

"You'll easily have one at this rate though," Himari exaggerates a sigh and slumps her head. "Ack, I'm so jealous of you guys. My biggest concern right now is just homework, y'know? I dunno about jobs or anything like that."

...It's not that big a deal. They'll still have another year at Circle to go after this, anyway; that's plenty of time for everyone to figure out what they'll do next in life, isn't it?

She can't deny, though; she already kinda knows herself. Flower arrangement, Duel Monsters... she's slowly getting prepared for both. She's definitely in a much more stable position than before. Maybe that's why it feels so free for her to invest herself into dueling right now. There's such a wide platform for her energy to stand on that it can easily build and build.

And right now, she wants it to build. She wants to build it until it smashes the ceiling above her head, and reaches for the stars. 

As for the reason why... she tries not to think about it.

"In any case, I'm fine with tomorrow!" Tsugumi says. "I'll work around my schedule a bit."

"How about it, leader? Tuesday the 9th?"

Honestly, for all her spills, Himari... looks a bit cool when she's posing like that. Not that any of them're gonna say it. "Aye aye; it's settled! Afterglow's HEADIN' TO THE CITY TOMORROW! All together, now..."

Absolutely nobody says it.

"Ugh! Ei ei oh! C'mon, you guys! This is homophobia-"

.

"Oh crud, n-no, wait, I meant-"

Everyone else turns their heads away. Tomoe starts whistling. To Ran, the whiteboard's looking VERY interesting right now.

"You guys! C'mon! I-I just meant, like... as a gesture! Metaphor! Symbolism! Like having a gay old time!"

Tomoe snickers, setting off a chain reaction.

"You guyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyys!"

She knows for certain now.

As long as they support each other, Afterglow will stay the same as always. Now and forever.

\---

The city.

Even with her friends close, it's stuffed, noisy and chaotic. At this time of day, the people around them become a blur of creeping shadows in the phase-blue horde of metal and cement. Lights blare, contrasting shades of black with hues against the night.

"Whew! Guys, I see a clear spot over there!"

Ran always had all she needed when she was back at home. There wasn't any reason to head out into Haneoka's most bustling area, an endless horde of buildings that practically bow before the omnipresent Haneoka Tower. The Haven Stadium standing on top is like the sentinel to the gates of Heaven; the way it's circled by glass on all sides, you'd think it was an endless eyeball watching everyone down below, making sure they never escape its sight.

And yet here she is, 3 of her friends in tow. They rush towards a patch of soil surrounded by greyed-out brick, bristled tree to their backs, and finally find a meter or two free from the crowd surrounding them. She can hear Tomoe stretch beside her as they take a seat down and look...

...to the stars above.

The night sky. Until now, Ran didn't think much of it; after all, it was just when one sunset ended, and another was foretold to begin. There's not much point in seeking the light of the stars, when her friends are enough to brighten her world as is. Why spend time roaming the streets at night, when you could just sleep and see those you love the next day instead?

Well, as it turns out; those who seek people far away are often attracted to the night.

The stars. So, so far from planet Earth. You can't see their intricacies, like you can with the petals of the flowers beneath you; at this distance, they're so infinitesimally small that a dot is the only thing you can make out. And yet, people seem to love them, don't they? There's a group in basically every school that loves astronomy, there's always talk of constellations, fortune-telling, star signs...

...Maybe it's precisely because they're far away that people love them. Even light years apart, they still shine so bright that every ordinary person down on planet Earth can see them. Even if people can't tell a single objective detail about them, they know that the stars shine. So they shower them with love.

And right now, Ran's looking at tons, upon tons, upon tons of them. They paint the blue until a brush could mix the sky and pale the whole thing's hue. Hundreds upon hundreds of shining stars, announcing their presence to the world below.

"Hey, guys! Look at that TV! It's an SDA announcement!"

A little bit closer to Earth; there's a ginormous widescreen monitor plastered across one of the towering buildings, looking over this part of Haneoka Central City. A logo featuring a golden plaque of the famed _Blue-Eyes White-Dragon_ is blaring down, stealing what light is left from the ground below. People gasp in awe. A dazzlingly-crafted cinematic of monsters flying out from their cards, and leaving their attacks as marks on the screen, draws in the eyes of every person who considers themselves a duelist.

Then, a screen transition makes way... and a face known to all is revealed.

"Oh my god! It's her~!" Himari squeals.

If Ran had to find a word to describe her, it'd probably be 'regal'. She doesn't care for celebrity gossip herself, but any duelist knows who this person is. No doubt about it. That calm smile and uniform of black and blue belongs to only one person; the person whose ponytail of hair gets described as a 'charismatic stream of sharpened blades'. Anyone could tell you about who this person is, and what she does.

Chisato Shirasagi. The Dragon, heiress and Rank 2 of the Shirasagi Duel Academy.

The crowd roars, blurring the lines between joy and blood.

"Good evening, everyone. It's delightful to see you. I hope you've all had an exciting day so far."

There's woops, yells. Afterglow crouches in their spot and watches the reaction around them.

"Many of you likely already know, but I'll make the announcement official now." She turns on her chair, facing directly towards the screen. "The Shirasagi Duel Academy will be hosting its annual Central City Exhibition on the midnight of the 15th this year!"

"WOO! She's such a QUEEN!" One in the crowd yells hard enough to burst their eardrums.

"It's The Dragon! She kicks ass!"

"The 15th! That's less than a week away; guys, mark it in the calendars!"

"Loooooord," she can barely hear Tomoe. "They sure are hyped."

An elegant chuckle. "I'm flattered by your enthusiasm. We at the Shirasagi Corporation are always grateful for your continued support," she says. "The Central City Exhibition is where the students of our namesake academy showcase the skills they've developed, through years of refinement... and it'll feature PLENTY of exciting battles between our top ranked students. I hope you look forward to it."

The crowd runs amok. "Oooooh! Does that mean we're gonna watch The Dragon duel?!"

"What about the Supernova?!"

"I wonder if anyone'll be from the Bushido League!"

"Rest assured; you won't be disappointed by what you see on that night. I guarantee what you watch will embed itself deep into your memories." She grandly rises from her seat, and her capes flow. "The Exhibition will be taking place at the very top of Earth's Skyscraper. You may watch it through whatever means you desire; our cameras will send feeds both to screens at the bottom of the building, AND to TVs and live streams nation-wide. I hope you all tune in, no matter the method through which you do so."

"The Exhibition's always got some really tense duels, doesn't it?" Tsugumi says. "It feels almost TOO intense, sometimes..."

"As always, the students at the academy are honoured to receive the full support of the public. We thank you for your continued attention, and for your contributions towards our company's pioneering of Duel Monsters." A bow. "That is all for tonight's announcement. Have a good evening, everyone."

The screen blinks, leaving everyone to cheer. It's so obnoxiously loud; really takes a crowd to have the volume so high as people bustle about.

"Talk about a celebrity," Tomoe says. "She always acts so polite and professional. She doesn't look only a year older than us, does she?"

"Okay, guys, guys, hear me out," Himari's spreading her arms. "I know Moca always talks about eating the rich and all, but... Chisato's really... uh, striking, isn't she?! Like, dashing, almost!"

...

Every other member of Afterglow looks at her with completely neutral unblinking expressions on their faces.

"O-okay, I'm sorry! I'll wait until AFTER we do a revolution, or something!"

"Hahaha!" Tomoe's the first to break it. "Don't worry, Himari. We'll probably pull one off without realising it in the next month, maybe. Speaking of, though..." She looks back up at the TV, currently displaying a stream of sponsored advertisements. "Moca's always ribbed at the SDA, hasn't she? Considering everything that happened with Ako, I'm kinda starting to get why."

"Ako was getting bullied by some of them, right?" Tsugumi asks. "Most of the ones I've met seemed polite, but... there's a lot of silent rumours or witness accounts of them insulting or attacking people." Tsugumi says. "Maybe the academy's trying to cover that up with PR control."

Tomoe's brow looks pretty intense when it's furrowed. "Right. I'm not a big fan of The Dragon, if that's the case. I really hope she's as nice to people as she appears; else I'm not gonna like it if I'm matched with her in the Cup."

"This is just cafe gossip, but there's rumours she's a lot nastier to the academy's students than she is to the public. There's a weird kind of... absence of actual articles about the academy sometimes, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was true."

"Now that's some gossip. What do you think, Ran?" Himari asks.

"...Beats me," she sighs. "I've never met an SDA student other than Hina, I think."

"Hina's... definitely an exception. She's not really the malicious type, is she?" Tsugumi ponders.

"It's kind of just, WOW, to think Hina knows The Dragon, isn't it? I mean, Hina's pretty famous now, but, like, Chisato's a child star! That's so big!"

"Pretty bombastic way to start our outing, seeing her on TV," Tomoe says. "Well, Tsugu? What's the plan?"

"Right!" There she goes, shooting right up. "I-it might be over-preparation, but I mapped out all the bakery stores in Central City. I was also thinking we could go to a card shop called Dark Magician's Decks today? They're having a massive sale on certain legacy booster packs."

"Ohmygod, Tsugu, you're our HERO!"

"I-it's nothing much, really! I feel like I might be taking it too seriou-"

"No, no, check this out!" Himari gleefully holds up her phone; and oh boy, the gremlin's at it again. "Moca's at a bakery! She mentioned it by name, even; check the map you made!"

"R-right!" It doesn't take long; in fact, this seems like EXTREMELY smooth sailing so far. "It's Satou Cakes! The place's a few blocks east of here!"

"C'mon, Tomoe!" Himari heaves the messy rider up. "Let's haul over there; Ran and Tsugu can look at some cards for us in the meantime!"

"E-eh?! We're just going?"

"There's a shop I've always wanted to go to, anyway! And we gotta haste it up so Moca doesn't poof!" She's practically dragging poor Tomoe through the crowd. "See you two later! Make sure to buy me something good!"

"And there she goe-"

"WAIT, ACTUALLY!"

Okay, apparently not. Ran's dealt with her friends' antics before, but it's a little harder to keep up in this crowd. "W-what's up?"

"Just gimme a moment to catch my breath..." Himari wipes some sweat from her head. "Um... you guys! This is all for you!"

"Eh?!"

Ran's eyes glow alight at the miniature plushie stuffed into her hands. It's... it's...

...Oh boy, this thing. "H-Himari, this is..."

"I know! Don't worry about it! I... I just wanted to make sure you all got it, at least. I couldn't even give one to Moca before she started blanking us all."

That's... "...Himari..."

"It's fine, like I said! I know it's terrible and awful and it looks like garbage, just like everything I do, but keep it for me anyway, okay? Leader's clause n' all!" Himari tries to wink. "C'mon Tomoe, let's go and find that gremlin! I need to curse her too!"

"G-got it? Bye Raaaaaaaaaaaaa........

"...Okay, THERE they go." She tries to recover. She feels like she's been hit by a freight train of 5 emotions in 5 seconds. T-talk about Himari.

"This monster... it's _Frightfur Bear_, right?" Tsugumi smiles. "It, uh... it never looked... friendly... but this is really, really well made. I wonder if that's why she looked so sleepy this morning."

Ran holds the warm ball of cotton in her hands. Tsugu's right; even the fur's the right colour and texture. There's the stitches, and the horrifying plushly-recreated scissors sticking out of its chest, and the lopsided googly eyes, and everything else too. It's basically a picture-perfect recreation of the monster. What a thing to recreate.

"Are you going to keep it, Ran?"

"..." 

Urk. All Himari did was basically throw it her way and then self-depreciate, but Ran feels... fuzzy inside, looking at this masterfully constructed monstrosity. It looks like it's trying to give her a hug with those weirdly stilted arms. It actually makes her feel... warm. She feels warm. Like her lungs have a bit more air than they did before. 

"...I'll keep it on my bag," she murmurs, hoping the blush isn't visible. "I may as well."

"Hehe. I think I'll do the same," Tsugu sings. Then she gives a beaming smile. "Should we go, Ran? This is our chance to power up our decks for cheap, after all."

"Yeah. Let's go."

Orchid blazes, with everything she loves powering her on. She begins her trail of heart-warming fire through the cold night sky.

\---

The Sun is nowhere to be seen.

The recording stops. Chisato sighs.

"Good job on the announcement! D-did I do okay?"

The indirect source of her stress stands right across from her, trying to be bubbly and beaming. This student's movements are light, dainty, and constantly forgetting safety procedures. The regal and clean-cut uniform of the SDA is wrinkled and un-ironed on this mess of a person; her hair's a fluffy tornado touching down upon the shoulders, the pink completely contrasting with the uniform's colours.

"I don't really know how to check if the video looked okay... d-does this camera have a playback feature?"

"You did fine," Chisato responds. Her gaze quickly turns to the window, looking out to the hollow moon in the night sky. They're not on academy grounds; rather, this is one of several buildings the Shirasagi Corporation owns, to house the siblings as they move across the dual-district for the sake of political and social manipulation.

But she can hardly think about any of that right now. Instead, her brow is gradually scrunching, practically plastering itself into the window's reflection. She's devising whatever way she can to avoid running her blade into the soul behind her.

"Whew, that's a relief... u-um... have I been helpful today? I know me being hired as your assistant for the next week was sudden, so I'm sorry if-"

"You did fine." The girl's actually spilled about 3 different packs of files while she's been here. But that's hardly worth noting.

"O-oh. Th-thank you!"

...

"...Um... t-this might be a strange request, but-"

She turns, setting a weary gaze on Aya Maruyama.

"W-well, um..." The fool lightly plays with her fingers. "I was... wondering... if... c-could I take a selfie of us selfie- c-could I take a selfie of us together?!"

...

"O-oh no, maybe a group selfie's a bit much, but, m-maybe if..." The student moves to the end of the room, standing next to the door in the corner. "If I took a selfie here, and you were vaguely in the shot's background, would that be okay? It'd give you a mysterious aura and everything, too!"

...

...She doesn't respond. She can't; instead, she's transfixed.

It's like a howling elegy is playing in front of her. In her mind, spectres stagnate the surroundings. 

"O-oh. That's-. I... y-yeah, I figured that'd be a bit much. I'm sor-"

"Aya Maruyama."

"!" Aya jumps on the spot like a cornered hamster. "Y-yes?!"

"You're taking part in a variety show and an advertisement recording this evening, correct?"

"Y-yeah! That's right!" It makes out. "I-I... I'm really excited about them!"

"Good. Keep finding more media opportunities." Chisato turns back to the window. "They will keep your reputation intact where your dueling cannot."

"O-of course! Thank you for offering me the interview tomorrow, too!" She croaks. "I-I'm really grateful, I mean it. Having Hina there with me will be really good, too; that was really considerate of you."

...

"I was stuck for 3 years in the academy without any opportunities, after all. I was worried I'd, uh. Get expelled and... you know."

...

The voice cracks. "S-so it really means a lot! Thank you, Miss Shirasagi! I'll keep working my hardest, so I hope I can find a career in the Duel Monsters industry; even if I'm the lowest-ranked in the academy!"

Chisato turns to face her one last time. 

Aya Maruyama's smile is exhausted. The eyes have bags hidden under messily-applied makeup. The hair has clumps scattered left and right all across the place. There's a forgotten stain hidden beneath her blazer.

And like before, her hands are shaking; they shook when Chisato met the girl this morning, and they shook for the rest of the day. According to Hina, they're always like that. When asked about it, Aya says it's because she carries a lot of papers around in all her odd jobs. 

But Chisato's seen it too often not to know. 

In this academy, that's the mark of one marred by fear and despair.

"...I imagine now would be a good time to recuperate before your variety show." Chisato gestures to a chair. "Rest."

"R-really? Are you sure? Thank you..."

A haunting lullaby. The second the worn idol hits the seat, it's like a switch is flipped. Her eyes flicker.

"I... could probably... use the break... before I..."

...

Flicker. Eyes blink, words drag.

Until they fade away.

Aya falls asleep.

"......"

Inhale, and exhale. The cycle begs to be called normal.

"......"

...The 15th of February. She has her orders now; during the course of the Central City Exhibition, she will take part in a match against Aya Maruyama. All the eyes in the world will be watching The Dragon; the eyes of the students, the eyes of the agents, and countless more. That's the consequence of the Exhibition's range of broadcast. In other words, everyone will be watching Chisato's every move. 

The directions are simple. Aya's supposed group of 'fans' have already agreed to ignore her during the duel. When Aya asks for the group to coordinate their rehearsed cheer, she'll be left alone in silence, embarrassing and humiliating her. The audience will perceive a lack of reputation in her, a lack of reason to support her... and the laughter of her fellow students will cease to be just a running gag. Then, when Chisato crushes her in the duel, people will be left wondering why such a student is attending the most professional academy in the dual-district, damaging the reputation she's built as a media figure in the meantime. And with that as their excuse, the Academy will expel her, knowing her fall into the abyss will go unnoticed by the public eye.

How perfectly heartless.

Chisato's already thought up countermaneveurs. She has no room for defiance during the streaming of the match itself, but there's plenty she can try beforehand. No student normally remains at the academy during the Exhibition, but Aya may be able to make an exception if she makes her prowess as an assistant well-known enough. And Kaoru's already checking to see if the staff working the visual effects at Earth's Skyscraper could use an extra pair of hands; provided the agents don't interfere, that could work. If all else fails, she can convince Aya to take a sick day, which should theoretically force her not to participate in the exhibition.

And of course, there's also her secret weapon. With the help of a certain technician, she has an opportunity during which she can cut off any live feed she desires. 

...So she hopes.

She hopes it'll be enough to keep Aya safe.

Because when she looks at the scruffy figure of the earnest girl before her, thinks of all the work the girl's taken, and all the aspects of her personality Hina's told her about, 

she only wishes she could scream until her skin is no more.

Chisato stands on a tightrope, and the fire is burning.

\---

It's kind of hard to keep up with.

"Ran! Did you ever pick up a third copy of _Blessed Winds?_ I'm not sure if it's good to run 3, but just in case!"

She watches her friend dart around the place. The cafe centerpiece's ensemble of beige clothing dangles beneath a comfy tartan scarf.

"Oh, Ran! _Ancient Fairy Dragon_ is on sale; that one's normally an SDA exclusive! Take a look!"

There's another with a price label thrown onto her hands.

"Um, Ran! Have you ever considered _Golden Ladybug?_ I'm not sure if it's your playstyle, but it gives you extra life points during each of your turns!"

"R-right. Thanks, Tsugu."

She blinks, and Tsugumi's already looking through the aisle on her left. "Oh, I don't think Himari knows about this card..." she giggles, and adds it to her basket. "This'll make a nice surprise! Oh, and what about..."

Jeez, Tsugu can barely lie to her own energy. The same student who meekly asks others not to run in the hallway is practically kicking the carpet beneath her feet; did she already have some idea of what she was buying before she came here? It's more than what Ran was planning. She was only expecting to buy about 10 or so cards, but Tsugu's a thriftmaster when it comes to this place.

"Okay, I think I've got everything I need!" Tsugumi returns, dashing between a few banners and plushies sold for egregious prices, and carts the plastic-wrapped cards with her. "I got a few cards for everyone else, too. Ran, are you feeling okay with your choices?"

"Y-yeah," she nods. "We've basically explored every part of this shop now. I think I've got all I want. Especially thanks to you."

"E-ehehe. I hope I found a few good things for you!"

"...That's an understatement," she murmurs.

The queue's a little hectic, but they're able to get to the cashier in an orderly time. Even in here, the noise's too loud for Ran's liking; there's a guitar solo going off from speakers above, cycling through a playlist that she probably would've appreciated a lot more if not for her headache. Even all the decor of the place feels 'noisy', in a way. As they pass woollen lines of different colours on the floor and wind around barrier posts, they see faces of multiple ages around them. Theirs is definitely the most common demographic, though; students from dueling schools. She can eye a few SDA uniforms in the crowd among them.

And she can also eye someone else. Someone who's not being as subtle as she thinks.

The aisle right next to the cashier's thankfully a bit less stuffed. "Sheesh," Ran says. "I'm... glad we bought these on sale. My wallet's already yelling from just this."

"Duel Monsters; never the cheap hobby, huh?" Tsugumi leans over. "I would've found somewhere cheaper, but... this IS the least expensive place right now. There used to be a popular one for rare cards, called Okusawa Sleeves, but it disappeared last year, for some reason."

"You really did your research." Ran looks at her, and holds up her newly sleeved cards. "Thanks, Tsugu. This'll help."

"No problem!" She smiles. "Besides, my parents give me a bit more of an allowance, with all the part-time I do for them."

"You deserve it. You work really hard."

"I-it's not a big deal," she awkwardly chuckles. "I'm just glad I can use that allowance to help you guys!"

That's not all. Tsugumi's evidently been researching this game a lot in her spare time. "Tsugu," she asks. "Are you trying to get better at Duel Monsters?"

"E-eh?! Well, a little, yeah," she responds. "Um... I figured it'd be a lot easier to help everyone else prepare for the Cup, if I learnt more about it. I always feel like I'm behind you guys."

"...If anything, sometimes I wonder if you know more than I do."

"N-no way! That's not true at all! I'm not all that smart. I didn't even know Normal Summoning and setting a monster shared the same once-per-turn restriction, until a couple weeks ago."

"Tsugu," she tilts her head. "If I paid 1000 life points to activate a card, could you negate that?"

"Huh? Not as far as I know," Tsugumi slices. "Paying life points is usually considered a 'cost'; you can't negate the cost of a card."

"How do you know if it's a cost?"

"If it's before the semi-colon in a card's text, it's considered an activation cost!"

Ran smiles in endearment.

"Um... what's wrong, Ran?"

"Nothing," she says. "Should we call Himari and Tomoe?"

"O-oh! Yeah; let me just check if I got my gifts for them, first." She enthusiastically digs a few sleeves out of the tin in her bag. "Um... these 2 are Himari's, and... yup, I got 3 of the same card for Tomoe... ok, good! Oh, actually!" She keeps fishing. "I, um... got something for Moca, too. I was thinking; if Himari and Tomoe found her, we could all meet up and I could give her this. Although I don't know if she'd like it. She builds her decks really well alrea-"

"Oh, no~. I'll appreciate any card my darling student gives me~."

.

"E-eh?" Tsugumi squeaks.

There she is.

Tsugumi's eyes widen.

"Behind you, dearies~."

The pair whip their heads around.

It's exactly what Ran suspected. Those muffin tails she calls hair, and that unassuming turquoise hoodie in the most barebones combo of white shirt, black shorts and black sneakers possible. The only unusual thing about this clown right now is the big-ass backpack on her back. Well, big for her standards, anyway.

"...Moca," she grumbles.

"Moca!" Tsugumi can't contain herself; she nearly throws herself head first at Moca's direction, before quickly halting her burst and standing still on the spot.

"Fufufu. What a coincidence, to run into my lovely shrubberies here~," she drawls, leaning over and picking up Tsugumi's gift. "Thanks, Tsugs. This one's a good pick, believe it or not. You've impressed your teach."

"R-really? Thank you!"

"...Coincidence, huh?" Ran says. "Are you sure you didn't bait Himari and Tomoe towards Satou Cakes?"

Moca fakes a gasp. "Oh, no! My plan's been seen through~!" The lazy smile returns. "Yup, I wanted to tease them a lil', so I sent Himari that text."

"M-Moca, you shouldn't do that! They were worried about you."

"Oh, don't you worry, Tsugummie~. I know there's a clothes shop Himari's wanted to go to for a loooong time over there. Aren't I an angel, to be giving her the chance?"

Ran sighs. "Yup. She's probably there right now. Hook, line and sinker."

"Don't worry about it~. Sometimes, seeing all of Afterglow at once just makes me feel too much love, y'know~?"

...

...There's a bit of silence. Tsugumi's awkwardly shifting her gaze around, but Ran keeps her stare right on the indecisive jackass in front of her.

Moca throws her hands up. "I give, I give. Don't worry, guys; I'll let you in on my woes eventually."

"...Really?"

"I promised you, didn't I?" Moca fishes a baguette out and hands it over to Ran. "I just need a bit of time, is all. That's why I'm on my patented Moca Break right now."

"Promised, huh." Ran tries not to recall that time. "I don't recall you actually saying the word promise."

Another gasp, complete with Moca clutching her chest. "I'm betrayed~... ol' Moca would never let you down, would she?"

"Feels like that's all you ever do, lately."

"Oof. Harsh." Moca lies her hands on the back of her head. "Moca's become an irredeemable anime villain, hasn't she?"

"Are you actually going to come back to school?" Ran tries not to raise her voice. "Are you going to stop worrying your Mom?"

"NBD, NBD." She stretches. "I'll return eventually, honest. No need to waste time worrying about me, okay? You got better stuff to do, from what I can tell."

...Why does it feel like she's falling into a net?

"If you really are gonna return," Ran says. "Then why don't you say upfront that you promi-"

She stops. "Boop." Moca's laid a finger right on her nose. "Afterglow's already as stable and together as it was before, Ran. You don't gotta worry about a thing, okay?"

...

Ran slowly moves Moca's finger off, staring into the smile that tells her nothing.

And that murky feeling grows.

"M-Moca!"

But someone jumps in, and even Moca looks surprised.

"L-let's!" Tsugumi starts. "Let's arrange a hangout session for another day!"

"..." There's a fond expression on Moca's face.

"It's not a problem, right? You don't have to return to school or anything yet, either; we can meet up at a cafe instead!"

"Tsugumi..."

"Don't worry, Ran," she takes her confidence in and turns. "As long as we arrange actual times, Moca won't have an excuse to blank us. T-that's my idea, anyway."

"Heh. Pretty bold for you to say that right in front of her."

"Even I won't tolerate all her teasing forever," she responds. "You're okay with that, right Mo-"

They gasp.

Empty. There's absolutely nobody there.

Moca's already disappeared, just as quickly as she came.

"Wh-where'd she go off too? Ah!" Tsugumi's distress gets cut in two by a ringing text tone. Ran darts over and looks at the message with her.

Of course, it reads as obnoxiously as follows:

'~~CALLING ALL COOL KIDS TO MOCA'S AWESOME SATOU CAKES HANGOUT SESSION~~

Only available at 2pm on Wednesday 10th of ol' Feb, for a limited time~! Don't miss it~

Special features include:  
-Best cakes around  
-You get to date the cutest duelist in the dual-district~  
-Cutest duelist gives you an ASMR therapy session where she tells you you're wonderful like mashed potatoes  
-Cutest duelist gives you top-tier dueling advice and helps you with deckbuilding

Don't miss out on this incredible offer, for only 10 easy payments of your braincells~ Show up at Satou Cakes tomorrow~!

P. S. Offer available only to certain individuals. The cutest duelist has an unfortunate condition where she will sneeze uncontrollably if she's near anyone other than an incredibly adorable and attractive person called Tsugumi Hazawa. Oh, and Himari Uehara too. Thank you for your understanding, and have a lovely day.'

................................................................

"...What the hell is this?" Ran mutters.

But she doesn't even have the time to contemplate it; the sound of rabid footsteps hounds the both of them, and they turn around.

"Where is it? Where the hell is that cloaked asshole?"

"Wh-what's going on?" Tsugumi stammers as she watches a student rushedly whip her head left and right across the aisles. That student's uniform; she's a member of the SDA, isn't she?

She turns, and sets her gaze on Ran and Tsugumi. Her eyes look bloodshot, almost. "You! Did you guys see some Spiderman-ass punk in a black cloak?"

"U-u-um... I... I-I..." Tsugumi can't form a response.

"Are you guys affiliated with them, or what?!" The student howls loud enough to turn some heads, and starts stomping towards them. "They fucking stole it! I saved up for that card, and they just stole it!"

"Tsugumi, get behind me." Ran puts an arm out.

"That look... you know them, don't you?" She tuts, stagnating the air with her hostility. "Come on. Big smirk, black cloak that looks like it got thrown into an iron maiden or something. Jackass jumps on walls and stuff. Not a hard person to miss."

"Not my problem," Ran cuts. "Maybe you should ask a comic book for advice instead."

"Oh, REAL clever," she snarls. "So, you're covering for them?"

"Aren't you just looking for excuses?"

"R-Ran..."

The room heats.

"Excuses, huh? How can I be certain you're not helping them get away?"

"How can I be certain you're not a whining baby?"

"Tch! None of you ever understand a thing!" The student yells. "Maybe a fist or two would help, huh?"

"Oh, great. She's just turned off her thoughts, hasn't she?" Ran grumbles.

There's a commotion starting up; a few shoppers have caught wind of the argument, starting to murmur about the red-blooded SDA student. But Ran's just going to focus on keeping Tsugumi safe from harm, for now. She lasers her Orchid eyes into the student as much she can.

And then it cuts.

"Stop your reprehensible behaviour AT ONCE!"

It's not a particularly booming voice; it's rather composed, even. But it makes the student jump on the spot like a caught child. "Th-that's!"

Another in an SDA uniform; but this one is perfectly ironed and unblemished, as fresh as the day it was first used on a model. The way the braid of silver-white accompanies the blazer paints a perfect picture; the two look meant for each other. The aura they help create for this person rumbles in all who see it.

She cuts straight and true. "You're disgracing the code you swore to uphold. Self-control, respect, compassion... I see none of those traits in your current behaviour!"

"B-Boss! I'm sorry! It's just, the card was rare-"

"That you'd attack others over this incident is a horrible thing!" The gestures are harsh, concise. "Do you call yourself a member of the Bushido League for the sake of fame?"

"No, of course not!"

"Then direct your apologies away from me, and towards the people you harassed at once!" A finger's pointed to Ran and Tsugumi.

"Right away, boss!" The student removes all red from her face and bows. "I'm extremely sorry! I won't make any excuses for my actions; I only vow that I won't repeat them."

"R-right," Ran stammers. "A-apology... accepted?"

"Good. Now, return to where the others were and resume your training. And reflect on what you've done!"

"Of course! Right away, boss!"

The student dashes off. The shoppers are looking at the warrior in awe. "W-wow..." Tsugumi murmurs. "That was intense."

"I apologise for any inconvenience my disciple caused," the student bows. "Are you two hurt?"

"N-no. Thanks for that," Ran says.

This person's... rather striking. The earnestness on her face, stored mainly in her sky-blue eyes, is unbelievably strong. She's about half a head taller than Ran is, and wields her uniform with enough poise that you could pop a camera nearby and it wouldn't feel out of place. She looks like an army commander in a medieval, well-reputed drama film. And is that a katana on her waist? It's probably a harmless replica, but it looks amazingly well-made; the scabbard's an intricately crafted delicacy of unfrozen blue. The hilt's even made to imitate the orb and podium of a duel disk; that's some craftsmanship.

Wait, hang on. Hasn't she seen this person before? "Are you...?"

"Oh! How rude of me; I should've recognised from your red streak of hair," the warrior speaks. "How are you doing today? Ran Mitake was your name, correct?"

"I'm... fine. How are you?"

"E-eh? Do you know her, Ran?"

Ran nods. "I've met her a couple of times. She came to pick up Hina during our last hangout. She also leant me a coat, when I was heading home after dueling Ako." She turns to face her acquaintance. "T-thanks for that, by the way."

"No need for thanks! Did you get home safely on that day?"

"Yeah. I didn't get a big cold or anything, thanks to you."

"That's great to hear!" That smile's blinding, dear god. "Oh! Forgive my impoliteness!" She turns and bows to Tsugumi. "My name is Eve Wakamiya! I transferred to the Shirasagi Duel Academy from overseas a year ago. It's lovely to meet you!"

"Oh! It's a pleasure!" Tsugumi blushes lightly, and shakes Eve's hand. "Nice to meet you too. I'm Tsugumi Hazawa!"

"Hina has mentioned the both of you to me before," Eve says. "I've heard you're a very aspiring duelist, Ran!"

"I-I'm nothing special. She always makes a big deal out of me," Ran responds. "What about you? Didn't you mention a Bushido League or something?"

"I did!" Eve bows. "Currently, I lead a group of proud disciples who call themselves as such; they are those who swear by the code of Bushido alongside me. Those of any ranking in the academy are welcome to join! As one of the academy's exemplars, it's my responsibility to guide the other students and encourage them to follow their passions."

"I-I see." Ran sweats. "Bushido, huh... sounds strict. Was that student like, all that dedicated to it?"

"I apologise. Her actions are a sign that our group still has a lot of discipline to pursue," Eve bows. "When that cloaked figure stole her newly purchased card, she lost her temper and flew after them in a rage."

"What's up with that?" Ran scowls. "It's just one card. Even if it was a Secret Rare or something, it's not like she's significantly worse off without it."

"I see. I don't think any SDA student would agree with what you said, though."

"Huh?" That's a wistful look. "Why's that?"

"Allow me to explain. The upcoming Central City Exhibition and Haneoka Qualifier Cup are incredibly important events for us," Eve says. "Me and that student are both in our last year at the academy, currently. Though my future is more stable thanks to my rank, hers is comparatively lower; if her performance at these events isn't satisfactory, she could fail to get a career as a duelist."

"Eh? Don't most students at the SDA get a career path with the time they spend?" Tsugumi asks.

"Un... fortunately not, no," Eve tries to smile. "Usually, only the top 100 students in the academy get a job offering in relation to Duel Monsters. The others aren't as blessed."

"Wow. That isn't anything like what the big news outlets say..."

"But even so," Ran says, "that was a pretty severe reaction for just one card. Can't she buy it again?"

"The possibility is low." Eve shakes her head. "Cards sold at SDA-exclusive shops are incredibly expensive. Most students have a limited allowance to build their decks with, meaning such cards are incredibly rare and prized."

Hold on. "...That doesn't make sense."

"I was thinking the same thing," Tsugumi adds. "Why are they so expensive, if SDA students are the only ones who can buy them from vendors?"

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that question," Eve responds. "Oh! My apologies. The way I've described this, I sound rather defensive of my peer's behaviour. I would condemn her rudeness regardless."

"It's fine," Ran responds. 

Urk. The conversation's been going for a bit, but she's had trouble trying to bring this next topic up. 

"U-um. If it's ok, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course!" 

The reception's too positive, almost. Ran tries not to sweat. "Um, you mentioned your rank earlier. What place are you at?"

"Rank 5!"

"Oh, I see." She nods. "...Huh?! Rank 5?! That's high!"

"Wait, isn't that great, Ran?" Tsugumi pumps. "If you want, we could ask her to mentor you!"

"T-Tsugumi!" Talk about a quick escalation! It's what she was going to ponder, b-but, "that's a bit sudden!"

"O-oh. I... might have gotten a bit excited. Sorry." She turns to Eve. "I figure it's a sudden request. You must be awfully busy, too."

But Eve still glows at the excitement. "There's no need to apologise! I may be busy, but I'd love to help other duelists whenever I can!"

"Eh?! Really?!" Ran balks. "Are you sure? This has to be really sudden, after all..."

"Of course!" Eve nods as if she hasn't just been asked to throw tutoring into her mass of a schedule. "For what it's worth, Ran, I think you're a wonderful person! The way you protected your friend during that confrontation was honourable, and you have an incredibly expressive and striking choice in fashion!"

A.

Ack.

Aggghcckcckckkkkkkkkkkk.

"..........thanks........." she manages to murmur, in response to that friggin', frustratingly blinding smile. How red is she? Maybe if she crouches into a ball, she can forget everything that was said.

"Would you like to learn more about Duel Monsters too, Tsugumi?" Eve asks. "You must be an avid player, with all the cards you're carrying. I'd love to see your dueling style!"

"M-me?!" Tsugumi stammers. "I-it's okay, really... I just want to help Ran right now..."

"That's incredibly virtuous of you; but if you change you mind, let me know. I appreciate your courage in making this request for me!"

"A-aw, shucks... I'm not anything all that good..."

"Of course you are," Eve glints. "Your courage is like that of the _Legendary Six Samurai Shien!_"

"S-Shien?" Tsugumi says. "Who's that?"

Eve glints. Clearly, she's pretty happy to be showing this off; the clear, resolute sky-blue in her eyes is glimmering almost like a child's pack of marbles right now. "None other than the greatest figure in the Six Samurai! His tale is a pondering on the meaning of values and honour in a war-torn and morally-compromised country!"

Grinning enthusiastically, she draws a card right out from her pocket, perfectly sleeved so as to preserve the relic inside. Inside the portrait is a rallying, gloriously-armoured commander whose blade is as simple and true as his resolve.

And that's Eve's biggest mistake.

"Nice card. Mind if I have a look?"

SWIPE!

Shadow. 

...Wait, what?!

Something faded in black just shot right past Eve's hand and over her head.

"Wh-what the hell?!" Ran nearly jumps back once she's processed it.

"Who's there?!" Eve looks around in surprise, and she's not the only one; everyone in the vicinity's dropped their jaws at what happened.

"You guys need to look above ground level sometimes."

That voice. It taunts the devil, jeers at the dragons. And it's...

Ran looks up.

...standing on top of the aisle to their right. Between hordes of displayed cards, a figure nonchalantly chilling the bone smirks on a thin white shelf, dancing the card in their hand like a stunt master. Their cloak wraps them in a ragged, torn darkness; it's like it's been dragged through a steamroller three times, with all the holes it's drowned in. But the hood beneath easily manages to cover the hair and eyes of its wielder; the only thing you're allowed to see is an infuriating, jaywalking grin.

"Hm." They're seemingly ignorant to all the gawking customers. "_Legendary Six Samurai Shien._ Easy enough to summon, nice negation effect. There's probably a decent price on it." The thief twirls it, flips it, juggles it over one hand and tucks it away. "It'll make a nice souvenir."

"Who the hell is that?" Ran asks. For some reason, there's a weird sense of dread she's feeling.

"U-um!" Tsugumi dares to approach. "Please return that card. Eve's done nothing to deserve having it stolen!"

They barely even turn their head. "Mm. Cute. But I'll pass on that. This is pretty fun, after all."

"I won't let you run!" Eve takes a step forward, her blaze growing. "I've heard several reports of SDA students' cards having suddenly disappeared. If you're responsible, then I'll make sure I take them back, and return them all myself!"

A yawn. The figure strides across the tightrope of a shelf. "C'mon, don't waste your time on that. Nobody's gonna cry if the SDA loses copies of a few exclusive cards."

Eve follows, facing the thief's hidden gaze. "And I would tell the students to press on regardless, too. But this is a matter of principle; an academy's students are not the kind of people you should be stealing from! There are many greater terrors in the world you could face instead!"

"Tch. What a buzzkill."

Then they hold out at least... that's like, 10 different cards? They're all shiny...

"Go on. Take them."

It's obviously a bait. Anyone could tell. But Eve steps forward regardless, and reaches out.

And they're whipped right back into the thief's pocket. They smirk; "You're gonna have to be faster than that." They backflip right onto another shelf, and jovially hold the cards out again. "How about this? If you can catch me, I'll give them all back."

"A ninja's proposal." Eve smiles. "I accept your challenge!"

"WHOA!" Jeez, she has to practically throw herself aside to let Eve speed through like a bullet train. That's some quick draw!

Rapid light steps, carrying a wind that disturbs none around it. The warrior finds the new ground traversable, hopping from aisle to aisle without spilling a single product from a shelf. 

"Scary! Your legs've gotta be pretty toned to pull that off." In defiant contrast, the thief tears an ignorant storm throughout the shop, almost deliberately leaving a mess in their wake. 

Eve pants. "You're fast, mysterious thief!"

Despite how impractical it should be, they aren't stopped by their cloak in the slightest; rather, they're enjoying having to adjust for how it interferes with their movement. And even with it, they make a trained acrobat cry with their mobility. Anyone watching that small grin could see they're treating this like a game.

"But now I've got you!"

A disconcerting change of pace. She brings her movement to a halt and stares the thief down, stilling every piece of motion. The last card touches the floor.

With a light step, the warrior leaps to ground level and calmly begins to walk to the right-

There's gasps.

Like a samurai's lightning strike, a trail's been quickly and tautly blazed through the left of the store. In a few seconds flat, Eve stands between the store's exit and the wall behind the thief, and slowly takes her steps forward. There's an "oooo" coming from beneath the cloak as the target of everyone's attention delightfully hops a few aisles back.

And it's instant. In the middle of the thief's suspension in the air, Eve finds that moment of weakness and circles around, lunging from behind for the cards with nary a breeze created.

And her hand falls over thin air.

"Ah!" Eve stumbles to manage her landing. When she, Ran and Tsugumi manage to catch up...

...The thief's one less aisle away than their leap made it look. They casually saunter out, letting themself be surrounded by the others. "No dice, if that's all you got. I'm in the habit of feinting my moves." 

Ran's jaw drops. Th-that was terrifying to watch.

They shrug. "Good exercise. But I'm bored of this. Later."

"Ah, wait!"

But it's pointless. Before any of them realise, the daydream's broken daredevil has already zipped right past.

Leaving nothing but a mess behind.


	25. Approaching You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Reference to alcohol (consumed by a background character; NONE of the bandori girls are gonna do anything like that)

...

...What is it like, to be drowned in darkness? Unable to see even the ground beneath your feet?

You're amazing as is. We'll always treasure you~. There's so much that's good about you! You don't have to be special to be our friend; they always say such things. So why does she feel like this?

There's a nightmare she has, from time to time. She didn't dwell on it much before, but it's slowly creeping on her. It goes like such:

If you were left behind, alone in the forest... because your lights ran too far forward, and you had no shine of your own... would they ever be able to find you again? 

If they couldn't, you'd never be able to get out. You'd be alone. You'd be lost. You'd be lost for such a long period of time, for such an unfathomable amount of time, that all you've ever known will feel like nothing but a glimpse. A blink, and you've just summarised the first part of your life, leaving the rest with nothing but the table placed before you. You'll spend your waking moments singing a lovely lullaby nobody will ever hear. You could smile all you want, and nobody would ever see your face. You could cry all you want, and nobody would ever hear your wails.

And after every episode of emptiness, every last moment of internal solitude, once time truly begins to pull on your body... the end will come. The end, where you'll lie on the ground, with none of the voices you love by your side. The end, where you'll be withering away, and there'll be nothing to comfort you but nothingness itself. 

And that's what your life would be like.

Forever.

She wonders.

What would that feel like?

"Tsugu? Earth to Tsugu!"

Her world practically snaps in. "E-eh?" What's she- 

WHOA! The lamppost was a hair's breadth from her face...

"Oh my god, that was so close! Don't get any bruises, okay?" She immediately feels a hand tugging her away from her potential assassin. "If anyone or anything laid a scratch on my perfect little Tsugu, I'd enter my Hyper-Angry Himari mode!"

"I'm sorry! I really should've paid more attention..."

She shakes her head, and finds herself back in the world of Haneoka Central City. Himari dotes on her with a frequency that'd impress her mother as they try their best to stumble through the sea of metal. A few clouds hang over the deep-blue sky, their full forms hidden by the peaks of the towers.

"Hey Tsugu, I've been thinking about my getup lately... do I look serious and cool enough?"

It really does feel like a world in itself. Back at home, her quaint little bakery map made the city look so small. But now that she's entered it, she's just the tiniest particle on the piece of paper in her hands. 

"Hm. I wonder if this necklace suits me... all the jewelry on it's a bit glitzy, y'know? Maybe a little too fake."

Each of the metal towers looming at their sides feel like energized titans in of themselves... all their design choices, differences in panel shape and choice of decor, each piece of individual expression makes them pop out to anyone who walks alongside them; until none of them do. Normally Tsugumi doesn't have a problem guiding her friends around, but right now she has to cling to the map to make sure she doesn't get lost. Hopefully that's just what City is like to anyone... right?

"Tsugu, you're such a lil' trooper, you know that?"

"Trooper?" She blinks. Her concentration's broken by Himari's goofy smile, throwing her off her route completely. "What do you mean?"

"You're looking so intense! You just keep on going on! Like, um..." A wizened sculpture, that pose. "Just, y'know! You're always doing stuff lately!"

"Um. We all do stuff, Himari."

"Aw, you know what I mean! More than usual!"

"T-thanks."

She isn't quite paying attention, to be honest; Himari's loud enough that she can fill the conversation all on her own. That's why Tsugumi's so intent on focusing on her map instead, making sure she doesn't get lost, because she really, really wants to get to the right place as soon as possible.

Alas, for Himari hurts her meagre head's efforts regardless. "So! Why do you think Moca only invited us two? She's acting really strange, y'know?"

"Y-yeah, she is." No, she's already figured out why. There's some traits Moca's never quite able to shake off; although she's way too focused on navigating to try and tell Hima-

"TsugumiiiiiiiiiiIIIII!"

"W-wah!" She nearly jumps on the spot at the volume. "H-Himari? What's wrong?"

"You're, um... you seem pretty stressed, y'know? I mean, that's always been a part of you- okay, no I mean, uh!" She shakes her head like a drenched puppy. "I mean, don't worry about it! We should be happy we're getting to see Moca!" There's a peppy pout. "Besides, she's got some explaining to do for TRICKING me like she did!"

Aw. She can't deny it; Himari makes her feel a bit warmer just by being there, as haphazard as the fluffball is. Although maybe it's exactly that haphazard way in which Himari always pushes herself that makes her so... standout.

"Thanks, Himari. Um, sorry for being distracted." She shakes her head for what she knows is the umpteenth time that day. "I'm just... I don't want to be late. I really, really want to see her again. We have to."

"Are you having trouble with your map? Lemme help!" Three seconds. "Urk, I give. Sorry, my dear little Tsugu... I've never been good with symbols..."

"Ehehe. It's fine. It's not like I'm all that great myself." She sighs. "I'm really used to getting through our own neighbourhood, so I thought I'd do fine at this. But I guess Duel Monsters is the only thing I've become okay at."

"Aw, that's not true, Tsugu! Remember; there's NOBODY who likes your cookies and cakes more than I do!"

"W-well! Even those're just hand-me-downs from Hazawa Coffee..."

"Everything's a hand-me-down! C'mon!"

Ugh. She's making excuses again, isn't she? Right, enough of that; "I'm glad to hear it. I'll remember to tell you when we've made another new dish, okay?"

"Yes! I've gained 8 leadership points today already!" 

The smile she sees makes her feel just a bit less alone.

Himari, Himari, Himari. She treads the jigsaw-shaped brick beneath her feet with so much... grace. No, you really can call it grace; she's not tripping or falling all that much. Rather, she just adds twirls and spins to her step whenever she likes it, refusing to accept her normal beaten path. Every picture she posts on social media is only a distractor from the fact that she chooses to lead Afterglow, isn't it? She's so brave, so fearless in what she does. She feels so much, but none of it gets her down forever.

...Honestly, okay, sheesh. Himari, you're spinning even more in circles than usual lately. Is this becoming deliberate? "U-um! Himari, I'm sorry, I'm just a bit distracted."

"Eh? By what?"

"Um." She breathes in, and forces it through. "All your... pirouetting is making me dizzy. I-I can't focus."

"Oh! Sorry, I was, uh. Just trying to... give off more of that strong vibe, you know?"

S-strong? Pirouetting? "It's no problem. Just save it for once we get there, okay?"

"Anything for you, my little Tsugu!"

Oh, thank god; it's only a few more metres now. When you're looking through a large enough map, a distance can deceive you until you travel it. The locale's helping her now, at least; the buildings get a little smaller, less glitzier, and carry around a few less furnishings... the uneven colour of the ground and the plants glistening in the sunlight make this place feel more like a laid-back university campus than a bustling heat sink. And somewhere among this scenery, there's gotta be...

"...There!" She breaks into a dash when she sees the sign plastering 'Satou Cakes' across the front. Himari yelps like a startled horse as she bursts forward, and-

-oh whoops that's a person-

"-oh my god, I'm so sorry!" She screeches to a halt and apologises before anyone topples to the ground. Taking a step back, she makes sure not to stumble over the tables nearby.

Wait, tables... is this place a cafe too?

"Mm? You here to eat?"

The face of the... waitress? Looks completely terrifying, but she's not going to let that get to her. She gulps, and nods.

"Cool. Take a seat." A pointed thumb. "You the friend greyhair mentioned? She's over there."

With that, the person who's... presumably the waitress, disappears inside. Tsugumi faces the direction she pointed at, and...

...There.

There she is.

"T-Tsugu, you're too fast! Let me run in front, at least!" Himari screeches to a halt and nabs her arm, but she can't even pay attention. "Oh my god! She actually IS here?"

Just a few strides away sits Moca Aoba, once again. She's giving a lazy wave from behind what looks like... strawberry cheesecake? God, that's an indulgence, isn't it?

Wait, that's not important! "Moca!" She can feel her smile break out the second she realises; she's finally looking at her mentor again.

"MOCAAAAAAA, YOU JERRRRRK!"

Himari practically cannonballs herself in the fiend's direction immediately, desperate for what's probably the most suffocating hug ever. But Moca pulls it off, pulls off the unthinkable, stopping Himari completely in her tracks; all by offering a very, very large piece of cheesecake. Before Himari can wrap Moca in a suffocatingly warm embrace, her eyes are sent to stardust beyond looking at the scrumptious treat before her.

"For you, Himahee."

"R-really?" She barely squeals it out. "Oh my god, it looks DELICIOUS..."

"That baker's a real good one, lemme tell ya. And this piece is ON me. Aren't I the most gracious girl alive~?"

"WOO! Chow time!" She nabs it down immediately and happily crashes on the seat beside Moca. Tsugumi skittishly follows. "I'll forget all your sins just for the next 5 minutes!"

...Moca. She... she actually doesn't look much worse for wear. That's such a relief... finally, there might be a night's sleep without thoughts of her missing mentor.

"Well? How's it taste?"

"Ohmmfyyggof!! Itfshhs amaffing!" She's nearly crying from it. "This iffssh the ebsfft thignf youv'e everdoneformm!"

"Don't eat it too fast~. Tsugu'll get worried if you feel sick, y'know?"

All the details strike. Moca kicks back in her chair like everything's right with the world, the head of her turquoise hoodie flapping on the back like a cushion. It's impossible not to feel the difference between her own body and her mentor's, really; it's like comparing a shivering rock to a warm ball of putty, in terms of tensed muscles. It's an awe-striking kind of jovial bravado; Moca'll deny it herself, and sometimes it's more of a front than anything... but at other times, it really is genuinely amazing, just how prepared Moca looks for anything that comes at her...

...Well, okay. Maybe Moca's bravado isn't THAT striking when her mouth is dipped in cream cheese.

"And how about you, my dearest pupil~?"

"Ah!"

How long was she out of it for? There's a messy moblin leaning over to her side, giving her the widest grin she can.

"You seem a little out of it~. You sure you're not overworking again?" Moca pulls back. "Getting dragged around City between school and part-time must be pretty taxing."

"I-I'm fine!" She shakes her head. "It's actually been interesting. I am a little tired, but I want to keep exploring with everyone."

"Ha! Eat that! We're taking good care of our Tsugu, unlike you!"

Tsugumi keeps her gaze stuck on Moca.

"I can tell~. You even have that lovely Frightfur Bear on her bag now, watching over her~."

"NOW you notice!" Himari shoots up. "And there's no running anymore, Moca; I've got a plushie for you too, right..." She's patting every pocket she has. "........here........?"

"Hoho." A bear's fished out from a backpack. "Might you be looking for this bouncy boy?"

"H-how?!" Himari's agape. "When'd you sneak that thing from me?!"

"Eh? I didn't sneak it~." Moca leans and grins. "You gave it to me before I fed you the cheesecake, remember? You were such a good leader that you made sure I got it immediately~."

Tsugumi keeps her gaze stuck. The shine on Moca's eyes darts back and forth like the seeker on a submarine.

"D-did I?" Himari stammers. "W-well... I AM the best leader Afterglow could have... so that makes sense. Maybe I just forgot I gave it to you. Yeah, I forgot!" She nods.

"Go, go, leader Himari~. Slay, queen! Slay the entire dueling venue! You've got a look so bomb, every girl in sight would fall for you~!"

"N-now don't you butter me up! I'm not going to believe any of that; not from your mouth!"

"Oh, no! Himarine's seen right through my thin lies with her indomitable perception~!"

"Mgrggr... why, you!"

'Indomitable perception', huh... that fits Moca a lot better, from her point of view. How can one person tell so much about her friends, and support them all so easily with such a goofy grin on her face? Even when it's being stretched around by Himari, it has this weird kind of allure to it. It's impossible to recall the number of times Moca's snuck in when no one else would, and lent a helping hand to whatever Tsugumi was dealing with. That's how this prankster became her Duel Monsters mentor in the first place.

Moca pulls Himari's hands off effortlessly after letting herself get kneaded, and stares right back Tsugumi's way again. "Fufufu. You're such a dashing queen, Tsugu~."

...A queen. No, no way; that's way too sparkly. "Me? Really?"

"You got it~. Who else puts so much effort into helping her good ol' friends?"

You, you silly bean.

"Allow me to show you the power of my Mocatastic Brain, Tsugu..." she presses her fingers against her temples. "The baguette brain cells in my head sayyyy... that you're worried about me runnin' from Afterglow, right?"

"Whoa?! How'd you know?" Himari balks.

"Yeah. I knew you could tell. You always can," Tsugumi responds. She can feel her face begin to scrunch. "...Moca... are you okay?"

"I never gave you the chance to ask yesterday, did I?" An easy smile. "After all, I peaced out pretty quick when I met you guys in the shop. Can you guess why?"

"C-can I? Um..." She gives it some thought. "Well, uh-"

"Oh, c'mon! You always keep yourself shut like a vault, Moca; you gotta tell us yourselves!"

"You already figured that out then. Good on you guys," she claps. "Guess I'll take a page from Tomo's book, and open up myself."

"Really?"

"Whoa, really?!"

"Hey, I'm not in the job of making my friends worry, am I?" She says. "I'm not trying to hide my problems from you guys. I just have my own way of doing things, y'know?"

"...Is it something to do with Ran?" Tsugumi starts. "She told me you two got into a fight."

Moca leans back, sighing. "Well, that's one way to put it~. But I think 'bullied her and made her cry' is more accurate. Tomoe, too."

"T-Tomoe?! I never noticed that!" Himari exclaims.

"I... thought she was talking to you a bit less, but I wasn't sure. So you disappeared because you didn't want to make Ran feel guilty?"

The smile turns a little wearier. "Bingo, my darling Tsugu. You're right on the mark. I didn't want to hurt one of our sweet ravens with my lack of readiness."

"Readiness?"

"To talk to them. I get the feeling Ran n' Tomo are still a lil' upset at me, y'know? I owe you guys a goooooood explanation for what's been going on in my life. But..." she shrugs. "That's a pretty complicated topic, y'know? I don't wanna mess it up when I tell them, in particular." She wiggles like the snake of Caduceus. "That's why I've been sticking a bit further from Afterglow recently. I need the time to sort out my neuron deprivation~."

"Oh, okay! Phew! You know, you could've just told us that upfront, Moca," Himari says. "You made us waste a week worrying about you instead."

"Fufufu~. Only our leader could deal with such a great curse."

...

...She has to ask.

"S-so..." Tsugumi trembles. "That means you're coming back soon, right? Please."

"..." Moca's expression blanks.

"Please. I miss you, Moca. We all do." She stands up. "Um... please don't hesitate to talk to us, any time you need to; it can be schoolwork, or how you're feeling, or anything! We really love you, Moca. And if you ever need my help, I'll always be there for you; that's the least I can do for all your mentoring."

"Heheh~."

"E-eh? What's so funny?"

"TSUGUUUUUU!" Himari wails. "That was so sweet of you!"

Moca exhales. "Ah, my dear darling Tsugu. I've never found a treat tastier than you; the kindest cookie in the world."

...She's leaning out, offering a hand. It's the symbol of when she wants to ruffle Tsugumi's hair a bit, and...

...W-well, that's fine, isn't it? She is feeling tired...

Ruffle, ruffle, ruffle. "Fame is fickle, yet Tsugumi is not; people look to the stars, and forget how lovely the friend by their side is. Tragic~."

"That's why Afterglow's all here for her," Himari cheers. "So long as we're with her, she'll always get the love she deserves!"

"..."

Tsugumi breathes.

For just this moment, the strange, sick feeling of tension in her heart loosens. I-it might be selfish of her, but... if Afterglow really continued hanging out with her, that'd be all she ever needed. Everything's felt so tumultuous lately, but... her friends' words are reminding her, once again, once again. They'll always spare some time to talk to her.

So she smiles. It's warm. "Ehehe. Thanks, you guys. Sorry for all the trouble."

"It's gotta be worrying when a friend you've known all your life starts acting distant." Moca sends the smile back. "None of us were happy when Tomotomo started locking herself away. So I get all the concern. But you don't need to worry about me, okay? I'll even make the biggest promise I can."

"You mean it?"  
"You mean it?"

"Of course~."

Moca's eyes glint.

"...I promise. Soon enough, Afterglow will be back to the same as always. So all you need to do is give me a little bit of time, okay?"

"R-right!" Tsugumi responds. Thank god; that's her biggest worry finally tucked away. "Let us know whenever you want to talk!"

"Well, why not talk right now~? We're hanging out, after all." Moca grins. "Hey, Masukiiii~. Can we order?"

And it all comes back to them; all the joy, all the dance. It's a lovely respite. If you asked Moca to describe it, she'd probably say 'it's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming'. Tsugumi doesn't quite know their origin, but Moca always has all these really vivacious quotes hidden under her belt; it's just one of the things that makes people smile around her. Never mind the cakes and drinks that come soon after... actually, wow, these are amazing! Tsugumi opts for a little bit of chocolate carrot, while Himari goes in with, uh. What can only be described as 'strawberry but with confectionary sweets decorating the top'. Still, she can't deny the piece Himari insists on her tastes good...

It doesn't take long for the idle talk to shift to Duel Monsters, and before Tsugumi realises it she's already showing Moca her deck.

"Ohoho." Flip, flip. Moca goes through card after card. It's tense; Moca always looks at her deck with a laid-back poise, but the eyes that scan her cards feel like lasers. "Ohohohoho." Moca never duels much herself, and yet Tsugumi always feels in good hands with her. Good enough that the anticipation of critique is nerve-wracking. "Ohohohohohohohoho."

The last card in the Extra Deck is flipped. Moca whistles.

"H-how is it?"

"C'mon, don't keep her waiting! Even I'm feeling the heat!"

"It's..." Moca slowly and deliberately returns the deck, hands teasing deceit in their motion. "...pretty darn great. You're getting real good, Tsugu."

"E-eh?" She sweats. "Is... there nothing obviously wrong about it this time?"

"Nope~." Moca smiles. "I mean, there's always debates you could have about personal preference. But honestly, I feel more like praising you than critiquing you 'rn'."

"R... n?" She tilts her head. "Well, thank you very much. But, I'd really appreciate any flaws you could find!"

"Oh, Tsugu. You're adorable; always so eager for more, aren't you~?"

"A-adorable?" Her heartbeat spikes for a second, and she doesn't even know why.

"Fufufu~. Take it easy for a change, dearie," she takes a sip of her milkshake. "Every time you ask me for critique, it's always about the negatives. But you've been climbing so much higher lately. Why not take a little rest, and enjoy the view from where you are?"

"I-if you say so," she responds. "Um... what changes did you think helped the most?"

"Two things, mainly." Moca spreads out the Main Deck again. "Firstly, you only run a single copy of _Madolchepalooza_ now. That's gonna make it a lot less likely to brick your hand."

"Eh? Brick? What does that mean?" Himari pokes in.

"Ah, one of the classics~. It's a term referrin' to cards that end up being deadweight if you draw them. In this case, _Madolchepalooza_ would be useless if Tsugumi drew it while she wasn't holding any Madolche monsters." Moca spins the card in her hand. "There's a monster who's really infamous for 'bricking' hands, actually; ol' _Gem-Knight Garnet._ That monster makes the word 'Garnet' another term for bricking."

"Cool! ...I think I only understood about half of that."

"Eh, that's fine. You could probably figure it out on your own anyway, Hima." She turns back to Tsugumi. "The second improvement is all the cards you have as searchers. It's gonna help your consistency a ton. Take it from me, Tsugs; you've done good work. Have a nice shiny sticker from your mentor, okay~? You deserve it for all your prowess."

"Thank you! I'll take it with pride!" She can't help but grin from ear-to-ear. "I... I still feel like I'm a long way from you guys, somehow. I know I shouldn't. But that's why I want to keep playing more. It's part of the reason I wanted to visit City in the first place, too."

"Our little Tsugu's getting daredevilish!" Himari says. "So all the card shopping was partly for your own sake too?"

"Y-yeah... if only a little bit. To be honest, it was mainly because I wanted to see if I could help Ran," she responds. "That's why I looked up every cheap card store I could find on the internet."

"Oho. Quick Q," Moca pokes. "Did you ever find the name 'Okusawa Sleeves' during your search?"

There's a lonely breeze. 

Something carries in the air.

"Oh! Do you know about that place?" Tsugumi says. "It took a while for me to learn about it. I saw it mentioned on a forum thread; there were a bunch of people discussing it."

"Whoa, whoa. Now THAT'S spicy~. You actually found people talking about it? How old was the thread?"

"Eh? I'm... not sure I remember. I think it was at least a few years ago, though," she responds. "I tried to search for the store's name afterwards, but I couldn't find anything."

"Nothing at all?" Himari's eyes start to gleam, for some reason. "Is it some kind of secret mystery shop?"

"I-I'm not sure. I assumed it just closed down."

"Fufufu."

They both turn to Moca. There's a strange slant to her words.

"Gather around, Afterglowers," she waves. "I could write an essay with all the stuff I've done looking into that place. It's preeeeetty mysterious."

"You say that, but you'd probably fall asleep after the first paragraph."

"Oof~! Lemme start, at least; have you ever heard of a place called Duston Drivethrough?"

"Oh, I-I have," Tsugumi responds. "It's an area to the south of City. That place is infamous for always smelling like ashes, apparently."

"That's the one~. Well, I've visited that place a couple times during my adventures. And on one occasion..." she looms forward. "I met a drunk person!"

"Moca. Don't tell me you've been drinking."

"Easy, easy, Tsugu~. Of course not," she says. "I mention it because that person told me something verrrrry interesting. He was crying and saying the place wasn't the same without 'Okusawa Sleeves' anymore. Said it was the only outing that brought his family any smiles; then he threw up."

Oof. "That sounds tough to deal with... so, is that where the shop is?" 

"Well, you'd think. But here's the thing;" Moca points. "I put my great Mocatective skills to work after hearing that, and started asking around. But none of them said they'd heard of it."

"Eh? Were they just unaware?" Himari asks.

"Maybe in some cases~. But most of them were just like 'there's never been a store by that name in the dual-district'. It was a pretty cold reception," Moca shrugs.

"Aw, that sucks," Himari slumps. "Sounds like a myth then. I wish it was a secret base or something..."

"Ever the romantic~."

"Mmmm. I'm not sure if it's fake," Tsugumi ponders. "After all, there was that forum thread mentioning it too."

"Ah, Tsugu. Always willing to believe people on the internet... an innocent soul..."

Thanks, Moca. "But they mentioned it by name, too. I think the chances of it being a hoax are pretty low; people don't lie for no reason, after all."

"Agreed!" Himari's evidently eager to cling to any speculation. "It can't be a lie! The internet's never let me down."

Moca chugs her milkshake down. "God, you two are dorks. Remind me to give you like, the biggest squeezy hug I can later. But lemme aaaaalso give you a free Moca tidbit now~." 

"A tidbit?" Tsugumi says.

"Words can be like swords. They can stab you and you'll go 'oh darn, I just got stabbed!' Sometimes even more than when a sword actually stabs you, you figure?"

...Swords.

Swords.

Wait, hang on. What's this feeling of having forgotten something?

"That doesn't make any sense! I'm pretty sure I'd say 'OW' a lot more if an actual sword pierced me." Himari flails. 

Swords. Why is the image of a sword making her feel like she's...

...a sword... duels... right, she had a sword... wait, who had a sword? Well, it was an imitation katana, but-

Oh.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" she can't even pay attention to how her lack of grace crushes the conversation immediately, she's too busy shooting up and flipping out her phone "Oh no, it's 3 o' clock already! I'm going to be late!"

"Eh?! Late for what?" Himari jerks.

"It's ok, it's ok, um, um..." come on phone apps, load faster, pretty please! it'd really be appreciated right now if you didn't have a blank screen with a logo precede 5 seconds of waiting before the map shows up "Okay, I think I can make it still! Um, bye guys! I'm so sorry, it's just that I've got a tutoring session to go to see you later!"

she bolts, it's fine, it's fiiine if she leaves something behind because Himari'll give it back to her later oh god Himari I'm so sorry 

And she heads out as fast as she can. She goes so fast, she doesn't even hear her friends' reactions.

\---

...It's a little scarier without Tsugumi around.

Standing out here and looking at the sky is stifling. All the black clothing on her's starting to feel fake. She'd enter, but all she can do when she stares the entrance down is just awkwardly mope outside, too nervous to make her presence known. She may as well kick a pebble around while she waits.

I-it's not her fault though. She doesn't usually have a reason to head to places like City, really; why would she? This is the first time she's actually gone out on a limb alone in such a gigantic mazeway. All the people bustling by underneath that egregious sunlight, sky brighter and bluer than anything else... it's too intense for her. For some reason, the thought didn't cross her mind that getting better at Duel Monsters would require talking to people other than her friends, by herself. Well, she's not supposed to be here by herself, but it'd be pretty pathetic if she couldn't even talk to another person without Afterglow, right?

So tough it up, she keeps trying to say, even as she hears the anxious hum falling all over the place from her mouth. 

"..." A sigh. "...This is hard. I wish I was dueling right now."

It's almost like the entrance to a cave. She's standing at a part of City overlooking the Haneoka Coast; pretty close to the Hanasakigawa border from here, isn't it? The hordes of crowds and towering skyscrapers have made way for a more inclined, sloped ledge of steel surrounding her on one side as the waves distantly tease at her left ear; unfortunately not loud enough to actually relieve her.

Still, this is a pretty intense looking entrance... it's surrounded by two palm trees and hollowed out through the neatly-panelled white metal, like the pathway to a secret base. Is this just the kind of place SDA students hang out in?

"Excuse me, Ran! Tsugumi! Are you outside?"

"A-ah."

Her thoughts cut short immediately. Out steadfastly walks Eve before she can even blink. As postured and forthright as ever, huh? Here's hoping she doesn't look like an embarrassment in comparison.

"Thank you for attending today!" Eve bows. "It's nice to see you again. You're rather on time, too!"

"I am. I mean. Am I?"

"You are!"

...Great! Real good start! For a clown. She wishes she didn't have to care about holding a proper conversation, but that feels way easier with Afterglow or Hina than it does with someone she doesn't know much. Even if Eve is nice, it's just... how do you talk? How do you look like yourself around a stranger who's only seen your surface?

"Um." She looks around. "Tsugumi isn't here yet. Sorry."

"That's okay! Would you like to come inside in the meantime?" Eve smiles. "We have tea and baked goods! It's been exciting, trying out new delicacies in this country."

"Are you from overseas?" Wait, was that too obvious a question? Eve makes it kind of evident-

"I am!" Well, there's no snark. "I moved from my home country a year ago."

"R... right."

It hovers, briefly. Eve's just staring at her, nary a hint of worry in her face; at least not on the surface. It's hard to tell what she's thinking, in a strange way-

Oh, she never answered the question, did she? Is it too late to do that now? "Um... if it's ok... I..."

Eve just hums in pondering; Ran freezes. God, who else is this slow when it comes to conversation? Focus! 

"If it's ok... I'll wait for Tsugumi, first."

"Ah!" Her eyes light up. "Of course. I'll wait with you here!"

Oh no! That's the worst outcome possible! "...okay..."

...

The light tap of the waves. A bead of sweat. 

...

Come on, come on... it feels so awkward, just making Eve stand in silence with her! Couldn't she see like, 3 million things in that wolf's eyes back when she first met her? Why can't she do the same with Eve, or anyone else outside of Afterglow? They're just... what the hell are they doing? Burying their eyes into the horizon?

Okay, it's fine. This looks awkward, but maybe she's just catastrophizing about how this conversation's going, right? Eve doesn't look sad, or anything...

...but still, please, Tsugumi, come on-

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to be late!"

Oh, thank god! She has her excuse to look to the left; there's her friend, hightailing it up the metal stairs with her bag flailing from her back in the most Tsugurific way possible. To be honest, Tsugumi could be rolling in a ball towards her right now and it'd still feel like an angel's descended to save her. "I-I'm sorry... I'm late, I was... really sloppy, I'm..."

"Tsugumi! Please catch your breath first!" Eve draws a bottle of water from seemingly nowhere. "Thank you for attending today!"

"N-no, no problem! I'm so sorry... I ended up hanging out with my friends longer than I realised..."

Oh, riiiiight. Hey Moca, punch yourself; why'd you choose to only invite Tsugumi and Himari? Why can't that malfunctioning worm-on-a-string-juggling buggy just tell the others she's okay too? Why won't she let everyone see her face-to-face?

Agh, screw it. Getting caught up in Moca's pace is always the worse option, so it's better to push the problem away for now. Moca's barely subtle about her emotions, anyway; if she really is doing something silly, she'll probably get lonely and cling to them again sooner or later. So let's just... let the frustration fester, or something. 

"Shall we enter, then?" Eve gestures to the dueling venue. "The Bushido League is awaiting your visit!"

"T-the League?"

Eve nods, and lets them take the first step into the hideout. It's hard to walk in without feeling anxious, but Tsugumi by her side makes it so much more possible now. Fortunately it's not too ominous; the tunnel is decently lit, so it's possible to see where they're going. The metal beneath their feet is making way for a polished, evenly-split wood...

...Leading out into a suitably large arena.

But it's not the arena that makes Ran's jaw drop. "Wha-" Rather, it's the 20 or so students bowing upon their arrival. The movement amplifies from their near-but-not-quite synchronicity to the point that it echoes in the walls and ceiling. Then, they manage another joint action:

"Welcome to the Bushido League's training grounds!"

Ran can hardly respond. 

"...O-oh!" Tsugumi looks like she's just had her limbs glued to the air. "Um! Th-thank you!"

Just, whoa. There isn't THAT many of them, but this is overwhelming as all hell. 

Thank friggin' god Eve doesn't seem to mind the lack of reaction. "This is where we train our skills at Duel Monsters! A few of us book this arena at specific times on every weekday, and attend whenever we can!" She turns to one of the students. "Let us make some tea together for everyone! And please bring some suitable snacks!"

"Right away, boss!" 

They're left standing at the edge as Eve heads into a side room with a few others. Ran and Tsugumi are left to stare at the arena; it's cut from the same cloth as most others, with the polished wooden floor, wide space and plentitude of cushioned chairs stacked in ascending rows at the side. But there's a few tidbits you can notice that make you realise SDA students frequent it more than others; the monitor's MUCH larger and has a bunch of panels laid out on it to display various aspects of a duel, such as a textbox on the side that displays the effect of the most recently activated or summoned card. There's a few windows positioned at one side to help with the ventilation, giving the place a bit of the smell of the sea, but the light's mainly reliant on fluorescent strips covering half the grey ceiling.

"Oh! My bad, I forgot; feel free to sit down anywhere in the meantime!" A student gestures to some of the tables on the deck they stand at, looking over the rest of the arena. "Sorry, a lot of us are new to common courtesy stuff."

"I-it's ok. We weren't really expecting a big reception. You didn't have to do this much," Tsugumi says.

"Of course we did!" Eve returns, carrying a tray with a kettle and some cups in hand. "Treating your guests with benevolence is a mark of Bushido!" She nods to the student. "Thank you for your assistance. Feel free to resume your training with the others!"

"Right away, boss!" A salute, and she leaves.

"This place seems really nice..." Tsugumi takes a cup and sips. "Wow, this is amazingly made. You could have a part-time job with this!"

"I'm honoured to hear you say that!" Eve responds. "Are you well versed with making hot drinks?"

"W-well, not all that much! But my parents do own a cafe."

"That's amazing! If your earnesty is any indication, your family must work very hard for their customers!"

"They do! I'm really proud of my parents," Tsugumi beams. "I hope I can be as good a waitress or barista as they are someday."

"I know you'd make an excellent one. I promise I'll visit your cafe one day during your shift!"

"W-wow, really? Um... thank you."

Oh, sheesh. This person's overwhelmingly bright; it's the same kind of aura she gets from Hina, in some ways. Is this what it feels like to actually be close to a star?

"And what about you, Ran?" Oh crud, she's in the conversation now. "What do your parents do?"

"Uh." Ran scratches her head. "My dad is the head of a flower arrangement school."

Eve makes a noise that's almost impossible for her to decipher; her sky-blue eyes are shining like they've just found a satellite. I-is that a negative reaction? Did she say something w-

"I'm face-to-face with the daughter of a traditional art's master!" It's a positive one?! Really?! "Are you acquainted with the art of flower arrangement too?"

"Y-yeah. He tutors me in it."

"That is absolutely fantastic!" She yelps as Eve lurches across the table and offers a hand... she shakes it???? Is she supposed to shake it????? "If it would be okay, please allow me to visit the Mitake school sometime!"

Okay, this is too much. "Um. Uh. About, um. Dueling. Tutor."

"Oh! Forgive my rudeness!" She sits back and adjusts her posture. "I apologise; this country's culture has been a major influence on me. I absolutely love to learn all about it that I can!"

"Bushido! Bushido!" A couple of the other students chant upon hearing that.

"Bushido!" She chants in response. "Ran, Tsugumi. The Bushido League occupies this arena every weekday in the late afternoon. I will not always be present, but any of us would be glad to help you train!"

"I-is that okay? We can just drop in whenever?" Tsugumi asks.

"Of course! In Duel Monsters, you must be opportune with your time!" She glints. "I apologize; there will be many days in which I'm absent due to my schedule. But I will let you know by phone call whenever I'm available!"

"Text messages'll be good enough. It's fine." T-there's such a thing as too overbearing, y'know.

"Then let us make haste!" Eve stands and poses proudly. "There's no better place to start than understanding your opponents' capabilities. I would like to test your skills in a practice duel!"

"Oh! Ran, you should go first!" Tsugumi says. "You have more of a reason to improve than I do; I'm just trying to help you guys, after all."

Oh, no. Not this again. An angel she is, but this happens too often. "...Tsugumi."

"Y-yeah? What's wrong?"

"When was the last time you dueled?" Ran asks. "Go first for a change. Sometimes you wait your turn so long, you never actually get it."

"N-no, it's okay, really!" Tsugumi waves her hands. "I'll just go after you do. I'll have time, right?"

Eve nods. But it's, just... is it weird for her to be stubborn about this?

"Tsugumi," she grumbles. "Go. I wanna see you duel for a change."

"It's fine, really! You're the one who really wanted a mentor to begin with."

"And you're the one who I suggested I should have a mentor in the f-"

"Ran."

U-urk. Tsugumi's hand is soft. Was she being too pushy? "Oh. S-sorry."

Tsugumi shakes her head. "It's ok. I promise I'll take my turn right after. So go first; I'll be cheering for you!"

"If you'd like," Eve cuts in, "Tsugumi can support you and look at your perspective during the duel!"

"...Isn't that cheating?"

"Do not shun the value of a friend's advice! If it would help, think of it like this," Eve gestures. "You are combining the knowledge of two minds, until one becomes as resplendent as both!"

"Uh. Right," she turns to Tsugu. "Are you down?"

"Yeah!" Tsugumi jumps. "Let's do it, Ran!"

Well. Definitely can't reject it now.

The second they all get up, the rest of the students start scrambling down to the arena; Ran and Tsugumi follow, and... the League's lining up at the sides, huh? That's kind of intimidating; they look like professionals. P-professionals in Bushido, anyway. Ran hits one end of the arena, swaggering as much stride as she can under 20 different pairs of eyes; the crowd's a little unnerving, but having an equally nerve-wracked Tsugu next to her helps.

And Eve... Eve strides across to the other side of the arena with all the characteristic dignity and respect you'd expect. Bushido's Inheritor stands tall and resolute opposite; Rank 5, huh? What kind of tactics does she use? 

...Actually, how powerful are the top 10 or so students in the SDA? Hina's absolutely ridiculous, for sure; she's never lost a game against someone her age. And The Dragon can't be a slouch either; she's kept Rank 2 below Hina for 3 years straight. But Ran's never heard much about the rest... the public and media talk about some of them occasionally, but most of the focus is shoved onto the Shirasagi family. What's Rank 5 like, in comparison to the indomitable 1 and 2? 

"I would like to propose my rules now!" Eve states. "I intend to use a particular arrangement of my deck rather than shuffling it, and present a type of board you must try and overcome; one with very particular strengths. Would you like to accept this proposition?"

"That's fine," Ran nods, lifting her right arm. "I'll just shuffle my deck as normal."

Eve grins. "Then, our battlefield is determined!"

"Yeah. Let's-"

But then she notices. There isn't that crucial armament on either of Eve's wrists.

"-...um. Where's your duel disk?"

"Mm?" The warrior tilts her head in confusion. "You have already seen it, have you not?"

"H-have we?" Tsugumi says. "I don't think so..."

"Then allow me to show you now!"

Immediately, every student at the side bows their head, another motion that echoes the rumpling of their uniforms' collars through the arena. The entire room darkens. And standing at the head, Eve's eyes shut. She inches a foot forward, crouches, and perches her left hand on the hilt of her katana.

Wait, her katana?

Nahhhhhhhh, no way. That thing's just a model, isn't it? Although it is pretty cool how the guard is shaped like the podium and orb of a duel dis-

Oh. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

CLACK!

Okay, wait, hang on, there's no way! "W-"

SLICE!

Her word's cut clean; Eve's motion odes to the other side. A white line cleaves vision in two. The heavenly waters burst in gigantic gushes from the edges of the arena and conceive a flurry of sakura petals through the air. Behind it all, one can clearly lay their eyes upon the gleaming steel of Eve's blade, posing its challenge from her rigorous left hand.

"To carry lives with respect, step forward with sincerity, and honour your duty and liege with every action you take... this is my code!" Eyes open. "You face Eve Wakamiya, Rank 5 of the Shirasagi Duel Academy and duelist of the Bushido League!"

"BU! SHI! DO!" Every student's body shoots up.

"You're kidding me! Her blade is an actual sword?!"

"I-it's okay, Ran!" Tsugumi says. "We've all got swords!"

"R-right! Blade of rose, blaze!" She throws her arm out, and the sharpened yet subtle red of rebellion draws, translucent petals howling in the wind. 5 cards enter each duelist's hand.

It's not just time to train. It's time to show how much she's trained already!

"**DUEL!**"  
"**DUEL!**"

"_I will take the first move!_" A bracer of hard-light grows on the same arm that holds her blade; so that's where she puts the actual cards! "I activate the continuous spells _Gateway of the Six_ and _Six Samurai United!_"

Enlargened holographs of each card phase down at Eve's sides. "When a Six Samurai monster is summoned to my field, these cards gain a certain number of Bushido Counters!"

Oh, boy. "Bushido Counters?"

"That is correct; allow me to demonstrate. Come, _Secret Six Samurai - Doji in attack position!_"

Her free hand tags another line on her bracer, and a grizzled soldier beams into position at her front with **1700ATK.** His straw hat, unwrinkled robes and muzzled rifle of old are lined with neon-pulsing metal plates.

With his appearance, an emblem of crossed katanas spawns over _Six Samurai United_, and two of the same kind spawn over _Gateway of the Six._

"So, they're going to give her advantages when she summons her monsters?"

"Yeah," Tsugumi says. "Question is, how many is she gonna bring?"

Eve gleams. "An army! If I control a Six Samurai of a different name, I can Special Summon _Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan_ from my hand!" A general whose flowing hair accompanies his inspiring presence descends with **1800ATK.** "When another Six Samurai is summoned to my field," Eve continues, "Doji can send one Six Samurai monster from my deck to my graveyard!"

The rifle fires a flare to the ceiling; a calling to one of many. "Now, I remove 2 Bushido Counters from each of my spells; through this action, _Gateway of the Six_ will let me add _Legendary Six Samurai - Mizuho_ to my hand!" 

"...This is going to be a lot of monsters, isn't it?"

"I call upon the pair of rivals famed through history!" Eve shoots one card from her disk into her hand, and sets another on her bracer; "I activate the quick-play spell _Cunning of the Six Samurai_, sacrificing Kizan to summon _Legendary Six Samurai - Shinai_ from my graveyard!" With her sword, she wages a storm of cuts through the air until her motions form a gleaming symbol. "And when Shinai is on the field, I can Special Summon Mizuho from my hand!"

SLICE! The symbol bursts. A ninja who errs on light, and a fighter who errs on shadow; sharpened ringed blades and spiked blunted steel cross over time, until their paths intersect, and their camaraderie shines. **1000DEF** and **1500DEF** descend; and as they do, Doji shoots two more flares... up... oh god, she can't keep track!

But Eve continues; "I send _Six Samurai United_ with its 2 counters to my graveyard, and draw 2 cards!" ZIP! "And I remove 4 counters from Gateway to add another Mizuho to my hand; through Shinai's presence, I Special Summon her too!"

ZIP! SWING! **1000DEF.** "Now," Eve's voice booms as she weighs one of her newly drawn cards; "The Samurai call to their Shogun!"

"Oh, right, right!" One student cheers. "That thief stole the other Shien, but Eve still has this one! She can make a similar board!"

"It's the board we had to face when we all first joined, right?" Another says. "I couldn't get past her at all. She's amazing!"

Eve grins. "The army's presence is known; now, their general rallies! Come forth, _Great Shogun Shien!_"

With both hands, Eve cuts diagonally through the air, and a mist of shadows seeps out. An ominous, looming figure armed with red armour and a redder blade stomps through the polished wood; history's burden shakes the atmosphere with a thrust of his **2500ATK** arm.

"F-five monsters?!"

"No; an army is composed of far more than this! Through the Gateway I shall band countless samurai together!" The wind flows through Eve's braids. She throws an arm out with measure; "I would not advise focusing on my individual moves, Ran; instead, pay attention to their results!"

"Eh? What do you mea-"

SLICE! "_Legendary Six Samurai - Mizuho's_ effect! Once per turn, I can tribute one monster to target and destroy a card on the field; I tribute Shinai, and destroy my other Mizuho!"

"She's destroying her own monsters?" Tsugumi utters.

Flares fly. With one's pair of ringed blades flying, the other faces her rival in a standoff, recreating a moment that rings through every historian; with the swing of their weapons, the two shatter. "When Shinai is tributed, I can add a Six Samurai monster from my graveyard to my hand; I choose the Mizuho I destroyed!" A swipe. "Then, I remove 4 Bushido Counters from Gateway to add Shinai back to my hand... and through the other Mizuho's presence, I Special Summon both warriors back to the field!"

**1500DEF** and **1000DEF** return. "Wait," Ran sweats, "why are you destroying and resummoning them?"

"Allow me just a moment! Now, by activating the first Mizuho's effect instead of the second Mizuho's, I will repeat the cycle!"

"Oh! That's interesting!" Tsugumi jumps. "Mizuho's effect is only a soft once-per-turn, not a hard one; her effect can be reused every time she's summoned back to the field!"

"R-right..." This is headache-inducing. "And if it said 'you can only use this effect of "Mizuho" once per turn', then all Mizuhos would share the limit, right?"

"Y... yeah?"

SWIPE! SWIPE! SWIPE! The emblems of the Gateway disappear and reappear through every completion of the loop. With blindingly fast motions, Eve's blade slices, and cards fly to and fro until the two rivals settle twice more. An army's entire series of maneuvers is completed in mere seconds.

"She just did that loop a total of 3 times!" Ran balks. "But why?"

"My tactic is complete!" Eve rests her blade at her side. "Ran, look to the sky."

The sky? Oh; there's an entire series of flares being shot up... and the sounds of countless footsteps approaching. "H-huh?!" She looks back down, and suddenly an entire series of shadowed figures have armed themselves behind Eve; how many is that, even? 8? What the hell? "I can't keep up with this!"

"Worry not; for that is all!" Eve arms her bracer and bows; "I set 1 card face-down, and that ends my turn!"

"O-oh. Right. _My turn,_" she uh, draws. "..."

She stands, for a moment. It's... um... how do you say this? She's staring down 5 monsters, there's like 9 more in Eve's graveyard, and she has backrow, and. And. What the hell? Her memory tries to recall if she's met a board as multi-layered as this before, but she's just malfunctioning right now.

"......Tsugumi, help."

"Ehehe, I figured," Tsugumi manages. "Um, it's kind of overwhelming me too. But she said to focus on the results of her moves, right?"

"I guess. But I don't understand how she sent so many monsters to her graveyard; all she did was resummon Mizuho and Shinai."

"Um..." Tsugumi leans over and takes a look through the display on Ran's disk. "This card! _Secret Six Samurai - Doji._" She points to one of the multiple cybernetically clad soldiers. "I think it sent a Six Samurai to the graveyard every time Eve summoned a monster."

"D-do all the graveyard Samurai have their own effects?" Goddamnit, she's trying her best not to panic here. "How am I supposed to keep track of them all?"

"It's ok, Ran! Deep breathing. There might be some similarities between them."

Well, alright then; she takes a look at her disk's display. "Ah. They're all Secret Six Samurai... oh, they share an effect. 'If exactly 1 Six Samurai monster you control would be destroyed, you can banish this card from your graveyard instead'... huh?!" She reels back. "But there's 8 of them in there! I basically can't destroy her monsters at all!"

"That's not the worst of it," Tsugumi gulps. "Look at the army's commander."

She sets her orchid gaze on the figure of dread. "_Great Shogun Shien_, huh... what does he do?" Let's check the disk-

-oh.

Now she wishes she hadn't. Shogun's making it so she can only activate one Spell or Trap card per turn! "You've got to be kidding me... half of what I've got in my hand is Spells and Traps!"

"That's not all; if he'd be destroyed, he can sacrifice one of the Six Samurai on the field in his place. That's tough to get through." Tsugumi steps back. "Do you want my help this turn?"

"Mm..." Ran shakes her head. "It's fine. I have some ideas. I'll try facing her board on my own, first."

"Got it," Tsugumi nods. "Good luck, Ran!"

Ran smiles and turns back to Eve; wow, that one's patient. She's just been standing and waiting the whole time, huh?

Take a moment to breathe. She can't destroy Eve's monsters one by one, be it by battle or effect, and she's restricted to activating one backrow card per turn. That means she has to find another way around... and it'll have to rely mainly on monster effects, instead.

Well, that's fine. She's got an idea. "I begin by activating the continuous spell card _Aroma Gardening!_" She swipes her hand across her blade, causing a line of soil to emerge in front of her. "Then I summon _Aromage Jasmine in attack position!_"

**100ATK;** the little mage of white paints the soil with her staff. "_Aroma Gardening's_ effect; once per turn, I can gain 1000 life points when I summon an Aroma monster." **5000LP,** as the ground becomes aglow. "And when I gain life points, Jasmine makes me draw 1 card!"

...The new card's a dupe. Her brow furrows; what can she do with this? 

Ah, screw it. Sometimes you have to break from your usual options! "When I have life point advantage, Jasmine allows me a second Normal Summon; come, _Aromaseraphy Angelica in attack position!_" 

**0ATK** heralds the miniature seraph, the one who deems who is worthy of her title. Then her finger draws a trail of light through the air, until wisps dance at her monsters' sides; "I tune my Level 1 _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ with my Level 2 _Aromage Jasmine!_" A green beam of light bursts to meet grace of the above, and turquoise rings descend and surround all sides, 2 stars dancing. "Magus of jasmine, meet the seraph of nature's grace! Your aroma carries the blooming point of life, the beginning of journeys; that distinction will grant you your title as master of your art! Let your expression flourish, and wield the holy light as your own!"

The mage's silk-smooth white hair gains a miniature golden crown; her robes evolve and flow, and wings sprout from her back, carrying her to the air like a glass-stained butterfly. "_Synchro Summon! Level 3, Aromaseraphy Jasmine!_"

**2100DEF.** The angel happily dances through the air with her newfound mastery. "While I have life point advantage, Jasmine protects my Plant monsters from being destroyed by battle." Ran holds a light to the air. "Now, I activate a second _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ from my hand; by discarding it and targeting _Aromage Jasmine_ in my graveyard, I'm getting 100 more life points!"

It's a small light, but only the latter word matters; "With that gain, Seraphy Jasmine's effect activates; now I'll Special Summon a Level 5 or higher Plant monster from my deck!" Her fingers weaves outlines of buds through the air; then she spins on her feet, and her blade cuts them in two, causing their incredibly strong fragrance to burst. "Get out here already, _Aromage Viburnum!_"

Responding to the sneeze-inducing strength of the aroma, a new mage's form bursts from light through the cut buds; a rather comfily-robed caster whose soft green hair and horns rest above a jovial bespectacled gaze. He gives a soft, mischievous giggle as he levitates back in the air and twirls his candle-mounted **2200ATK** staff. 

A monster effect that'll let her ramp things up; that's what she needs! "Viburnum's effect," she declares. "When this clown's Special Summoned while I control a Plant monster, I gain 1000 life points!" **6100.** She swipes her hand out; "And when I gain life points, Viburnum Special Summons a Plant monster of my choice from my hand! Come, _Aromage Bergamot!_"

**2400ATK;** the young yet fatherly magus emerges in an untouching whirlwind of intensely-coloured petals. This is her board!

"I see. Your archetype is very interesting, Ran!" Eve smiles. "Every Aromage and Aroma Synchro appears to have two effects; a Continuous Effect that applies when you have life point advantage, and a mandatory Trigger Effect that activates once per turn when you gain life points. They all look wonderful, too!"

"Um. Thanks." ...Eve just explained it better than she knew herself... "Anyway. I've found your field's weakness."

Eve nods calmly, and stands with nary a tensed muscle. It's hard not to gulp.

"I see. What strategy have you come up with? I'm very curious to know."

"I'll explain," Ran says, staring the shadowed figures down. "It's true I can't destroy your monsters in a battle; I can thank all the Secret Six Samurai in your graveyard for that. But, I can still inflict Battle Damage to you!" She points at one of her own monsters; "That's what Bergamot's for! When I have life point advantage, my Plant monsters' attacks against defense-position monsters deal piercing damage!"

"Hm." Eve's expression fades, and she watches. There's a couple of murmurs from the rest of the League.

Well, they can murmur all they want! Ran throws her hand out; "Your Mizuho only has **1000DEF,** so that's who I'm targeting! Viburnum and Bergamot, attack!"

One mage is evidently a lot more jolly and expressive; Viburnum is happy to give elusive giggles as fastened beams of light rise out from his cloak, and curve and bend into multiple until there's a blossom of lasers firing down. Bergamot simply sighs, and throws a relentless flurry of thick magic bolts from his hand. "2600 damage might not be enough for game," Ran says, "but it's plenty!"

"Fuma! Kizaru!" Eve's sword glints, and two of the countless shadow soldiers jump to the ceiling, ready to provide cover fire for Mizuho. Neon shurikens and arrows descend in a barrage, stopping the worst of the bolts from reaching the crouching samurai.

But that's fine; there's still attacks running through to hit Eve herself, after all! So-

FIZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"What?!"

Eve's free hand crackles with surging electricity, dissipating every spare beam coming her way. "A valiant effort, friend! But I'm afraid it isn't enough." She lowers her arm and bows. "I activated the continuous trap card _Spirit Barrier_ as you attacked; while I control a monster and this face-up card, I take no Battle Damage!"

...

...Well, there goes her entire strategy.

"You're kidding..."

"See? Told you it was a tough board," one student comments.

"That's mean, alright," Tsugumi says. "I think she designed this setup specifically to cover for the Six Samurais' low stats."

"No kidding. That's a huge roadblock; if I can't destroy her monsters or damage her while she controls them, what can I do?"

"I-I don't think you can do much for now; you already did all your moves, after all. We probably just have to end the turn."

"Yeah, I'll have to wait." Ugh, this blows. She slaps one more armament onto her rose blade; "I'll set one face-down and end."

"_Then, I will seize my turn!_" There's the exaggerated sound of a sword cutting as she draws a card. "Your strategy was strong, Ran. But furthering your skills requires foresight of your opponent's tactics!"

"Foresight, huh."

"That is correct. I must warn you; if you do not clear my board on your next turn, you are unlikely to survive."

Hoo boy.

"Now, I shall make my move!" She bows, and the other students pay avid attention. "Currently, your board possesses superior power, in terms of ATK and DEF. That is why I shall use the legions at my command to form an alternate plan!" She throws one arm flat out; "I activate one Mizuho's effect to tribute Shinai and destroy my other Mizuho! I shall be using the tactic of resummoning them once more!"

The intricacies of milliseconds and seconds dance like particles as a flurry of Eve's refined techniques execute themselves once more. But it's the results of this maneuver that're important, right? Is _Secret Six Samurai - Doji_ milling another samurai to the graveyard? Ran can feel her and Tsugu's eyes peel at the surroundings... finding on a warrior armed with two blades, emerging from the mist.

The rivals return. "Now, I shall activate the other Mizuho's effect to repeat this loop!" Instead of letting the rivals clash, Eve makes a cut with her sword and signals the two to retreat immediately. "But this time there is one difference; I will use Shinai's effect to retrieve _Six Samurai - Nisashi_ from the graveyard instead of Mizuho!"

The shadowed warrior disappears, forming a card; Shinai joins it in Eve's hand for merely a brief second, before she arms her bracer again. "When I control a "Shien" monster, I can Special Summon _Six Samurai - Nisashi_ from my hand; come, and join Shinai on the battlefield!"

Alongside Shinai, the **1400ATK** dual-wielding rogue general twirls his swords with a stone-faced gaze. Why'd Eve summon this one, though?

She barely has time to process it. 

Because what happens next opens her eyes to something she never thought possible.

The room darkens, the lights shedding a hallow dawn upon the future below. Eve sheathes her sword and takes measured steps back, without turning her face away.

"Huh? What's she doing?" She can hear Tsugumi ask.

And then it unveils.

Eve grips the hilt of her sheathed blade. "By the power of my bushido, I command..." 

CLACK!

"_Trigger Expanse!_"

One cut, and the opening in the air bursts, spilling a stream of spacial stars before the arena wall.

"Wh-what?!" Ran steps back.

Eve's uniform raises calmly. "By the power of the Endless Expanse, my league calls upon the aid of beyond! With the Level 3 _Legendary Six Samurai Mizuho_ and _Shinai_, I establish the Overlay Network!"

Tsugumi gasps. "An Xyz Summon?!"

The portal of black stardust swamps the rivals, and a glowing cluster of light begins to shine, wrapping the spilling space within. "Entity who grants and warps the very path before us, I call upon your aid," Eve chants. "_Xyz Summon! Rank 3, Number 26: Spaceway Octobypass!_"

The noise is rumbling; the portal turns into an entity suggesting an animal's form with two glowing lights orbiting it, its **2400DEF** maw reflecting... herself? Why?

As if Eve would give her time to process that; "I remove 4 counters from _Gateway of the Six_ to add _Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan_ to my hand; come, Kizan!" A **1800ATK** figure returns; "when Kizan is on the field, other Six Samurai I control gain 200ATK!"

The draw of Kizan's blade rallies the legion, and Eve throws a hand out; "Now, we shall initiate the Battle Phase! As it begins, I detach 1 Xyz Material from Spaceway Octobypass!"

Oh, crap. THAT'S why Ran can see herself in the maw!

"Only one of my monsters can attack now," Eve explains. "But it is allowed to attack my opponent directly, instead of waging conflict with their monsters! I choose _Six Samurai - Nisashi_, who can attack twice per turn; let us do battle!"

"Oh boy!"

Poor Tsugumi yelps and jumps back in fright as it happens; Ran just grits her teeth, knowing how much this is gonna suck. The rallied Nisashi speeds forth with newfound **1600ATK** and spins right into the Octobypass. She tries to keep an eye out for the portal,

CLANG!

and barely manages to block with her blade, but Nisashi's already disappeared. As she stumbles back

SWING!

she sees two beams of light passing through her from behind, and-

Ah. All that dust, kicking up from beneath... it's already happened, hasn't it?

"Ugh." Let's act like wiping a fist against the mouth looks cool right now; she's been punted down to **2900LP,** after all. Back to a disadvantage.

"With that, I shall set a card face-down and end my turn!" Eve bows.

It doesn't take a second for the crowd to let themselves go. "WOO! Our boss is so cool!"

"You go, boss!"

It's a little cute; Eve's grinning and waving more like a child than a person who's kicking someone's ass right now.

"I almost want to cheer too," Tsugumi says. "She's amazing."

"...Yeah."

No kidding. She's more than just daunted; Eve made an entire board in an instant on the first turn, and basically saw what she was planning from a mile away. Offense, defense... it might be a pre-prepared board, but she can't help but wonder if Eve makes stuff like this on the fly too. Is it even the strongest kind of setup Eve has? What if Eve can hit Ako levels of power too? Is every competitive player this, friggin'... balls-to-the-walls strong? Maybe that's why all those students love the bushido thing so much.

Well, she's not gonna just sit here and take it; she stood her ground against Ako, and damned if she doesn't try here too. The headache's nagging, but she tries to shake herself back into thinking. "_My turn._" 1 more card. "Tsugu. I can't beat this board on my own, let alone threaten Eve. If it's okay... can you help?"

"O-oh! Of course! If you think I'd be useful." Tsugumi scans Ran's disk. "Ah. I just realised; you should have activated your face-down last turn."

"What?" _Dried Winds?_ "Why's that?"

"If you did, you would've been able to activate the spell card in your hand this turn," Tsugumi explains. "But now _Great Shogun Shien_ is going to make you choose between the face-down and that. It's a small thing, but we've got one less option now."

Urgh. "Right... what can we do, then?"

"Oh, right. Uh." Tsugumi's gripping her fists to her chest and frowning. "Ummmmm........."

The two look at the display on Ran's disk for what feels like a solid minute. Thank GOD there isn't a timer on this duel.

"Oh! I think I found a weakness, actually!"

Tsugu, you're an angel. She smiles; "Music to my ears. Go on."

"I noticed something when I was looking at the Secret Six Samurai in Eve's graveyard," Tsugumi explains. "They can only protect a Six Samurai if it's going to be destroyed in isolation. If you use an effect that destroys multiple monsters at the same time, they won't be able to protect at all!"

"So, mass destruction is the key?"

"Yeah!"

Wiping out the army in one fell swoop, huh? Sounds pretty cool. "...I'm worried, though."

"Why's that?"

"The last time I devised a strategy, she countered it easily. She completely saw it coming." Ran gazes at that new spy of a face-down Eve's set. "It's like she said. I think I need to use foresight somehow."

"Do you have an idea of what Eve's going to counter with?"

"Maybe. There's some kinds of cards that're pretty frequent across archetypes. The Six Samurai might have something similar."

"Right! Do you need my help in setting up?" Tsugumi asks. "I'm not sure if I know the Aromas as well as you do, but-"

"Please-" okay, maybe her tone's a bit corny right now. Calm down, Ran. "Um. I think I have an idea, but this is my first time trying to set up something this complex. Can you go through it with me?"

The smile she gets is blinding. It's not really a huge smile, it's just... Tsugu, really. "Sure!"

She goes through the plan with her friend; and it's good she did. Tsugumi thinks it's great, and that's basically as good as Moca's word is. Not only that, but it turned out she forgot; there's one effect in there she can only activate if she has life point advantage, so she needs to get back over Eve's **4000LP** first.

"Thanks, Tsugu." She- okay, no, don't accidentally ruffle Tsugu's hair! "I-I'm going to go for it."

The angelic bean takes a step back. "I'll be watching!"

"I'm very interested to see your plan this turn!" She turns, and Eve's enthusiastic smile is still there. "Do you feel confident in your strategy?"

"...To be honest, no. I think I'm out of my league here. But I'm going for it anyway!" She arms her blade. "I summon _Aromage Laurel in attack position!_"

Between _Aromage Bergamot_, _Aromage Viburnum_ and _Aromaseraphy Jasmine_ emerges a childish, cold-faced **800ATK** messenger for the seraphs. "I activate the effect of _Aroma Gardening_," she declares. "Once per turn, I can gain 1000LP when I summon an Aroma monster!"

Laurel paints the soil green; god, **3900LP** is frustratingly close to an advantage. "Laurel and Bergamot's effects: Laurel treats himself as a Tuner, and Bergamot gains a 1000-point stat boost!" She throws her hand out, causing another staff to shine; "and when I gain life points, _Aromaseraphy Jasmine_ can summon a Level 5 or higher Plant monster from my deck; I summon a second Bergamot!"

As one calm mage powers himself to **3400ATK,** a lookalike steps to his side with **2400.** And that lookalike's going to decide what happens next!

Ran looks at Tsugumi. The two nod.

...Let's see if this works! She doesn't exaggerate the motion this time; instead, she cuts right to the chase, drawing an entire flower by skimming her fingers across her blade. "I tune my Level 1 _Aromage Laurel_ with my Level 6 _Aromage Bergamot!_"

Over her entire left arm, vines and roots feed 6 stars dancing up to the blossoming, intense orchicity of the flower towering over her hand. She raises it up to the air...

...and a droplet falls.

There's a flash of light; the entire audience covers their eyes until a darkness consumes all. And in that darkness, the blazing flower blooms, reaching for the stars.

Ran's eyes narrow. "_BLACK SHOUT! Synchro Summon, Level 7! Come forth, **Black Rose Dragon!**_"

Immediately, the flower grows a jet-black spine at a horrific speed; the Voice of the Black Rose surges forth and roars with an immediacy that startles all around it. In its unmatched fervor, it swamps the entire arena in the glow of the petals on its **2400ATK** orchid mane.

Eve smiles. "It's a beautiful monster..."

"_Black Rose Dragon's_ effect!" Ran yells. "When this card is Synchro Summoned, I can destroy all cards on the field!"

In a mere second, the roar becomes so loud in the mind that the mane's overwhelming colour fails to dull the senses. Petals fall from the sky, surrounding this den like a gigantic tower to the dragons above. Everything is challenged to face the light.

"...But I activate my counter trap card, _Musakani Magatama!_"

Bushido's Inheritor strides through an entire army of warring samurai. In the midst of a battlefield bathed in blood, her uniform shines without a single speck, standing strong against any hardship. An amulet of consecrated gold dangles in her right hand; with one motion, she sharpens her sword against it, and the entire blade becomes alight in the same, feverish colour. 

She rockets forward.

As the monster's emanation nears its peak, Eve takes her position and holds her blade skyward; every melting mist of orchid becomes sucked in by resolute steel. Everyone watches with their mouths agape as every, single, last particle of the uproarious cry is absorbed.

SWING! One diagonal motion to the other side. Eve sheathes her sword.

_Black Rose Dragon_ is cut in two.

Its beautiful form dissipates, petals flowing in the wind. Every other card on the field remains.

...

...And Ran breathes.

She won't let it stop her. It's not over. It's never, EVER over. Not for her. Not anymore.

Her voice will never truly die. The winds howl like the cry of a wolf.

"_Aromage Laurel's_ effect," she roars. "When this card was sent to the graveyard, I gained 500 life points!" STOMP! "Now, my life points are at **4400;** an advantage over yours!"

There's gasps. "Was that a bait?!" A student whoops.

"That's right!" A card weaves into her hand and onto her blade. "When I control an Aroma monster and life point advantage, I can Special Summon _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ from my graveyard!"

The miniature seraph returns; now it's time! The atmosphere clouds thick enough that something with no sight blinds the eyes... a scent that'll draw any wolf in! "I tune my Level 1 _Aromaseraphy Angelica_ with my Level 7 _Aromage Viburnum!_"

An entire tree trunk's bed devours the wood beneath Ran's field, spilling a green stream of light to engulf her monsters with. Rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides, 7 stars dancing; "Magus of viburnum, meet the seraph of nature's grace! Your aroma carries the intensity of the passion within all... and that makes you worthy, no matter heaven's definition of nature! Through that distinction, you shall be granted your title as master of your art! Let your expression flourish, and wield the holy light as your own!"

As the stream shoots to the stars above, the gigantic tree roots shoot up from the ground. Wracking and wreaking round and round, they form a grandiose, herb-adorned chair. "_Synchro Summon! Level 8, Aromaseraphy Viburnum!_"

There's a joyous bout of laughter; from the light emerges the same mage, that green hair concentrated at the tips to leave a mane of white. Beneath his eyes, he adjusts his monocle with a confident grin and rests his body on the floating chair, letting wings and robes of angelic white furl over the armrests. He peacefully twirls his **2400ATK** staff, knowing that nature always accepts him.

Now, she builds! "_Aromaseraphy Viburnum's_ effect; when this card is Synchro Summoned while I control another Plant monster... I gain 1000 life points, at the cost of losing half the life points I've gained this turn at my End Phase!"

"Let's go, Ran!" Tsugumi cheers. "It's risky, but it should work out!"

"Yeah, you're right!" She lets her body surge to **5400LP,** and looks Eve in the eyes. "Seraphy Viburnum's effect; when I gain life points, Viburnum adds 1 Plant monster of my choice from my graveyard to my hand, as long as our life point differential is larger than the monster's stat total. I choose _Aromaseraphy Angelica!_"

More, and more. The card dances back to her hand, and she holds it aglow again! "I activate my face-down card, the continuous trap _Dried Winds!_ Then I activate Angelica, discarding it and targeting Bergamot in my graveyard to gain another 2400 life points!"

**7800LP;** this is it! She's reached high enough! 

"I see," Eve smiles. "Now I understand!"

"_Dried Winds'_ effect activates," Ran continues. "When I gain life points, this card targets and destroys one of your face-up monsters; I choose your _Spaceway Octobypass!_"

The winds howl, howl; the wrath of nature cuts aside other paths. "Wow," Tsugumi says. "I didn't even realise; that Xyz Monster wasn't a Six Samurai, so you were able to destroy it in isolation!"

"Yeah. But that's not the effect of _Dried Winds_ I care about right now."

She smiles, despite her pounding headache. She's going to reach for the top, no matter what it takes! So she steps forward; "I activate the second effect of _Dried Winds!_ I'm paying up until my life points sink to the amount my opponent has!"

The ground shakes, the air trembles and begs. Orchid flickers like a wildfire. "And now, _Dried Winds'll_ destroy any number of face-up monsters my opponent controls, as long as their combined ATK is less than the amount of life points I paid for this effect!"

"Whoa, she had 2 sources of mass destruction?!" One student hollers. "...But wait, the difference between her and the boss's life points is only 3800! That's barely enough to destroy a couple monsters at most!"

"That's where you're wrong!" Ran shouts back.

"Eh? How?!"

She smiles, and the monocle-adorned angel beside her does too; "It's _Aromaseraphy Viburnum's_ effect. When I have a life point advantage, the difference between me and my opponent's life points is treated as double for card effects!"

"Very impressive indeed!" Eve beams.

"That means I can destroy monsters whose combined ATK is less than or equal to 7600!" She lets her hair howl in the wind; a human-made army is powerless in the face of a natural disaster. "I choose to destroy all of your monsters except for _Six Samurai - Nisashi!_"

She can bear it, she can bear it, even as her LP falls all the way back to **4000.** But the legion can't; the samurai and their shogun are tossed like mere pebbles in the parched tornado, ripping through the entire ground until nothing but a devastated wreckage remains. There's holes and cracks torn through the entire stage. 

"You did it, Ran!" Tsugumi cheers. "Now you have an opening!"

Ran pants. "...Yeah... it's just one left now... I'm at... the advantage!" There's beads of sweat dropping as she throws her arm out again and again. "And with Viburnum and the boosted Bergamot's ATK levels, I can clear out over half of Eve's LP now!"

Eve closes her eyes and smiles. "...I see. But, I'm afraid you're wrong."

"We'll see about that!" She lets the adrenaline surge, and leans her whole body forward; "_Aromaseraphy Viburnum_ and _Aromage Bergamot_, a..."

Oh. 

She realises.

"...ttack..."

Her words die.

"Eh? What's wrong, Ran?" Tsugumi peers over to her duel disk. "...Huh? How did we...?"

The mages have already taken the command, firing their blinding streams of light forward; Viburnum makes a particularly impressive show by raining a storm of lasers upon Mizuho. 

But no damage's going to come from it. She forgot the most crucial thing.

"Genba! Hatsume!" Eve opens her eyes, and two shadowed figures shield Mizuho from the worst parts of the attack with a flurry of kunai and explosives. Eve raises her hand, causing lightning to course... 

...and dissipating every spare bullet.

Eve remains at **4000LP.**

...

"...I end my turn."

Immediately, Viburnum squawks like a chicken as his staff falls from his hand and overloads with energy, pouring out at all sides in a tempestuous storm; the payback for his effect. 

"Ugh!" She momentarily braces... but eventually, she's got to open her eyes and confront the **1550LP** she's left with now. 

...Well, so much for that. She thought she was climbing, but she just ate a landslide to the face. 

The stars seem so far away, suddenly.

"I'm so sorry, Ran!" Tsugumi's fretting. "I didn't realise we forgot about _Spirit Barrier!_"

"I-it's okay. It completely slipped my mind too," she responds. "I knew _Black Rose Dragon_ would've destroyed it if it went off... so I forgot _Dried Winds_ was only destroying monsters."

"It's my fault, really. I was supposed to be advising you, and I completely forgot."

Damnit! Tsugu's feeling bad because of her! "No, it's my fault. I'm the one dueling, so I'm the silly one for forg-"

A clap. They turn.

Eve's clapping. In fact, she's smiling. In fact, her smile's extremely bright. In fact, the League's cheering too. Why?

"That was marvellous!" Eve beams. "You failed to damage me, but you found a way through my board like I challenged you to; Mizuho on her own is far from a threat, after all!"

"Yeah, that was awesome!" One student cheers. "Most of us couldn't destroy even a single Six Samurai when we tried to beat it, but you managed to set up TWO ways of getting through them!"

"Go, flower girl!"

"H-huh?"

It doesn't make sense. She messed up, didn't she? She messed up when she was fighting Ako, and she messed up now against Eve... but both times, her opponent's been cheering for her. Ako said she did great, Eve's saying she did great... but isn't it frustrating, to know that you could've done better? That you could've done more?

"You do not need to be impatient."

Eve's voice rings. She turns back to those sky-blue eyes.

"You already know what your strategy's limitations were, Ran." She smiles. "So do not beat yourself down; that is my friend you are talking about, after all!"

"E-Eve." Ugh.

"So long as you continue your practice, you will continually overcome your mistakes!" She cheers. "So take pride in each step you take; including the one you just made!"

"..." Afterglow's aspiring pair breathes. "...Thanks," Ran says.

"And let us take even more steps further now!"

.

Wait, what?

"H-hang on-"

SLICE! Eve draws a card with such acute force that the ground is crushed. "Your energy and playing has inspired me! I wish to unleash more of my Bushido techniques; _so I shall take my next turn!_" She grins. "I-"

"W-wait, time out, time out!" 

The expression of a hardened, battle-hungry warrior fades for a sociable curiosity. "What's wrong?" 

"I-I think I'm done." She scratches her head; god, this girl's got more pep than a packet of sour gums. "My head's pounding. I... don't think I can muster any more dueling for now."

"Ah!"

She sheathes her blade, and smiles.

"My apologies; thank you for this test run!"

With her bow, all the holographs shatter immediately. Ran lets out the loudest sigh of relief she's ever made and falls straight to the ground. "Thank god."

"Are you okay, Ran?" 

"Yeah," she responds to the angel immediately by her side. "Just a headache, is all" Apparently, letting the blood rush to your head has side effects now. Biology's an asshole; why now and not the like, 5 other times she's had big duels? Is it just because of how much she had to think here?

"You were absolutely exhilarating to face. I look forward to future practice sessions with you!" Eve says. "Tsugumi; we still have a fair amount of time. Would you like to test your skills against me too?"

"Go," Ran says. "I'm beat. Might not be able to help. Sorry."

"Alriight," Tsugumi responds. "I'll give it a shot! Let me know whenever you want another round with her. And get some tea to drink, okay?"

"R-right."

She retreats to the deck near the entrance, and Tsugumi takes her place. She forgets Tsugu's advice about... probably 10 seconds after she's given it, but the creaking of her bones makes her just slump at one of the tables. A student hops over and makes her the tea in her forgetful place; she wants to reject it, but it's kind of hard to turn away that courtesy.

She's left to dwell on her own; she's never been good at talking with strangers, and it kinda feels like the rest of the Bushido League's members struggle with that too. So she sits back and watches as Tsugumi's brain wracks itself finding ways around Eve's boards. That Tsugu... she steps forward and arms her meek blade with all her might, and it's impressive; she is really determined. Her actions always betray her self-depreciation, every single time. Even Ran's knocked-out head gets to be curveballed and say 'wow, did she really just pull that off? Tsugu, you beast, you.'

But Eve is something else. Swing. Cut. Slice. Each stroke of Eve's blade doesn't have a hint of hesitation in it; there's curiosity sometimes, maybe contemplation, but no shaking. Her comfortably and neatly braided hair billows with every ferocious attack she makes, executing coordinated and intricate techniques so full of different monsters and cards that you can't keep up with it unless you know the combos beforehand. And Ran's just left thinking:

This is a duelist who knows her stuff.

If she trains here, she could get better. Potentially good enough to reach where she wants. And Eve's nice, too; she betrays basically every negative thing she's ever heard about the SDA. It's the opposite of what Ako was saying about them, really. 

...Actually, neither is necessarily wrong. There's only about 25 or so students here total, and the academy has hundreds and hundreds of them, doesn't it? Maybe this is an 'exception to the rule' kind of thing.

She can't let herself dwell on it. Struggle through all the grunting... she's leaning her head up and paying close attention to the duel, darting her eyes between Tsugumi's decisions and the large monitor displaying each card on the field.

Because she has to learn as much as she can, absorb every card she sees. The voice in her blade refuses to ever back down. 

She'll overcome anything until she gets her answer.

\---

The sunset welcomes them back. The soft sound of the waves from afar caresses Ran's ears.

"Thanks for coming, you guys." There's a trio of students who accompanied them out; Eve apparently got called by The Dragon, so she had to leave earlier. "Sorry if we were, uh. Not good about the whole courtesy thing. I'm still kinda new to this."

"It's no problem, really!" Tsugumi responds. "Thanks for having us; it was really fun!"

"...I'm not used to really polite places, anyway," Ran adds.

"Ahaha, me neither," another student responds, scratching her head. "A while back, I thought politeness was for chumps. I still don't fully see the point in it."

"Hey, don't say that," her friend says. "Eve's gonna kill you if you do!"

The former shakes her head. "Nah. She isn't like that; you only say that 'cause you feel really bad about yourself when she scolds you."

"Urk. You're right."

Tsugumi chuckles. "She really is polite... I kind of wish I could emulate her. She's so strong and enthusiastic, too."

"Join the club," the third student peeks in. "Honestly, you're closer to her than we are in that regard, though."

"E-eh?! No, I'm-"

"It's fine. Accept the compliment," Ran says.

Tsugumi's blushing a bit. Cute.

"Polite, strong and enthusiastic, huh." One student looks to the sunset. "Yeah. Can't think of any better words for Eve. Hell, there's even rumors she's going to overtake Rank 4 soon."

"...She's nothing like what I've heard about the SDA. Everyone I know says they're a bunch of assholes."

"R-Ran!"

"Nah, she's right," one student speaks up. "The SDA is hell. That place fucks you up for life."

...

"Ah, sorry. For all I know, I'm probably exaggerating," the student says. "But I kinda feel like saying it. Every person you see in the Bushido League is a person Eve Wakamiya saved."

...The atmosphere is choking as the day passes by. She can hear Tsugumi gulp beside her.

A wistful smile on the student's face. "I won't bore you with all the details. I don't like forming pity parties for myself, anyway. So I'll just say; before Eve joined the academy a year ago, I was pretty pathetic."

"We all were, really," another student adds. "I got into fights constantly. But Eve stood in my way one day, and then the next, and then the next," she says. "I got saltier and saltier, but she kept chastising me every single time. None of the teachers even did that."

"The teachers don't punish you for throwing a temper tantrum?"

"Nah. They don't give a damn," she laughs dryly. "Eventually, I got tired of trying to fight people, because Eve kept interfering. At that point, she'd already made me feel ashamed of myself. So I asked her why she kept trying to stop me." She leans her head. "And do you know what she said?"

"...No."

"It was ridiculous. 'I know there's a better person inside of you.' That's it."

...

"I didn't understand her. Nobody asked her to put up with us. But she kept encouraging everyone anyway. She was the only one who treated us like people. People who should be trying to do better." She sighs. "It really is ridiculous. To this day, I still think she spends too much time trying to tolerate us."

"Why don't you quit and stop bothering her, then?" Another one asks.

"Ugh, come on. You guys know why," she snarks. "She's a warrior. She's the sort of person who doesn't want you to hide from her. So I'm going to make it up to her instead, by doing the best I can for everyone. That's the least she deserves." A smile. "You guys all think the same, don't you?"

"Yeah," one responds. "I'd follow her to the ends of the Earth. Besides, if I did something really bad, I'd quit the League out of shame anyway."

She can't do anything but watch in silence.

The waves splash.

"Ah, we're being a bore. Enough of that; pestering people probably isn't in the Bushido code." The student waves. "That League member who attacked you yesterday; we're gonna forbid her from attending the arena while you're there, so you don't have to worry about her. Oh, and," she continues, "you can get home from here, right?"

"Y-yeah, we can."

"Then it's all chill. See you guys another time." She starts heading back. "C'mon. We've got training to do."

"Right behind you."

"Don't leave me, you guys!"

There's a few dry laughs. Ran and Tsugumi watch the three head back into the den.

...

"...Wow," Tsugumi manages. "...I didn't realise any of that. Eve really is something else."

"Yeah."

Maybe it's best not to think about it. Those guys weren't doing anything other than rambling, after all. The only thing they really wanted to do was show how much they cared for Eve; anything else was probably just a vent.

So she forgets most of what she heard, and watches the sunset with her friend instead. The waves splash.

Night slowly begins to crawl over the light.

"Hey, Ran."

"Yeah?" She turns to Tsugu. "What's up?"

"Um... can I ask why you're trying to improve?"

.

Her heartbeat freezes.

"Eh?" She blinks.

"O-oh, sorry! I figure Himari and Tomoe've been pestering you about it, too. I didn't mean to be-"

Ran shakes her head. "It's okay."

"-an annoyan- huh?" Tsugu tilts her head. "Really?"

"Yeah." Ran nods.

...Well, so she says. But how is she supposed to explain it? It's the silliest thing ever.

She looks to the skies. The stars are so, so far away; reaching your hand out to them is like measuring a particle on a ruler. You'll never be able to see a single detail on them without leaving the ground beneath your feet.

But she thinks of the wolf, and every detail is so clear.

...No, wait. Focus on that.

Why does she think of the image of a wolf?

A black coat bearing the brunt of time, pointed at the collar. A mane of silver hair, sharpened like blades. Amber eyes that could pierce a heart through any part of night; and yet, a demeanor so cold it turned her away without hesitation.

Is that why?

...

"Hey, Tsugumi." She doesn't avert her gaze. "Can I ask a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you ever just look at a person... and feel like you understand something about them immediately?"

"Mmm..." there's a few seconds of thoughts. "To be honest, that seems pretty presumptuous."

"Yeah. That's why I feel kind of weird about this," she says. "But... what if it they were being deliberate?"

"Eh? What do you mean?"

It's hard to explain. But she tries; "Like... people often wear things, or take actions, for a reason, right? Like how people with helmets usually ride motorcycles or work at construction sites. Or how Eve's disk is probably a katana because her monsters wield some."

"Oh, I see," she responds. "That makes more sense. I wouldn't call that a baseless assumption."

"Right. It's not clear-cut, but it doesn't feel misty either." 

She tries to breathe.

"...I met someone who felt a bit like that. I looked at her, and I felt like the image she gave off was deliberate." She looks at the leather of the black gloves on her hands. "Like she was trying to say something with what she wore. With how she acted."

"Are you sure she was doing it deliberately?"

It bothers her. "...I'm not completely certain. That's why I want to find out," she responds. "And if I get good enough at Duel Monsters, I think it might be easier for me to do that."

...

"I see." Tsugumi's probably smiling. "Um. I hope you... pull it off. Whether it's meeting her again, or whatever you want to do."

No pressing for details, huh? Now that's Tsugu. "Thanks." She meets her friend's face. "Let's go home."

"Yeah!" The response warms her. "I owe Himari an explanation, anyway. She's probably spammed us with texts, knowing her."

"Now that's Himari."

From the paved, sleek metal watching over Haneoka Coast, the two of them make their way back home; no doubt they'll come back, to hone their skills even further. But for now, what they want is probably the same; they want to see the place they know like the back of their hand. 

Their friends.

...She can't help but look at the sky again as she walks. She wants to imagine the wolf's back, that silver hair flowing in the wind. Her faded outline would betray the intensity of the amber in her eye, drowning a slew of constellations with its overwhelming light. Her shadow haunts Ran at every turn.

She thinks.

What makes you different from me? Is it what I think it is?

And if so... just, why? Why?

A flower wishes to bloom from the darkness of the Earth, until it scales the mountains and reaches for the stars.


	26. My Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to any of you who're looking at the tags and wondering what the hell is going on, all i have to say is:
> 
> i am so fucking sorry
> 
> (On a serious note, genuine apologies to anyone who didn't want to see this ship; I promise I'm not going to add one impromptu again)
> 
> CW for copious amounts of first-person perspective.

Give me more.

More, I want more. There's nothing more exhilarating than travelling through the stars. Light's everything, nothing to me! I'll blaze a trail so proud you'll think you're seeing two of me, emerging and disappearing in the opposite directions. I'll lay a kiss so deep on you, you'll sing your bladed heart drowning into my eyes, at perfect heating temperature. I'll run through you so fast and shine so bright over you, you'll want to show me the one thing I don't expect, the thing you know I'll want the most. 

And the best part? Even I won't always know what it is. Because you're different than me. Everyone is. Nobody's the same as me. And that's, that's, THAT'S what makes all of you so rushing! That's what makes you all so... so, so... boppin'!

I'm never given the chance to understand, because nobody except her tells me what's beneath their mask. All I can see clearly from you is tears. The only thing I can identify is when someone hates me, so I think. But that's fine; because here, once there's a holograph in my heart, all of us show everything we have and more!

So tell me. I'm tired, I'm so tired lately. It's exhausting. I can feel my body being torn to shreds by ice. Everything I slam through stabs me with spears of cold, frozen ice, and I watch every animal I find become infected by that draconic virus before me. Before I know it, those I embrace are raising knives behind my back. The glistening balls I reach my hand into shut their maws and snap me in two, just like always. 'Well that's not good, is it?' And worst, worst of all, I can't see the one star I want to see more than anything else right now!

So tell me. Tell me, tell me, tell me...

...tell me, as I idly reach my hand out through the night, drowning in the boredom of being a cursed 1... is there anyone out there who can shoot through the stars as fast as I can? Can any of you keep up with me?

Aw. No response? Figures. Maybe it won't happen yet. Maybe it won't happen ever! Who knows? Maybe I'll travel through empty space forever, no matter how fast I go. Maybe everyone will just run away from me forever. But I know, deep, deep down, that something like that'll never stop me, no matter how tired I get. 

Because I've been hungry, for the longest time.

And I want to devour you.

\---

A berserker would be insulted by her idle indulgence.

"C'moooon, Tomoe, please! How can I part with the money if the coat I'm wearing isn't pink?!"

"Is that really why...?" Happy sighs. "Tough luck, Himari. That's the only colour you can't afford here."

"But it's the only one I want!" Seriously, it's PERFECT; it fits her aesthetic AND makes her look like a total boss! It's the only jacket like this she's ever found! "It's pink, it looks commanding, and it even has the sparkly material! None of the other colours here have that!"

"That's probably why it's the only expensive one, y'know? It's standing out like a billionaire at a confessional. That material is reaally gaudy."

"Psssht! It's just an acquired taste, that's all."

"Ahaha! I should've expected that from you."

Aw, look at that grin; it's so hearty! Okay, it's REALLY cute, actually. When she looks up at her red-haired right hand, how can she feel anything but bubbly inside? Look at that smile, just look at it! Look at how teethy it is!

"You've been shopping for clothes more than usual lately, haven't you?"

"Uh-huh! I'm stepping up my outfit coordination game now!" She responds. "But that's gotta be my line. I don't see YOU thinking about fashion that often, Tomoe."

"Th-there's nothing special behind it. I was just looking for some stuff with a kick, that's all."

"About time. You look like you'd practically made a vow to that black jacket!"

"You're exaggerating. I don't think I like that thing, anyway."

"Really? Could've fooled me~."

She can't help but bounce as they walk along this surprisingly fancy red carpet the shop's covered in, right up until they get to the till. Captain Himari's perused a FINE selection of wares today, countless numbers of articles... and now she's finally about to buy one of them. Allowance is a cruel, cruel thing, she ponders, as she leans on her friend's side in the queue. T-Tomoe's okay with that, right? She doesn't seem to mind...

Then a video briefly changes her life. "Tomoe, Tomoe, look!" She points avidly at her phone. "Look at this dancing turnip."

"...It's got really long human legs..."

"It does..."

They collectively agree they can't describe the emotion the video gives them. Oh, the joys that an idle everyday life bring! No, seriously, though; it's so nice for everything to be normal for a change. Ran's amplified herself into dork overdrive, Tsugumi basically hasn't changed at all, Moca's just giving herself some time off rather than running away, and best of all...

"Hehehe."

There's a drop of subdued sweat as they hit the exit. "Eh? What's up, Himari?"

"You! You tall tale!" She gives Tomoe a friendly rib in the stomach. "You've been smiling so much lately, you know? You're in a good mood!"

"C'mon Himari, I've said it a thousand times before." They walk across the checkered hallways of the mall, bustling through the populace. "It's because I'm with you guys."

"Then a thousand and one I'll do!" Wink! "No need to hold back the thanks. We'll ALWAYS be your friends, y'know? That's why we all rushed for you when you were down; Ran's fiery passion, Tsugu's endless encouragement, and my positive energy! Although," she spills, "it was mainly Tsugu and Ran doing the heavy-lifting there; all I did was cheer you on."

...Actually, yeah, that's all she did, isn't it? "Hang on," she continues- sorry Tomoe, gotta finish this first- "did I actually do anything at all?! Oh no, I've been slacking AGAIN!"

"Aw, that's not true," there's Tomoe's calm grin. "After all, you're the one who made sure I actually showed up to Ran's challenge in the first place."

"You would've gone there yourself anyway, you dork."

"Maybe, maybe. But who's the one sticking with me right now?"

"T-that doesn't count! All we're doing is hanging out!"

"Oh~? And who's the one who insisted on me hanging out with her today?"

"Huh?" She tilts her head. "Me, obviously. What about it?"

"So, you're watching over Afterglow again by hanging out with us. Thanks, leader."

"..."

Urk. That, that grin... it's so sweet... it's not like Tomoe to be this calmly blunt all the time, but, like... she's smiling so brightly... it's...

"...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She makes her friend eat a full-on hug. "Tomoeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! You'rf too nice tfo mme............."

"Ahahahahaha! Same as always, aren't we Himari?" She hears her sing. "No need to worry. After all, a classic cry and a hug is all you'll ever need for your problems, isn't it?"

.

...U-urk.

"W-well, yeah..." Himari presses her face in just a bit more. "You're not wrong, I guess."

"Mm?" Tomoe taps her head. "Something wrong? Normally you'd be headbutting my chest for that remark."

She looks up into those wonderful, wonderful blue eyes. The ones that're having such a harder time than she is... Tomoe's no doubt constantly thinking about Ako, and yet Himari feels content to just leap into the rider's arms whenever she feels down. And how easily she jumps into it, too! Himari Uehara truly does live a carefree life, like the most ordinary stereotype there is, happily indulging in whatever she sees.

Which DOESN'T make her a very good leader, does it?

"N-no, it's all good!" Himari springs back and gives a thumbs-up. "Ahem. Now that you've let me cry in your arms, I hereby give you permission to cry in mine! Twice, even!"

"Hm......" Whenever Tomoe makes a thinking face, it's fake. "I'll be sure to give it some thought. Thanks, Himari." A slight lean, as the chandelier at the center of the mall shines upon them. "But, for real. There anything you wanna talk about?"

"N-nah, I'm all good! It's like you said; all I'll need if it gets bad is a cry and a hug, right?"

"Fair enough. After all, there's nothing like the bouncing ball of life known as Himari Uehara," Tomoe responds. "But let me know whenever you need my help. Not like I'm doing much else lately."

"You've said that a LOT! It's like you're twice as much a helpaholic as usual," she says. "...You're right though. What have we done today, even?"

"Beats me. Bought a few things."

Oh, drat. Himari's totally in sloth mode, isn't she? Tomoe's watching her as she wanders idly in her thoughts... what day is it again? Oh yeah, Thursday the 11th. Let's try NOT to think about the homework due tomorrow; after all, this is a City shopping trip right now! To be honest, she's been hooked on this place ever since Moca baited her towards it. It's not too far from that Satou Cakes place, and it's such a quaint yet luxurious mall; it just feels, like! Something she's stepping slowly into, y'know? You look to your side and there's a confectionary that creates chocolate animals, you search around and there's lovely little plants and posh looking leather benches on all sides, there's even a nice little river and, oh my god, there's just so many nice stores here. A-and it's not like they HAVEN'T picked up some Duel Monsters cards and magazines while they're here, so Ran can't complain! ...Not that Ran would, really.

But still, she's surprised. "Hey, Tomoe. Aren't you gonna try and find a tutor or something too? You've only got around half a month now before the Cup."

"Mmmmm... ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

THIS. Tomoe's on a dueling fart lately! Well, she's had a few sparse rounds with Afterglow this past week, but otherwise she's been kind of content where she is. And hey, that's fine and all if that's how she wants to go, but it just seems... off, y'know? She's not blazing right now! It's more like a little steady campfire instead. Where's that inferno?

"C'mon, Tomoe!" She grabs her friend's hand and pulls for effect. "Are you gonna let Ran outpace you? You gotta unleash all your stuff, right?"

But her pep doesn't do a thing; it's as flippant as always to Tomoe, probably. "I'll be fine, honest. What about you? Aren't your fluffy friends itching for so-"

"Oh no you don't!" She barges right through. "C'mon, let's brainstorm! We've gotta know a cool dueling senior we can ask for help with training!"

"H-Himari-"

"Brainstorm!!!"

She shuts her eyes and ears; maybe it'll make Tomoe think as hard as she's trying. C'mon Himari, use that C-grade noggin... who does she know who can teach Tomoe? They've gotta be someone smart, strong, maybe a little bit patient in case Tomoe gets worn out, and they gotta encourage Tomoe's adorable excitement when it squeezes through. It can't be Ran or Tsugu; after all, they're spending enough time being tutored by... what was her name again? "Oh? How about Eve, that duelist Tsugu mentioned this morning? She's apparently really good!"

"Mm... pass, sorry," Tomoe sighs. "I've become bitter on the SDA lately. I think just seeing the uniform would depress me."

"Eh? Why's that?"

"Well..." 

Uh-oh. That's not a good expression...

"...Ako."

"A-ah."

She did it again.

"W-well, not her then!" She squeaks. "Let's keep thinking!"

Urgh, urgh, urgh... okay, maybe not Eve, but would Ran and Tsugu might be able to give some tips? Actually, no way; the tutoring combined with all the flower arranging slash cafe work they do, plus school... that's gotta add up. Someone else's gotta teach Tomoe...

...C'mon, Himari... someone who's strong, someone who might have the time to tutor... does Himari know anyone like that-

Oh my god, hang on. Did she just come up with something amazing?

Don't they both know someone who fits the bill PERFECTLY? Whenever the three of them were together, she always teased Tomoe until the fiery rider inside spilled out... and she absolutely cleaved Himari last month in Duel Monsters! This a two-in-one opportunity, too; if they find her, they can make her explain what tomfoolery she's been doing, and check if Ako's alright! Maybe everyone can make up!

Aw yeah, she fistpumps. Now THIS is what she's talking about. THIS is the kind of leadership she should be having, THIS is the kind of perfect plan she's gotta keep devising. "Tomoe, I've got it!" She hums and nods as fiercely as she can. "I know exactly who can teach you some advanced tricks!"

"Oh? Who's that?"

Heheh, Tomoe can't deny she's interested can she? "Fufufu..." she poses... wait for it... "why, it's none other THAN-"

.

Her blood goes cold.

She stops.

...Think for a second. Does she know how Tomoe's feeling about Lisa right now?

No. 

She doesn't know a thing, does she?

This. This is it, every single time, isn't it? She feels her arms shrivel, all the water in her body scalding her lungs. 

And now she's paralysed. She looks at Tomoe's jolly face, and wonders; does she know a single thing about her friends' opinions on this? Tomoe hasn't said a SINGLE thing about Lisa for the past week, not ever since she told everyone what was up with Ako. The second they got told about that group Roselia, they never heard a single thing about Lisa again. So what's the consensus on her right now, even? Himari said she'd knock some sense into Lisa, but... does anyone else even want that? They all just nodded along because it was exactly the type of thing she'd say, didn't they?

She wonders, even; with how busy Ran and Tsugumi are, is anyone actually thinking about Lisa at all right now? Or has she just been cut out from their life?

...How is she supposed to ask that, even? Just walk up to Tomoe and drop the equivalent of a pipe bomb by asking 'hey, how about some tutorship from the person who betrayed you by being complicit in the disappearance of your beloved little sister?' 

She could just ask, like, any of the other members. But there's a time and place for this, isn't there? Ugh, that's exactly what she's been missing, this whole time. Sure, Afterglow's gotta be open about its struggles, but you need to pick your words carefully! You need to wait for the right mood, and make sure your friends are prepared. Ran, Moca, Tsugu and Tomoe... they're all great at that, can't they? You'd swear they could tell how someone's feeling just from the look that person has in their eyes. And that's ridiculous; how's Himari supposed to pull off anything like that? 

She's watching as Tomoe's face slowly turns less and less smiling, and more contemplative... what's Tomoe thinking right now? Did she catch on and realise Himari was talking about Lisa? Or is she just giving Himari space to think? Maybe she's deep in thought about who this potential tutor could be? 

The berserker in her head begins to win, smashing her upbeat happiness into pieces. God, how can she call herself a leader like this? Everyone else she knows would probably be better suited, wouldn't they? They're always doing their best to sensitively but determinedly work their way into each other's hearts; she can't even count the number of times she's cried at Tsugu and Tomoe's consideration in spite of her continued indulgence in venting. Moca's frustratingly good at being perceptive, and Ran's just... she sticks out, y'know? She's probably who people think of when they wonder about Afterglow's leader. What does Himari do to stick out? Chuck photos of food on social media? Make dolls? Great.

"Having a brainfart, Himari?" Tomoe asks. "You've been real scrunched up for a while now."

"O-oh! No, it's fine, really," she waves her hands.

"You sure? Like I said, I'm here if you wanna spill. My treat!"

No, no way. Not until some of this mess is actually fixed! She's just gotta give it some more thought... besides, it's not like her problems are all that major right now, are they? The only thing stopping Tomoe from laughing at their low weight is how unbearably kind she is.

So none of that yet; she's got work to do, and damned if she ever gives up the leader position, ever! "I'm all ready to go again. Just had a quick malfunction, that's all! You know me," she grins. "Sorry, I can't actually think of anyone. This is hard!"

"Well, it's not like powerful duelists just fly in from nowhere," Tomoe responds.

"Powerful duelists? Where, where☆?"

H-huh? 

Is that voice coming from... above?

She looks up, and

OH JESUS ALMIGHTY

"H-Hina?!" Tomoe actually musters the vocal commands to balk. "What are you doing up there?!"

"Ahahahahaha☆! That reaction was so worth it!"

Swoop! The daredevil Supernova heaves her body weight up and over the chandelier, dangling above in what's the most flagrantly illegal thing Himari's seen all day, before dropping by about 5 meters without somehow breaking her legs. As she does, the sleeves of the blazer she's tied around her waist fly with enough drama to impress a superhero, a shirt endowed with the paint of butterflies plastered across her top half instead.

...Wait, it's Hina! "Heyyyyy, Hina! I haven't seen you in AGES!" She hops over. "How was your last hangout with Ran and M-"

"Hold up just a sec," Hina's face sharpens. "Look at the pillar behind you on your right. There's an SDA student stalking you."

"E-eh?!"  
"What?" Tomoe growls.

They zip their heads around, and a jerk in that trademark uniform tuts before scampering off in a rush. "You've got to be kidding me. Why?" Tomoe asks.

"It's having that thing out on your belt," Hina points to Tomoe's waist. "They were eyeing your deck, is what I think. Trying to steal it from you."

"Are you serious...? They're petty enough to steal people's cards?"

"Well, a few always were. I've had to stop them from mugging me by punching them in the face," Hina sings. "But it's become wayyy more frequent lately. And it's all thanks to this person!"

Face, meet paper- hey, that's not a person! That's a third-rate tabloid article! "Mysterious shadow sighted stealing students' cards..." Tomoe observes.

Oh, the blur IN the article! "Wow, that's kind of mysterious," Himari sings. "They're like a phantom thief!"

"Pretty whazzin', isn't it? Not the biggest news story out there, but at least it's something new. I think some of the students are getting desperate and stealing cards in return."

"Ugh, that's such a playground bully tactic," Tomoe says. "I always felt like they wanted some desperate illusion of superiority."

Hina hums. "Whoa, big words. When'd you get so observant about them?"

"I can't stand them. It's complicated, but I've got a few reasons to hate them now."

"I see, I see. Now I see," she nods. "Well, you're not alone there. None of my friends like them either! Don't tell anyone, but," she leans in and smiles, "I'm supposed to be fighting a pro to boost the academy's reputation right now. I slacked on it."

"Oooooh~, now that's defiant!" Himari grins.

"Yeah, yeah. They wanted me to beat them bad enough to pressure them out of the SDA's tournaments, and that's boooooring. Sneaking out let me find you two anyway, so I'm not complaining~!" She tilts her head. "So, what were you guys saying about powerful duelists? I wanna hear!"

"N-nothing!" Himari stammers. "We were just looking for a tutor for Tomoe, is all."

"Ehhh? Do you want me to help?" Hina says. "I can spare a bit of time right now!"

"Eh? I-I don't need it!" Tomoe waves her hands. "Besides, getting tutored isn't my styl-"

"C'mon, c'mon!" Hina's nearly dragging the two of them to a nearby bench. "Hangin' out with Ran and Moca is rare enough for me as is; seeing you guys instead is like a cryptid sighting! So c'mon, Tomoe, show me your cards~!"

"Really, it's fine!" Tomoe continues to protest. "I don't really want to focus on myself right now, and you don't need to get in trouble for-"

"Oh? You're being disobedient?"

Husk. Himari's sent a shiver running down her spine. The two of them zip their gazes to Hina; Hina's eyes glitter, her fangs blare... as if she's ready to eat Tomoe right up.

"I get pretty hungry when you're defiant, To... mo... e," she whispers. "Are you sure you don't want to show me?"

"N-n-no, that's n-not what I m-meant!" Tomoe squeaks- wait, is she blushing?! "I just d-didn't want to inconvenience you-"

"Ahahahaha☆! I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" The fangs retreat immediately. "Your reactions are SO worth it; I love messing around with you guys!"

"The feeling's mutual..." Himari manages.

"C'mon then, let's chill!" Hina sits right down on the bench. "There's flowerbeds around here and everything... this is such a woopin' looking mall!"

"Yeah, it's my new favorite place!" Himari hurls herself to Hina's side. "But seriously, it's okay for us to hang out right now, right? You're not too busy preparing for the Haneoka Festival?"

"Mmmmm... nah. They're not gonna have me participate in the Exhibition, so I don't really have much to do."

"Oh, that makes sense," Himari says.

...

...Hang on a sec. "Wait, no it doesn't!"

"Seriously?" Tomoe blinks. "Why isn't the SDA letting their number 1 student participate in the Exhibition? Isn't it a major event?"

"I already know why. It's the same reason they've barred a few other students." Hina yawns. "Well, normally that's not a big deal to me; after all, dueling the other students is pretty boring." A wistful smile. "But it's a little dicey this time around. A couple of my friends are in trouble, and one of them's in danger of being expelled, so I wanted to help them out."

"E-expelled? That doesn't sound good!" Himari teeters. "Are you really not allowed up there at all?"

"Nope."

"Okay, that just sounds unfair," Tomoe grumbles. "I'd be tempted to say 'screw the rules' and haul myself over anyway."

"Aw, I wish I could," she sighs, kicking her legs. "But Earth's Skyscraper is guarded at the elevator to the top, so my only option would be climbing."

Yeah, neither of them are gonna suggest that. That building's basically a gigantic T in shape; when you're three times the height of every other metal hunk, the only arena that's gonna be loftier is the Haven Stadium!

"So it's just positively snoozin' over here. I haven't seen Chisachi in 5 days, 4 hours and 17 minutes, and there's nobody interesting to duel, so I'm bored."

"Eh? Chisachi? Who's tha-"

But Himari's cut off. "Hey, check out what I picked up on the way here!" There's a few leaflets brought out. "It's a relationship test thingy! I never understood the point of these, but apparently they tell you what kind of star sign you'd match best with."

"Star sign?" Tomoe sighs. "Does anyone actually believe in that stuff?"

"Nah, it's pretty rubbish. But hey, isn't this a little whippin' to mess with? You could answer multiple of these at different times depending on your mood and you'd get different answers!"

Himari's gotta protest. "You guys have no sense of romance! Wouldn't it be amazing if you got matched with the star sign your love interest had?"

"Eh? Do you have a love interest, Himari?" Hina asks.

"Um... what dates are the star signs in, again?" She- wait, oh no "N-not that I have one! I'm just curious."

"Mwehehe! I'm not gonna tell you their dates then," Hina says. "C'mon you guys, fill out one with me!"

Tomoe sweats. "We're not being very productive right now, are we...?"

Fine then, be secretive like that. Fortunately, Himari's always got a few pens on her for stuff like this! There's a nice purple starscape graphic in the background of the paper, and it feels pretty comfy to hold, so whoever made this knows their stuff! ...About graphic design. Mayyybe about star signs too. It's about 20 questions long, so she buckles up; there's a few basic checks at the start as per usual, and then the real convoluted questions start coming up.

"...Hina, did it cost money to get this?"

"Nah!"

"Thank god."

"It's awful, right?"

Mgrgrgr. Alright, you two, drag it all you want. But now she can't help but wonder; which star sign is...?

"Hey, hey, check out this question!"

"Mm? Let me have a look," Tomoe starts reading. "Alex, a loved one you've known for years, gets into a huge fight with one of their closest friends, Jo, and the two become distant. Whenever Jo's brought up in a conversation, Alex becomes very despondent, and you begin to worry the two will never make up. One day, you finally get some time alone with them, and it's the perfect chance to ask how Alex feels about Jo right now; but you notice they're acting kind of despondent again. Do you take the opportunity to bring it up, or leave it be?"

"That's a lengthy question!"

"Yeah, no kidding," Tomoe smiles. "The answer's pretty obvious to me though. I'd leave it be."

"Eh? Why?" Himari and Hina practically ask in unison.

"I think if they wanted to talk about their friend to me, they'd bring it up themself. It's better to wait until they're ready to talk about it."

Uerggghhh... "But!" Himari pokes. "What if they never do?"

"I mean, the question says Alex and Jo are close friends, right? So Alex probably wants to make up at some point; if you're a loved one of theirs, they'll probably come to you for help when they need it."

"I'm not sure about that! Will Alex even know if they wanna make up in the first place?" Himari says. "In that situation, I'd be kinda stressed if I didn't bring it up when I could. What if you stay silent, and Alex and Jo never actually talk to each other again?"

"Hold on, I don't get it," Hina pokes in. "What's stopping you from just asking them about it?"

"Um... I think it's because of Alex's current mood..." Himari tries to think this one through. "Bringing up Jo during a negative vibe would just make Alex feel even worse... is what I think the problem is. Right?"

"Eh? Where does it say that?" Hina looks back to the question. "All it says is that Alex is acting despondent. That doesn't mean they DON'T wanna talk about Jo."

"I mean, usually it does, right?"

"Does it?"

...

"...Hina might be right, actually..." Himari ponders. "Like, how would you know?"

"Because that's usually the case, isn't it?" Tomoe scratches her head. "In my experience, people're usually most prepared for discussing heavy topics when their mood is level."

"That's just your experience though," Hina responds. "How do you know if it'd be consistent?"

"I-I don't know. I just kinda roll with that feeling."

"Well, it's obvious to me. If you wanna know if Alex's okay with talking about Jo, just ask Alex!" Hina throws a hand out. "There's no obvious reason they wouldn't tell you the answer, and it's not that big a deal if they say no; you can just ask them another time, anyway. So I'm gonna put 'bring it up'!" She ticks the box on her test.

"Forward, aren't you?" Tomoe says. "I'm still gonna put 'leave it be'. How about you, Himari?"

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..." She grumbles. "I don't know, I don't know! I wanna bring it up, but I don't wanna hurt Alex!"

"Just pick 'leave it be' like I did, then. You could bring up the topic at a more suitable time."

"But when IS a suitable time?" Himari flails. "What if Alex's the type who's always either really happy or really sad? Would any time be a suitable time for a heavy topic, then?"

"Oh yeah, good point," Hina says. "The question doesn't cover that, does it? It's pretty badly written."

"Arrrrrrrgghhh! I don't know! I give up!" She scribbles on the leaflet. "I'll just put 'bring it up' and hope it isn't the wrong answer."

"Ahaha! None of these are wrong answers, Himari," Tomoe responds. "It's just a silly relationship test, after all."

"I sure hope so!"

Tick, tock. They finish it up soon enough, thankfully... god, Hina makes sitting around look fun with how she kicks her legs. "Done! Lemme just add up the points, and... oooooooooooooooo. Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo☆☆☆!"

"Eh? Eh?" There's more sparkle in Hina's eyes than a tub of glitter glue! "What'd you get?" 

"Ahahaha☆! Isn't it funny? It's a complete coincidence, but the answer still makes me feel boppin~! This really is just, just... BOPPIN'☆!" Hina shows the result. "I got matched with Aries!"

Himari yelps. "Aries?! What're the dates for Aries?" 

"March 21st to April 19th!"

Oh, no no no no no. Nononononononono, stop right there. "Hiiiiiiinaaaaa."

"Eh? What's up? Why're you growling?"

"Are you trying to take my beloved Tomoe away from me?!"

"Eh?" Tomoe asks unfazed. "Am I an Aries?"

"Yeah, you are! That's-"

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahaHA!" Hina nearly cries from kicking herself over. "Oh my god, that's priceless! Nah, don't worry, I'm not thinking about Tomoe!"

"Then who are you thinking about?!"

"That's a secret~."

Why are all of Moca's friends as villainous as she is?! "That's not very reassuring!"

"Still, Himari," oh no. That's a big grin, that's a big grin- "Your 'beloved Tomoe', huh☆?"

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" She pushes the giggling Hina back immediately. "I meant that in a protective way! I'm not gay!"

"Whatever you say~! So, who'd you two get?"

"Lemme check..." Tomoe adds her answers up. "Oh, I got matched with Virgo."

"Me too! High five!" Bam! Himari's gonna take solace in that even if Tomoe doesn't. "Um, do we know anyone who's a Virgo?"

"Beats me. What're Virgo's dates, Hina?"

"I dunno."

"...Eh? Didn't you just tell us about Aries?"

"Aries is the only one I bothered to remember~."

"T-that so..." Tomoe stretches. "Well, not that it matters. It was fun, at least." Tomoe chucks the leaflet into an adjacent bin.

"You chucked yours out?! I'm holding onto this thing until I find out what Virgo's dates are."

Hina laughs. "You're funny, y'know that, Himari?"

"Mgrgrgrgrgr... seriously. No sense of romance!" She's got rocks for friends. "Doesn't the idea excite you? Star-crossed lovers... maybe we'll meet in a field of flowers, or the middle of a war-torn battlefield! Isn't that lovely?"

"You make it sound so much more interesting than it is," Hina says. "Lovers in a battlefield, huh. I find that kind of thing in some of the books I've wasted my time on lately. I think the genre's called battle royale or something? I-"

Beep beep! Beep beep!

"C'mon, already? For real?!" Hina looks at her watch and whines. "Urgggghhh, the staff're gonna be looking everywhere for me now, aren't they?"

"Ohhhh. Is this because of the match you slacked on?" Tomoe asks.

"Yup! Sorry guys, but I gotta run. I don't wanna get you caught up in SDA business; trust me, it's a paaaain." She hops up and stretches her legs. "Oh, one last thing! Ran and Moca are doing okay, right? No fights between you guys?"

"Nope!" Himari says. "Things were a lil' dicey last week, but we're all good now!"

"That so? I see, I see." Hina nods. "Well, gotta whoosh! I've got a dragon to defeat. See ya later!"

And there she goes; wow, she's fast. Is this kind of schedule just normal for her?

There's the nice little sound of the river flowing, and beads dangling. Tomoe lets out a weary sigh. "Crashing in and out of our lives like always, huh? We don't get to see Hina often, so that was nice."

"You know it. Ran and Moca always get all the fun with her."

"I'm kind of jealous of her," Tomoe stretches, and stands up. "C'mon, let's go back home if we're done here. I feel restless now."

"Oh, my bad!" Himari gets up too. "Do you have something you need to do?"

"Nah. That's the problem; I've got nothing. Any other store you wanted to go to today?"

"Not that I can think of! Let's start heading back then, I guess."

Is it her, or has the mood become weirdly stifled? Hina brought so much joy and joviality, so it's a shame she had to leave with it too. The sky's getting a little bit darker as Thursday afternoon passes, and a few less people are passing through the mall.

"Hey, hey, Tomoe. Selfie with me!"

"Sure!" 

Wow, that's some enthusiasm. Snap! They're standing in front of one of those curtains made of beads that some malls like to be fancy with. Makes a nice shot for Himari's account!

Tomoe lets out the biggest sigh once the phone's down.

"What's wrong? Feeling photo-shy?"

"Nah. Just... lethargic, I guess."

"Why? What's up?" This is her chance to give some cheer! "C'mon, Tomoe! We can find some way to let the fire flow in you."

"Well..." Tomoe scratches her head. "It's feeling a bit heavy lately. Hey, Himari," she turns. "It's not exactly a cry and a hug, but can I vent a bit?"

Now here's a moment she can actually come prepared to, for once! "Hit me with it; I'm perfectly ready!"

"That's a relief. How about this," she winks, "instead offering you a hug-and-cry coupon in return, what if our next lunch together's on me instead?"

"Only if you're prepared for me to buy a feast!"

"Ahaha! Thanks, Himari." 

There's a frown, crawling its way back onto the rider's face. They head over to a nearby wall and lean back. 

"...I... I know I already said it, but I really do feel like I'm doing nothing lately."

"You do? But you've been hanging out with me all day today!"

"That's because I have nothing to do."

"Hey! So I was your last resort?"

Tomoe laughs. Fine, meanie, be like that! Time to spend a month's worth of Tomoe's allowance on that next free lunch.

"Thanks for letting me tag along, though. I meant it when I said I'm happy right now because of you guys. I feel pretty up n' about when I'm hanging out with you." A sigh. "...At home, it's a bit rougher."

"O-oh." Ooooooh, this might be hard to respond sensitively to... "H-how's the mom and dad?"

"They're... well, they're holding up. They still try and support me. But it's kinda obvious everyone's feeling miserable with Ako gone. I think I hear them crying in their room sometimes." Another sigh. "That's the part of the reason I haven't been dueling much lately. I'll participate in the Cup, for sure, but they might get worried if I'm out training too often."

Himari smiles. "You're always so considerate. Are you sure you don't wanna train, though? Didn't you say you wanted to get good enough to duel against Ako at the Cup?"

Blue mires against the cloudy skies. "Well, that's the thing. What if I don't get matched against her? It'll be a huge bracket. I could get better and still be knocked out before I ever run into her."

U-urk. "Th-that's true, but it'd still help to train for the chance... right?"

Tomoe tries to smile. "Much appreciated, leader. But still, it's hampering my motivation a bit. And it's made me realise that... I can't really do anything for Ako right now." Himari holds her hand, in case it'd help. "While she's at Roselia's base, there's nothing I can do. I don't know if she wants to see me yet, and I don't know how I'm going to break it to my parents; I need to tell them where she is sooner or later, after all. So I... just have to deal with sitting here, hoping she's okay with Rinko and the others."

"A-at least you're thinking about what went wrong in the meantime, right?" She's not sure if she even sounds encouraging right now. "You're still doing all you can, even like this."

"It's the least I could do," Tomoe blusters. "...And it's not just Ako, either. There's nothing I can really help with; I can't help Ran with getting better, Moca's keeping her distance from me... I can't reassure my parents that Ako's okay without revealing Roselia's location, and I can't do a single thing about-" She holds her breath in, trying not to choke. "Nah. I don't want to think about that. That's all; sorry for the rant."

Okay, c'mon girl. You can totally encourage her, right? "Well, don't you worry. If you ever feel the itch to do more than wander about, just keep an eye on me!" She smiles. "Trouble is my middle name. So long as I'm about, there's always some mess you've gotta help out with, right?"

"...Ha. Maybe you're right." Tomoe gets off the wall. "Thanks, Himari. Let's get going."

"Yeah!"

Woo! Thank god; she pulled something off without killing the mood! Being a uselessly incompetent leader has actually worked out for once! ...

...Yeah, doesn't sound as good when you word it like that. But forget about that; at least she's utilising her incompetence competently. Now that's crafty!

"This bead curtain... sure is something, huh." Tomoe gazes at the thing. "I get the appeal; it's fun hearin' all the sounds when you push through it. But this one looks kinda ominous."

"I know what you mean. Isn't black a really weird colour choice?" Himari tilts. "It's way too edgy for a mall. Looks more like a wall of chains than some beads."

"Maybe it was just a budget solution."

Idle, idle day. They sift the strings out of their way, and-

.

...

"Ah."

Ache. 

For a second, the three simply stand, unable to move. 

It's like the entire colour of the world greyed away the second they laid eyes on each other. Do they remember the days of idle smiles? The memories of promise-strengthened bonds? Like a broken piece of a kaleidoscope, their lovestruck vision becomes cracked. Every illusion of normalcy has just been shattered beneath their feet. The betrayal's been made utterly clear, and all they can do is face it.

Lisa's eyes shadow, and she grips her side.

"." It's like the words choke. Why does Himari feel so... powerless? 

Oh, she knows why. It's because she's a fool. What was it she said, again? 'I need to beat some sense into Lisa?' Yeah, woop dee woo; good job never figuring out HOW you were gonna do that, Himari. All bluster, as always.

But that doesn't stop her from trying. "L-Lisa! F-fancy seeing you here!"

Silence.

Neither Lisa nor Tomoe speak a single word. Both of their faces scream they'd rather snap back time so this never happened. Like this happy coincidence was enough to imbue the rest of their day with misery.

Funny, that; the last time they happened to run into each other, Himari remembered them saying it'd been too long. "N-nice jacket you've got there! Black's a bold colour choice!"

"Thanks."

She can barely even hear the response. But it's a start. "Y-you look tired, Lisa! Are you taking care of your face properly?"

"Sure."

...G-good conversation.

Ten seconds pass.

Tick, tock.

"...H-how's Ako doing?" Himari squeals. "Is she okay?"

"Oh." Lisa looks up, but she turns her gaze to the side immediately, firmly keeping her eyes away from Tomoe. "Yeah. She's fine. Rinko's helping. Sayo's tutoring her."

"Which one was Sayo?"

Lisa jumps at the sound of Tomoe's bite. "Um. Teal-haired one."

"...Her. Right."

...

There's about a thousand blades lunging at Himari's stomach. 

"Ha. Didn't expect to run into you guys."

"W-Well!" Himari flies with all the grace of a dodo. "We could always... run into each other again! We h-haven't been seeing much of each other lately, after all!"

"..."

"R-remember when Tomoe'd drop by your place every Friday weekend for our dance club? You'd always tease her when she tried to deny how excited she was! A-and we came up with that hip-hop routine, and said we'd ask Ako if she wanted to take part, but forgot to do that in the... end... so you never... got to... meet..."

It dies.

"...Ako..."

...

Lisa turns her back. "I'm going."

She takes one step, and holds her breath, letting her jacket flow behind her.

"Is that all?"

But Tomoe cuts her faster than a pit bull's bark.

"...What?" Lisa barely even turns back.

"Is that all you have to say? Isn't there something else, too?"

"T-Tomoe!" There's an entire train of anger hidden under that flat voice, isn't there? Her friend's irises look like they're about to evaporate.

"Like what?"

"An apology."

...

"...No."

Teeth are scared to grit. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"T-Tomoe-"

"It should be easy for you," Tomoe mutters. "After all, telling our friends we're sorry is more or less our daily routine, isn't it?"

...

The rider manages a step forward. "Or are you finally dropping the all-loving act? Did you get sick of having to accommodate both us and Yukina? Is that why you dropped my family like a fly the second we got in Yukina's way?"

"T-Tomoe, that's not-"

"Yeah. You're right."

But the response cuts through her cotton soul like she never expected. "Lisa...?" 

"You're right. I got tired of trying to help everyone. So I've changed. I'll just cut whatever gets in Yukina's way now," she murmurs. "I don't care about you guys anymore."

...

"...You're lying."

Lisa hitches a breath. "I-I'm not-"

"No. I can tell. You hate what you did. You're just hiding it, aren't you?" Tomoe growls. "That's what we always did, after all. We'd always hide when our friends saw how exhausted we were. We'd always run away, into each other's arms. And you're still running now."

"...Yeah, you're right. Aren't I pathetic?"

Blue paralyses in the irises. "Stop... stop that!" Tomoe fails to yell. "You regret it, don't you?! So why won't you look at me and say you're sorry?"

"You don't understand."

The wall of beads wavers behind them.

Lisa turns her head, just the slightest bit. "You shouldn't waste your time on me anymore. Just forget I ever existed. It'll be easier for you that way."

There's a shuddering breath. "How the hell am I supposed to do that?!"

"Is it really so hard, Tomoe? It's not like I helped you. All I did was validate your reclusion."

"Are you serious...?" Tomoe barely stops herself from lunging forward. "You... you... how can you say that? Are you really that afraid of me? Or do you just hate me now?"

...

Lisa runs away.

"N-no! Come back!" It's the rider's most futile desperation. All she can muster is throwing her hand out.

They're just left behind. Tomoe looks like she's about to cry. 

And it's then when Himari realises. 

She couldn't do a single thing about what happened. Two of her closest friends ripped into each other, and she didn't have the power to do anything. Some leader she is. She can barely even tackle her own pathetic problems, and yet here she is trying to support others.

"...'Just forget I ever existed? It's not like I helped you?' How..." Tomoe's voice strangles. "How am I supposed to do that when you're looking after my sister, you idiot?!" There's shaking. "H-ha. I forgot. You were always... like this, weren't you?"

The rider desperately fights tears. Himari grips her fist.

"...Idiot... you were always... running away from me, too."

\---

Failure.

Failure, failure, failure, failure, failure. She's a failure. She failed at the most critical moment possible, and she didn't even realise it until now. For someone who's sworn to do all she could to fight, that's absolutely pathetic.

She was so stuck in her own self-loathing that her best opportunity passed right by her.

"M-Miss Shirasagi? Is something wrong? You look kind of intense."

She looks up at Aya's exhausted face. "Does The Dragon look like a flawed figure to you?"

"Oh, n-no! I wasn't suggesting anything like that..." Aya trembles. "But, l-let me know if there's anything you need help with, okay?"

Chisato doesn't respond. Her left hand grips the fresh mug of coffee with more force than she'd like, and she quickly distracts herself by scalding her tongue with it. How irritating; it hardly feels painful at all. She'd hoped the burning sensation could disguise the real cause of her frown.

Because the camera is watching her every move...

...And also recording the audio.

That was her biggest mistake.

"They really make you move around a lot, don't they?" Aya keeps her smile up as she talks, hurling flyers into a photocopier as she's been doing for the past half an hour. "This is the third office I've been with you in. I've never explored Haneoka so much before!" She rubs her eyes. "I h-hope I haven't caused you any trouble."

You deserve better than this. "You've been helpful."

"Yay~! Ehehe, that's nice to hear." Aya sings. "I-I knew I could survive my last year at the SDA if I tried. I'm starting to flub my words in interviews less, Eve and Hina've been giving me speech practice, and you've been giving me other things like variety shows too, so it's looking on the up for me!"

Eyes. Eyes, eyes, eyes. No matter where Chisato walks, there are eyes in place.

"So thank you, Ch- Miss Shirasagi!" She says, the audio-recording camera taking it all in. "You're a really nice fr-"

Chisato turns around. "You cannot befriend The Dragon."

Aya squeaks. The trembling in her arms returns, aware of the horrific fangs in front of her.

...How infuriating that a Shirasagi must sharpen their eyes and husk their tone, just to look acquittable to those watching from above. Chisato remains lurking behind her desk, keeping her gaze on paper and electronic screen rather than the shambling innocent standing by the window.

Unfortunately, no matter what she distracts herself with, her mind can't pull her away from her failure. Unlike this office, which she'll be staying at until the Festival begins, the previous spaces they occupied did NOT possess audio recording. And unfortunately, she's realised too late; she was a fool not to exploit that. She was so fixated on the struggle of the lowest-ranked student, so self-condemning of her passivity in Aya's suffering, that she failed to even consider she could have allied with Aya. 

Now it's far too late; she's already missed her opportunity to inform this hapless tragedy. She has no phone to contact Hina with, and no space to use the walkie-talkie connected to Maya. She was a step too slow; now the Elder Council has her trapped in this building until the day of the Exhibition, likely out of suspicion for her activity around the Underside. All she can do now to change Aya's actions is hope that one of her friends has already informed Aya of the approaching danger. Considering how she was never able to tell Hina the details of the Council's plan, it's unlikely to help.

But what about her own actions? Unsurprisingly, the staff have already threatened Aya with expulsion if she does not attend the duels of the Central City Exhibition, cutting off a number of Chisato's potential tactics. And the Council will not tolerate Chisato exhibiting anything other than the barely passive-aggressive malice iconic to her public performances. 

But there are many ways in which even a callous blade can be swung; what if she used her cut-throat elegance to emphasise her own superiority, rather than Aya's inferiority? Is it possible to tread that tightrope without seeming too polite towards Aya? Doing so could save Aya's future by maintaining enough sympathy in the public eye for her potential expulsion to be condemned. It's the one flaw of the Council's plans so far; all their attempts to sully Aya's reputation have been concentrated on the Exhibition itself, rather than in the everyday-

"I wonder how many people think it's true..."

Fire.

She looks up. "Think what's true?"

"A-ah!" Aya jumps. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I-it's just a silly rumor, really."

"A rumor? Regarding what?"

"Um... do you know the stories about that thief who's going around stealing students' cards?"

<strike>Is the abyss not appealing enough to you?</strike>

"What about them?" Chisato asks.

"W-well, a lot of students have started stealing everyone else's cards too," Aya mumbles. "I... got asked a question in an interview today, about whether I'd been doing the same. There's a lot of rumors about me being some kind of ringleader for card theft..."

What?!

No, no... how is such a thing possible? Aya Maruyama has no image of a thief in the slightest. Was this planned by the Elder Council? How? "Do you know how the rumors started?"

"I think it's because of a student in my fanclub. She was caught trying to steal from a member of the public."

Fire.

Of course. The fanclub's in on the corporation's entire operation, after all.

"I don't get why..." Aya looks at the ground. "I don't want to steal anything... I'm just trying to do my best, is all."

"It may be linked to your appearance," Chisato responds. "Take better care of your hair and face. If you maintain a dishevelled look, it will become easier for the audience to associate you with the image of a thief."

"O-oh! Thank you, that's good advice..." A bell rings. "Ah, um, I'll get it!" Aya heads out of the room.

A fool. A fool, a fool, a fool. She can barely stop the frustrated noises from escaping her lips, their subdued thrashing pulling at her teeth in rage. The Watcher had seemed like such a consequentially petty figure, despite their initially foreboding appearance; but it appears the Elder Council has capitalised on their thievery in the most underhanded way possible.

Slow, slow, why are you so slow?! She howls. Because of your negligence, Aya Maruyama's work is falling on deaf ears! Some jester of presentation you are! Will you do nothing to curb the spread of your disgusting, draconic virus? Will you cower in the face of the eyes plastered on your skin?!

...No, no, take deep breaths. 

In, 

and out. 

In, 

and out. 

Breathing feels nearly impossible when flames circulate in your lungs, but she absolutely must remain calm. Keep looking for every opening you can find, Chisato Shirasagi. You made a promise, both to Hina and yourself, and you will keep it. That is your duty.

...Yes, and besides. She still has one last trick up her sleeve... cutting the live feed. According to Kaoru, Maya does not have control over the cameras that will be situated at Earth's Skyscraper; but all those do is display the duels to the audience watching below. A paltry number, compared to the massive amount who will be watching from TV or video streaming services. If Maya can leave that audience with nothingness at flexible timeframes, then the misplays or embarrassment Aya suffers during their duel could be masked from the majority of the public eye, conserving her reputation...

"I'm back! There's a letter for you, Miss Shirasagi!" Aya hands a rather inconspicuous envelope over; it doesn't even have a name or address on it. "S-sorry. I know I'm not supposed to accept post, but they s-said this one was urgent, apparently."

...An envelope with no details... wait, there's a little doodle made in gel pen on the front. This couldn't be Hina, could it? She would know better than to try and communicate with Chisato through post; hiding secret information in such a format would put them in a dire position if an agent came upon it.

Tentatively, she opens it, and slips out what appears to be a leaflet.

It's a relationship test. There's a bunch of pen marks checked over it. On the back lies a list of zodiac signs.

Aries has been drawn over with a marker, in the shape of a star.

...

...She can't, she can't, she can't. "I can't..."

"W-what's wrong? Are you okay, M-Miss Shirasagi?"

She can't, she can't, she can't! She can't let this amount to nothing, no matter what! Think, Chisato, think; is this a battlefield limited merely to the identity of the participating duelists?! What about the crowd? Is there any way she could get Kaoru to influence their perception of Aya? And what about Hina? Or maybe even Eve? The Council barred both of them from the Exhibition, to isolate Aya from figures who would support her during the duel... but could it be possible for Kaoru to find other ways in which they can help, without arousing the suspicion of the council's agents? No, no worrying about whether Kaoru is an eye of the council too; her options are far too limited for her to care. Just think, for god's sake, think about anything you can do!

Please, she begs as the fire lashes her skin. Please do not let her efforts be in vain!

\---

THWUMP!

The berserker knocks her down.

The grass- ow- looks a lot comfier when you're not tumbling through it like a haphazard boulder, ow, ow-

"Ack!" She yelps as she feels a metal boot stamp lightly on her leg, pinning her in place on the ground. A humongous, meaty double-sided axe engraved lovingly with shadow and gold is slammed beside the maiden's sprawled body.

"Ahahaha~! You're pathetic!"

"Uuuuu..." 

She's got three different kinds of headaches going right now, and every bone aches like it's been piledrived. But she just manages to focus her eyes, and looks up...

...Seeing the form of the glorious warrior towering over her.

She coordinated it herself. A soft and comfortable chestplate, a fur-lined skirt dashed with blades of black steel. A glorious shadow-muffling robe and a headpiece complete the look alongside the gigantic axe, and the boot that's currently pinning her to the ground.

"Another victory for General Himari Uehara!" There's a sultry smirk on her captor's face. "Though of course, I knew I'd come out on top. You never take your practice seriously, do you? You swung that weapon around like it was a candy cane!"

"H-how dare you!" She protests. "...Ooo, although it does look a LOT like a candy cane, now that you say it..."

"Oh, god. You really are ridiculous," the berserker cackles. "And you want to call yourself the leader? Come back in 5 million years before you start making a joke like that."

"Urggggrrrrrrrrrrrrggghhhh!"

She flails, but it's no use; her body's worn out, and she can't move her leg from the berserker's grip at all. Guess recklessly challenging this person really WAS a bad idea after all, h-huh? Who would've figured? Ha ha ahahahahahaha uh oh

The berserker hums. The look on her face is content, relaxed. At peace, like all's right now that this maiden's been bested in battle? How dare she! Was it really so wrong, for the maiden to want to prove her strength? 

It's frustrating, it's so frustrating; the maiden looks at the berserker, and sees so many powerful traits. This warrior's the leader of an entire army, with brute force and a dashing figure nobody'd dare to look away from... she's always touted as indulgent, greedy and vain by her subordinates, and yet none of them ever genuinely say a bad word for her. No, in fact, it's because she's able to help them with all their troubles, despite her reckless nature, that she's so admired by her peers. Such a reckless, ridiculous and glamorous figure, and yet somehow so powerful, righteous and commanding...

"Hehe. I know what that look means." She yelps as the berserker leans over, and cups her chin in one hand. "It's a look of longing. You WISH you could be me, couldn't you?"

"...!"

"Give it up," she scowls. "You'll NEVER be me, no matter how hard you try."

"Grgrgrgrgr... I've had it with you!" The maiden gives back the most intense stare she can! "That's what you say, every time I come and challenge you! You're always so mean to me! What's so wrong about wanting to prove myself?"

"Prove... WHAT about yourself, exactly?"

"That I'm not just some hapless maiden!" She yells. "Doesn't it make sense, for me to want to be like you? I want to be strong! Commanding! I want to look striking and powerful enough to make my friends think I'm helpful! Maybe even make myself think I'm helpful."

"Ugh. You're such a bore," the berserker drolls. "YOU'RE the only person here who thinks you're a hapless maiden."

"I-I don't know what that means!"

"Shocker. But lemme ask you something."

"A-ah!" The berserker tugs her by the collar of her shirt, and pulls her as close to her eyes as possible...

...Those eyes. They're a vortex of blood.

"Strong, commanding, striking..." The berserker murmurs. "What does any of that have to do with me? Do you have to become someone like me to be any of that?"

Eh? "Of course I do, don't I?" She sweats buckets from being this close. "You're like, cool, and dark, and edgy, and you beat all your opponents down into the dust!"

"Urggggghhh. Is THAT what you think being strong means?" She chucks her captive right back down into the grass, and finally lets her go. "Let me give you a word of advice, sheep."

"W-what? I doubt I'll listen to it..." she responds, trying to get back up... urgh, god, her muscles ache...

The berserker turns her back, letting her cape flow in the wind. But she turns her head just the slightest bit, and says:

"Not all paths are covered in bloodshed and agony like mine. Not everyone's gotta have the biggest struggle in the world to be cool and wanted." She slams her axe into the ground one last time for dramatic effect. "So quit thinking you've got to be like that too. If you're looking at the people you wanna support, and think you've gotta have everything as dark and serious as they do..."

She starts to leave.

"...Then you're NEVER gonna become the leader you want to be."

And so her figure starts to disappear, away from the warmth of the sunset.

But she can't understand it at all. What on earth did the berserker mean by ANY of that? If your friends are having serious problems, then you've got to take them seriously! And taking things seriously means culling your meek, useless smile and doing things that actually matter!

Her vision starts to blur. But she's angry, oh she's angry!

"Fine, suit yourself, jerk!" She yells. "Your armor stinks! Black's a sucky colour! And you're not pretty at all!"

Her vision keeps blurring. And so, the scene fades to black.

...

...

...

"You're... not... what... a leader... is..."

"Oh? Do you stir, my slumbering princess?"

...Slumbering princess???

Blink, blink... wow, she's NEVER been a morning person, has she? Uggggggggggghhhhhhhhh... consciousness... floating... in... and out...

...purple... hair...?

"Fufufu," she hears. "Though a mall is quite the bustle of activity for kittens, I would not recommend letting it lull you to slumber." The whisper is soul-luxuriating. "Do not neglect your sleep, my dear. One can hardly find their feet on this earth when their eyes are forced shut... it is but that."

...ugghghhhgh... c'mon, Himari... knock those brain cells together... blink, blink...

"Ah, I only wish I had the time to impart such advice to my queen... such is the turbulence of the shadow I live in." There's movement. "Farewell then, my dear kitten. I can only hope your conflicts... are fleeting."

Movement.

"....urgghghghghghghhh..." There was someone with her just now... riiiiight? God, it's like a truck hit her body... where is she?

Blink, blink.

...H-huh? That's a leather seat beneath her, isn't it? There's the sound of a little river and beads dangling... wait, is she at the mall?! What the heck is going on?!

"Why was I asleep in the middle of the mall?!" She shoots up immediately, all nerves on cylinders like ohhhh boy weren't there cylinders in her math homework or something GREAT let's check the time!!!!!!

...It's Friday?????? The 12th????? And it's the afternoon?! Is time just like, not real?!

Okay, no, no, she remembers, right... today she's meant to be hanging out with Tsugu n' Moca again, right? That's why she's around this area! Makes sense, makes sense. C'mon leader, you've got to be less of a mess than this if you want to help-

There's a knight's shadow, billowing in her mind.

-...ah. Yeah. She can feel her limbs sag immediately back down. She'd rather hog this bench and sob than do anything else, now that she remembers. Ugh. Useless, pea-brained Himari... so unable to sleep last night that she just cried, over and over again, until she woke up late and passed out here instead. Woohoo. You go, girl.

"...Ugh." She lets out a few more tears. She's such a clown, and yet there's still strangers willing to chuck her passed-out carcass onto a comfier seat, huh? Why can't she always muster the effort to help anyone else like that? All she does is just, like... butt her head in whenever she thinks there's trouble and give her tone-deaf smile. No wonder her friends think her problems're trivial...

...and they're not wrong. They are trivial, aren't they? She doesn't understand the weight of the earth's gravity, not one bit.

Okay, no no no, enough moping, Himari! Get up, get up. Just give up on this charade of yours; you're not gonna find her in the same place you searched yesterday. For all you know, you're just gonna make it worse for her and Tomoe if you two bump into each other again, so just... like... stop. Stop running headfirst into heavy problems like these without actually making a plan, or anything of the like. Find a time and place. Quit moping impromptu and do something else instead! Like actually meeting up with Tsugumi and Moca; she checks her phone. What's the time agai-

Oh boy! She's ten minutes late already! Woohoo!

She runs as fast as she terminally can god, jesus. Move out of the way, bead wall, because I've got a bean and her obnoxious gremlin to watch ov-

"AH!"

"Oh my god!" She nearly topples over; she swears she just left, like, audible scorch marks on the ground stopping herself from skidding into the person in front. Why're these beads so good at hiding what's on the other side?! "S-sorry about that! I wasn't looking where I was goi-"

...

"-ng..."

A knight whose colour is drowned in a black jacket. That mane of tousled caramel looks even messier than it did yesterday. The eyes barely lift in surprise, the bags underneath far beyond concealing. Looks like Himari... isn't the only one who had a restless night yesterday, huh?

She gulps. "L-Lisa."

She's never seen an expression that could so easily kill her. It's like the beg for a frown rips into her heart, simultaneously embracing her and dumping her alone in the night. What's the lack of a forest to a pain you can simply sense?

Lisa runs.

"Wait! Come back!" Oh, Himari's running on one synapse again, but who cares! There's not a single cell in her body that's stopping her from chasing her friend, no matter what! Screw reason! She's never good at it even when she tries!

Left, right, she's not going to bump into anyone while she does this, because she knows Lisa wouldn't either. The running slows, and Lisa switches to a fast walk. Himari keeps at her pace the whole while. Every strand of that hair is still so gorgeous, even when it's dishevelled and messy, like there's still a sparse routine slapped in to take care of it. There's a pair of ripped jeans peeking out beneath the jacket, the legs shaking and stumbling like they're stiffer than a unsharpened cliff. And all this time, looking at the back of one of her closest friends, she can't help but think:

It's coordinated well, but... black just isn't your colour.

Lisa stops. "Ha. We're both good at lingering around these places, aren't we?"

"L-Lisa!" She still has to pant a bit; curse the sweets she ate at 3am. "Um! Are you doing okay?"

It's a rhetorical question, of course. How can anyone look at that stiff, shivering figure and think 'yes' would be an answer? Or maybe it's precisely because she knows Lisa's normal posture that this looks so... strange to her. How is it different, even? It's not like she knows; she doesn't really get how people pay so close attention to those details. All she knows is that she, impulsively, can't stop moving, can't stop herself from moving, until she tries to patch it up.

Because she knows what Lisa's going to say.

"I'm fine."

"Don't lie to your leader, Lisa!" She takes a step forward. "I haven't seen bags that dark since you pulled an all-nighter for my exam!"

"...What do you want with me?"

"I want you to talk to me! Lisa, tell me what's wrong!" She takes another. "I've heard so many things about you, and I wanna know which're true! Because none of it sounds like the Lisa I know!"

"That's because the Lisa you know doesn't exist."

"W-what?" She stills on the cold marble floor.

"I always wondered. Why you two ever gave me any of your time," she says. "I'm a leech. All I do is suck away the colour of the people I love, until I'm left to fester in my repulsiveness."

"That's not true! Stop being so dramatic!"

"Why don't you stop running from the truth?" It's a dying croak. "This whole time, all I did was cling to you. I hid how gross and codependent I was, so that you didn't leave me. Why don't you just acknowledge it?"

"Because you're making this all up on the spot!" Himari points a finger. "No matter how much you deny it, Lisa Imai's always been there for me when I wanted her! That's why I do the same for all my friends! ...Even if they don't ask!"

"...I'm going."

"W-wait!"

But Lisa keeps walking. She's so... so! Ugh! Why is she acting like this? There's so many sharp edges in her words, so much spite... it's gotta hurt inwards as much as it does outwards, if Lisa really is the same person she knows!

So let's confirm it. Let's confirm that the person beneath is the same!

"WARGH!" She makes the loudest yell she can, and WHOMP! Falls right onto the ground- ohhhhh, "OW, OW, OW, ow ow ow ow" great, why did she think this was a good idea again? It's a miracle her nose isn't broken.

"H-Himari!"

And it works like a boulder of a charm. There's a hand gently placed on the arm of her sprawled body. It's so soft, so warm. Even with every creaking joint in its fingers, it doesn't do anything but caress what it touches with its undeniable, shining warmth. "Are... you okay?"

"...Got you!" Himari lunges up- ow, jesus- and hurls her arms right around Lisa, holding her around the back as tight as she can and looking into her eyes. "H-haha. The comedic spill's my classic, isn't it? S-so I faked it. And you came running in for me again."

"..."

"You're not a good liar, Lisa," she whispers. "You're the kind of dunce who always does everything without asking anything in return. You're the only one of us who'd ever call Lisa Imai a leech!"

"...Hah. Maybe you're right." Hey, there's a smile.

"Y-Yeah! I am!"

...Silence. Uh, she didn't really figure where she'd go from here. It's kind of impossible to think when she's so close to Lisa's face...

"Well?" Lisa lifts her up, smiling all the way. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Um!" Oh god, Himari, think fast! "Y-yeah! Let's, um... duel!"

.

Oh, great. So much for getting an explanation out of Lisa for all the antics she's done the past 3 weeks!

"Sure."

"E-eh?" Wait, hang on-

"Let's duel." The smile of a siren, as Lisa's head tilts. "It'll be a good chance to catch up, won't it?"

"Y-yeah! It will! Um!" She whips her head around like a panicked chicken. "H-how! About! We find a venue of some kind!"

"I know a part of this mall that's pretty spacious. Come on, follow me."

"O-oh! Yeah, let's go!"

Lisa's... leading the way, huh? That's sudden! But she seems happy to hang out, so it's all good, right?

"S-so!" She asks. "How've you been doing l-lately? You said you were gonna become real busy, last time we met..."

"Yeah. I'm part of a professional dueling group called Roselia now."

"Professional, huh!" She tries to sing. "Sounds intense!"

"Yeah, it really is. It's anything but easy. And it's kind of dangerous, too."

Those last few words chill. 

"D-dangerous?"

"Yeah. We're going to be doing some pretty risky things. Ako might have to too, y'know?"

.

"But, I'm sure that's fine with you and Tomoe, isn't it?" Lisa lulls. "After all, we're friends. Partners in crime."

...

It's... kind of quiet. They enter a reallllll wide corridor, one where there aren't a lot of people hanging around. The windows on the sides practically cover the entire wall, so you get to see a whole chunk of City outside, even the big ol' Haven Stadium. And all the really, really grey clouds, too. It looks like it's gonna rain soon.

"This should be fine."

A blade. An illustrious, intricately detailed sword stabs out from the side of Lisa's figure. It looks far more imposing than the simple edge Lisa had when they last dueled...

"Come on. Let's duel, Himari. Won't it be fun?"

"Y-yeah! I could use the training anyway!" Pink, pink and more pink. For some reason, her own blade of neon-looping lights on her right wrist feels... completely unsuited to what's going on. There's this weird, nagging feeling that she's just making a mockery of Lisa like this...

5 cards. Lisa turns around, and Himari faces a knight whose weaponry gleams in only a few select colours of the rainbow. There's something about her smile that feels like it's trying to hypnotise Himari. But that's just her seeing things, right? "Ready when you are."

"Y-yeah!" 5 cards.

It's quiet. Here they are, and yet nothing feels like it's being said.

"**DUEL!**"  
"**DUEL!**"

**4000LP.**

...

Flatline.

She can't help but stare. The knight that stands before her looks at her with an intensity that roots her to the spot. In the eyes where colour should shine, there's just a point of black like an edge held from afar. She can't feel an inch of it on her skin; the threat of bleeding never moves forward. But it stands in place, refusing to sheathe. Lisa's sword and shield are a challenge, a sign of something far beyond what she knows... as if witnessing it from her feeble little earth doesn't show her a thing. A current continuously flows in and out, carrying Lisa's jacket and hair with it at the exact, constant rhythm to swamp Himari's heartbeat in a chokehold.

"Well?" Lisa keeps smiling. "Aren't you going to take your turn?"

"Eh? Am I? O-okayyyyy! _I-I'll go first!_" She draws- wait, no the player going first doesn't draw a 6th card! Whoops! Ahahahaha oh god what is she doing again?

...No, seriously, what is she doing? Let's establish a goal. She wants to get an explanation out of Lisa. She wants to keep being friends with Lisa. And she wants Lisa and Tomoe to keep being friends too! And if she wants to do that, she's going to need to make Lisa apologise, ask her what's been going on, and start talking to each other again! Because that's how Afterglow solves each others' problems!

......

So how does dueling tie into this, again?

Uh. Well, she can find a way, right? Let's roll with it! "I-I activate the spell card _Polymerization!_" She slaps it right down. "I'm going to show you the monster we all love, Lisa! My materials are _Fluffal Octopus_ and _Edge Imp Sabres_ in my hand!"

H... how did this routine go again? Okay, okay; she dissipates her blade into a rope of looping neon lights, and carries the cards in her hand with it.

At creation's behest, her materials form a gleaming miniature portal, an orb shifting in hues of pink and blue. Out dances a pair of scissors from her wrist, attaching itself to the end of the rope. No losing focus now; she throws it straight and true into the air, and swiftly motions so that the rope carries it, spinning around until she veers it right into the orb. The scissors disappear inside, and...

A hit! Remember, Himari, remember; remember her form! "Octopus of cushioned comfort and scissors of good handiwork, combine your strengths! No matter the end result, seek to explore the world, look beyond your limitations, and let your souls combine! Become a cherished, honest craft nobody would reject, no matter how torn or matted you are, and let your new form emerge!"

Remember her form! A hurl up through the orb and down; she yanks at the rope, and the scissors within fly. In the space she can't see, she knows there's a miracle being worked as the monster's form is made. A pull to each side, left, right, left, right, left, right; blade after blade she knows she'll need, but just enough softness to want to hug the monster too! 

S-strong, reliable and comforting; it's never worked out for her, never. She's never been serious enough for this, never been imposing enough. But she wouldn't make this monster any other way!

ZIP! There; she pulled it off! No errors, no mistakes this time! "_Fusion Summon! Level 8!_" She yanks the scissors back out. "Let's rock, _Frightfur Kraken!_"

The ball of light shoots to the ceiling, opening a portal blinded by love. FWOMP! Down cannonballs a soft and bouncy blob of a plushie, harmlessly onto the ground, shining purple plastic all pieced together. In the midst of a million dancing razors, the friend hops to her feet and tries not to lose the goggled eyes loosely plastered to her front. Upon seeing her opponent, though, she jumps and immediately shrouds herself in a cage of edges worth **3000DEF.** Still, it can't help but peek its hidden red eyes through the gaps... because it's cute, right?

"TaDA!" Himari loops the scissors back into the rim of her disk's blade, and poses in the imitation of a star. "Remember her, Lisa? It's Kraken! Our favorite lil' buddy!"

Kraken meekly clangs a couple of razors.

"Yeah. I remember."

...

...I-is that it?

Lisa's just... she looks so vacant. Her smile isn't facing anywhere, is it? Himari can't tell what she's thinking at all.

...It's the same problem as before, isn't it? She just doesn't look serious enough!

So Kraken clangs all its razors together, countless times more. "D-don't you underestimate her, Lisa! She's always full of surprises!"

"Yeah. She's lovely."

Frozen steel runs through her heart. "L-Lisa..." God, is she just useless? No, no, it's fine... that's just catastrophizing. Maybe Lisa isn't being as monotone as she sounds, anyway. "A-and that's not all," she continues, "I also set one face-down! That ends my turn; intimidating, huh?"

"_My turn._"

A drawn card rips through the air like a radiated knife.

"Hey, L-Lisa!" She blurts, again and again. "Wasn't it really fun, the last time we dueled, and all? And wasn't it fun, the last time you went shopping with me, and you gave me this really cute pink blouse and said it suited me?" She tugs at the material on her shoulder. "A-actually, when was the last time you dueled with Tomoe? That'd be fun, too! Maybe we could even all face each other at once!"

...

"Oh, yeah, sorry. That probably sounds a little silly, doesn't it? But still, don't think I didn't notice how you two were looking at each other!" She points a finger. "You guys haven't lost that fire, I know it! A-and I'm still here, too! The three of us are still the closest of partners, deep down! So maybe you two should-"

"I summon _Rescue Rabbit in attack position._"

Oh. Oh, hey though, it's that cute little friend again! **300ATK** doesn't mean a thing when you're the most huggable thing around-

"_Rescue Rabbit's_ effect. By banishing this face-up card, I'll Special Summon two _Gem-Knight Garnets_ in attack position from my deck."

Red, beautiful blazing red. With the rabbit's departure enters two burning vortexes of red gems, fire forming the determined image of two **1900ATK** fighters.

"Oh, it's her!" She remembers it clear as day. "It's the Tomoe card! I remember when we were assigning all the Afterglow members to different Gem-Knights... you never said which one I was, though-"

"Hey, Himari."

She jumps. It sounds so sweet, so warm, and yet... so far, far away; she'd have better luck reaching for the stars in the sky. She looks directly at the knight whose eyes she can't see. "Y-yeah? What is it?"

"Do you think I'm a good person?"

Hey, that's a surprisingly easy question. "Obviously! Why do you-" oh, maybe she wasn't supposed to respond like that. "I mean! You did something really bad, but I'm sure we can fix it, right? I always have a lot of fun when I'm with you, Lisa. Especially when we're dueling."

Silence. The knight doesn't say a thing.

"S-so, um. Let's apologise and make up! You can talk to Tomoe, and we can all have fun together like old ti-"

"I'm not going to 'have fun' anymore."

"H-huh?" What does she mean by that?

"I'm not living my life offering my useless hand to you anymore."

And her heart freezes tight.

No love, no life. For the first time, it's like Lisa's finally removed all of the sunshine from her expression, so Himari can see the unbridled anguish on her beloved senior. The frown isn't even that large; it's like the muscles in Lisa's face have stiffened so much that they can't stretch enough to form such an expression. It just leaves nothing but the heartbreaking sight of her friend's lifeless, rotting eyes. And it's then she finally notices...

...Lisa's body is shaking.

"I'm not playing with you guys anymore, and I'm not having fun anymore." She manages to stretch a hand out, and all the colour in the world dries. "I'm just going to hone myself as much as I can... until my blade is finally strong enough to help Yukina."

Himari gulps.

"...With my two Level 4 _Gem-Knight Garnets_, I establish the Overlay Network."

Oh! O-ohhhhhh. No, that's not good; she's just seen the two Garnets' bodies smash into each other... they're crunching, breaking, so their broken twisted limbs can be forced into one.

"Hey, Himari. If I apologized to Tomoe, do you think everything'd go back to normal?"

"I... i-it would, right?"

CRUNCH!

"I-I mean!" Himari trembles. "We... we need to know what's going on with you, o-obviously. And it might take a while for Tomoe to be okay with you again..."

CRUNCH!

"B-but I'm sure we'd all be able to hang out together afterwards, right? After all, we both love you, Lisa!"

CRUNNNNNNNCCCHHHHHHH!

Lightning breaks the air until nobody feels safe to breathe. Lisa gives the most hallowing laugh she's ever heard. "That's just like you, Himari."

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECHHHH!

"But that's not what would happen. So I'm never going to be friends with Tomoe again."

Calling it deafening would imply that the volume is the most haunting part. 

"She was smart, Himari. She already knew I wasn't worth talking to, when she saw me yesterday. She knew the truth about me."

But the truly horrific thing is how it sounds like the wail of a human watching their own body break into pieces. 

"Because you see, Himari... even if I apologised to her, and we made up..."

Disgusting rhodonite tendrils blast out from the unfinished vow, drowning it in a mist of blood until it's forced into a form that can finally call its parts limbs.

"All I'd do is break her again."

It wails. A horrific red eye stares the innocent _Frightfur Kraken_ down from what seems like nothing but a sculptor's delusions.

"That's all I CAN do. And that's all I'll do to you too, if you keep coming near me! So STAY AWAY!"

A failure of a wail, yet so destructively loud. As its own nerves malfunction and become frozen into stone, the abomination bludgeons the ground mercilessly in an uncontrolled rampage. Himari screams as columns of murderous spikes tear the entire corridor apart, driving split-second guillotines up through the earth.

It's... this isn't one of Lisa's monsters at all! This thing... no, she wouldn't be kidding to say it's the most dark and ominous thing Lisa could summon!

"...Lisa... why are you doing this? You're such a big doofus! Tomoe doesn't think of you that way at all!"

"Ha. Thanks. You're always sweet, Himari," she laughs. "But it doesn't matter whether she sees me that way or not. If she thinks better of me, that just means I've tricked her."

"N-no it doesn't! Why would you say that about yourself?"

Eyes glisten with no colour. "Because the only goal I have is to crush anything that stands in Yukina's way!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" Himari yells. "At least, I don't think it does! But I don't get why your Yukina friend means you have to be so rude to me!"

"Because I'm not dueling to have fun anymore. I'm dueling to win! And I'm training as hard as I can," she croaks, "so that I can help her achieve her goals! I don't have time to play with you anymore! I'll show you what kind of person I really am; nothing but a leech!" She slams the card down onto her blade. "I activate the continuous spell card _Wavelength Fusion!_"

She's not even given the chance to argue back; Lisa doesn't seem to want to hear it. She moves her shaking, jagged arm to place card after card down until the glowing lines around them cease to beat. "When I activate this card, I can add one card that Fusion Summons a Gem-Knight monster from my deck to my hand." It's fast, faster. "And I choose to add and activate the continuous spell _Brilliant Fusion!_ Once per duel, this card lets me bring out a Gem-Knight Fusion Monster with **0ATK** using materials from my deck; my materials are _Gem-Knight Tourmaline_ and _Gem-Knight Lapis!_"

See, there's the kind of visuals she's used to from Lisa! A thin, concentrated vortex of incandescent crystal lights is dancing into a succulent tornado. "O tourmaline knight of tenacity, fill me with my identity! O lapis knight of love, defrost my frozen tears! Think quickly of the life you both pursue, and let the bond that emerges combine your souls into one! _Fusion Summon; Level 6, Gem-Knight Topaz!_"

Besides the broken husk of an atrocity, this knight is nothing but radiant in its self. From the skies above, the two combining lights burst down to ground level, and an excessively long-robed fighter stomps one foot onto the ground, posing with gusto as it rips its lightning-studded chakrams with enough velocity to present its arms as a lack thereof. Such pride, such confidence, such self-expression...

Oh, wait, hang on; she's dueling, isn't she? Oh no!

"_Brilliant Fusion's_ second effect; I discard _Brilliant Spark_ from my hand to revert Topaz's attack to her original **1800!**" Such a stiff arm moves so ferociously. "_Brilliant Spark's_ effect; I discard _Gem-Knight Obsidian_ from my hand to return _Brilliant Spark_ to my hand! _Gem-Knight Obsidian's_ effect; with this card being sent from my hand to my graveyard, I Special Summon _Gem-Knight Lapis_ from my graveyard!"

"O-oh my god, hang on!" There's like 5 things happening at once! Hi Lapis, how're you doing with that **1200ATK** of yours, "Lisa, I just wanna talk! W-we don't have to do this, actually!"

"No, that's not true. I've learnt just how many ways in which you can use Duel Monsters to your advantage. It's even how I blocked Tomoe from finding Ako!" She slams another card down. "And now I'll use it to show the difference between me and you! I activate the quick play spell card _Gem Enhancement;_ I send _Gem-Knight Alexandrite_ from my deck to my graveyard, and add her stats to Topaz!"

Ohhhh my god, those chakrams've got **3600ATK** now! "_Gem-Knight Topaz_ can attack twice per turn, and inflicts damage to my opponent equal to the ATK of the monsters it destroys by battle; I'm knocking you down until you don't feel like playing with me anymore!"

T-that'd be a bad thing, right? Um, is Himari any good at Duel Monsters at all? Oh right, she has the face-down! "I-I activate _Fiendish Chain!_ Now Topaz's effects are negated, and she won't be able to attack!"

CLANG!

Himari screams liiiiiighter than she probably would've liked; that terrifying behemoth of a black-hearted monster has just thrown its malfunctioning body headfirst into the chains, its tendrils strangling every last one. "_**Cairngorgon, Antiluminescent Knight's**_ effect; I detach one Xyz Material from this card to redirect _Fiendish Chain's_ target to your _Frightfur Kraken!_"

"OH MY GOOOOOD!" Panic, panic! Her lovely yelping friend's just been completely strangled by metal now!

O-oh. Yeah, this is bad, isn't it?

A horrific, imposing figure looms over her with an eye intent only on blood. "It's over, Himari. Enjoy your life with the people you can actually call friends. I'm not wasting your time dragging you down with my presence anymore." She croaks. "I'm moving to a different world."

.

...What IS this?

Is she supposed to be terrified? Yeah, Lisa makes this ol' Cairngorgon look spooky, no doubt. But that's just the thing; this is a monster meant to scare her, isn't it? Lisa's just trying to push her away!

"Lisa," she grumbles. "Why won't you explain yourself? Why won't you tell me why you kept Tomoe and Ako apart? Why won't you let me just hang out with you and talk to you? Why won't you apologise to Tomoe so we can be friends again?" She tries, the hardest she can, to stomp her foot forward.

But of course, a stomp coming from Himari Uehara isn't intimidating to anyone.

"Didn't I already tell you?" Lisa manages. "I'm just a disgusting leech. I don't have a shine. I don't have anything good in me; that's why I feed on everyone around me, by trying to help them. That's why I fed on Tomoe. I fed on her until I ended up hurting her."

You, you, you... you big buffoon! Moron! You worn-out beauty! Let me love you! "Lisa, you're lying! There's plenty good in you!"

"That's not true, and you kno-"

"Quit telling me what I know or don't know!" She yells. "You're just manipulating me so that I stop trying to reach you!"

Lisa's eyes widen. "N-no... that's..."

"It's TRUE, and YOU know it!" Come on, Himari; you've got to look as leader-like as you humanly can right now! Hands on hips! "You're lying to me, because you want me to hate you! But you've never been good at pushing people away before, and you're not any better now! Nobody would ever look at you and say you're a leech!"

There's the sound of something shattering.

Lisa yells. "Yeah, you're right! I'm lying! Because I want you to be happy! I want you to forget me!" She grits her teeth. "Don't you understand?! I could've stabbed Tomoe in the back with an actual knife, and it wouldn't have hurt Afterglow any less!"

"All you did was make one big mistake! Stop throwing your entire life with us away just because of it! If you're gonna be tossed into the trash can, then at least let Tomoe do it herself!"

"Ha. How am I supposed to do that?" She chokes. "How am I supposed to face her?! Because of my ridiculous mistake, I made her cry. I made her run in the rain until she came back home with NOTHING to show to the family she loves. I tortured her! And I'll never forgive myself for that!"

Every word Lisa says makes her blood boil, even beneath all her fluffy pink.

"I made the worst decision ever. I wasn't even thinking right," she pants. "I just panicked, because I couldn't find a way to make both Tomoe and Yukina happy. All I ended up doing was kicking down one for the sake of the other! I wasn't strong enough!"

You're KIDDING me. "You're not weak for being unable to help your Ako-kidnapping best friend!"

"Well, I certainly could be stronger, couldn't I?!" She lashes back. "I can't help a single one of my friends like this. I'm not strong enough to fight for Roselia, and I'm not strong enough to do anything other than hurt you! If I actually talked to you guys instead of bottling up my problems, I could've found a way to keep everyone I knew happy! But no; all I did was stew for a reason I don't even know, and hurt everyone around me because of it! That's why I'm hollow; I don't have anything of my own that lets me do anything other than drag my friends down. I make decisions that hurt the people I love because that's the only way I can hide how empty I am from them!"

Himari inhales, and releases the loudest yell she possibly can. "THE REASON YOU KEEP MAKING BAD DECISIONS IS BECAUSE YOU'RE TIRED!"

.

...

Whatever Lisa was going to say has just been completely engulfed.

Not a single word spoken.

...

...

...Wait... this... this means...

She could have a chance!

"A-and don't you even deny it!" Himari reinstates her pose. "You're barely even standing straight! The Lisa Imai I know constantly works herself to the bone for everyone she loves, and even SHE doesn't look this wiped! Y-you look like you've been juggled in... in a thrashing contest between two self-driving cars!"

Lisa just stares at her with the most agape expression possible.

"You think you're hollow?! You think you're a drag on us?! Of course not, you dolt; you've done nothing but inspire us! I love chasing after and helping all my friends because you're so good at it, and I want to be like you! And Tomoe's the same way; that's why she was always so happy to share her troubles with you! You're the only one who'd ever say you hurt us!"

"...But..." Lisa murmurs. "...If I hadn't... been with her... she would've opened up to you guys instead of hiding her problems..."

"I'd be delighted to know what you mean by that!"

"...Didn't I make her isolate herself?" Lisa whimpers. "I made her run away from her problems like I did. Instead of just telling the people we loved we were having trouble, we hid it and only told each other-"

"Oh, COME ON!" Himari yells. "That just means you're the first person she trusted enough to open up to! For Tomoe, that's practically a miracle; and you're the only one who was able to work it!"

"..."

"You're not hollow, Lisa. There's so many amazing things I love about you! I love you!" Oh god, she can already feel her tears. "You don't hurt us by being empty inside; that's like, factually impossible! The only reason you've been hurting us is because you've been too exhausted to make good decisions!" 

She points a finger, right into the heart of a beloved. 

"There's cracks all over my precious Lapis!"

...

...

.................................

...D-did it work?

To be totally, 100% honest; she's kind of spitballing. Obviously, all of this is true; Himari's never told a single lie in her life! But what the hell is she spewing out?! What order, even? There's more measured ways to do this, isn't this? Better time and place, and everything? Help?! Argh!

Lisa doesn't move. O-okay, that agape stare is... um!

Something more, then! "S-so get some rest, Lisa! Drink your 5 fruit and veggies a day!" T-thumbs up! "Indulge yourself every now and then! You'll be fit as a fiddle in no time; and then once you're feeling okay again, you can apologise, and we can go on like, a self-care trip! We'll eat all the sweets we can chow on! A-and then... then... we... can..."

...

...Himari lowers her arm.

She's useless. She really is useless. Is Lisa's expression really one that saw a revelation? Or is Himari just the most delusional dolt alive? Ugh. She's just presuming that she's done anything at all. Of course she hasn't; nobody would ever take her seriously when she's out here like this, after all. She doesn't look serious, doesn't look cool... she doesn't look inspiring like Ran does. 

"...L-Lisa... I just..." 

She's pathetic, so, so pathetic. She wanted to find a measured way around this, but all she did was spew and rant. And now all she can do is try the same thing, over and over again. 

"I-I... I miss you, Lisa..."

She starts crying. God, no, why... why is she just the worst? Why is she the most useless weakling alive? She's not anyone distinguishable, let alone a leader! She's worthless.

Lisa makes a sound. "...ha. Ah... ahaha..."

See, look. Lisa's even laughing at her now. Look at how...

~

...bright...

her 

smile

is

Himari loses her breath.

"A... ahahaha~! Ahahahaha~!"

Her laughter. 

Lavender, coated in honey, lavished with syrup, enveloped with caramel, kissed on the neck in coffee. 

Himari's thoughts short-circuit.

Even with her mane unkempt, Lisa looks so unfairly beautiful. She wants to just drown that hair in conditioner herself, until Lisa shines like she knows again.

...

There's a second of silence.

Then, for whatever favor she apparently did the gods, she's drowned in love.

Blaze. Lisa undoes the buttons on her jacket, and it bows to the sudden burst of wind at Lisa's front. Inside reveals an accessory-adorned sweater of luscious red, and jeans ripped in blue. 

And her eyes. Her eyes are blazing in a way that makes Himari's heart fly. "Hey, Himari." She holds her blade out. "I don't know why, but suddenly... I feel like messing around with my turn a bit more."

"Oh! Uh. Um." Thoughts, work. For the love of god, work. "Sure." She's nodding. "Mess."

"Ahaha~! You're always so cute when you're flustered."

Oh my god, stop that now. Lesbian-allied (emphasis on ally) god in heaven, if you're reading this; what has she done to deserve having her eyes blasted with Lisa's smile?

"I think I've had enough of this doom and gloom for now," Lisa sings, letting her jacket billow. "...I activate the effect of _Gem Enhancement_ in my graveyard! I banish this card and tribute Cairngorgon to special summon _Gem-Knight Alexandrite_ from my graveyard!"

"H-huh?!" What in SWEET lord "YOU'RE TRIBUTING CAIRNGORGON?!"

She balks as Lisa snaps her fingers, and the showcase of horror's forced off-stage. No more wailing limbs, no more aching bones...

...just...

A gigantic, glorious of circle of rainbow, lustering beneath their feet.

The loving knight rises with **1800ATK.**

Lisa throws her hand out. "Alexandrite's effect~! By tributing this monster, I can Special Summon a Gem-Knight Normal Monster from my deck! I think it's time I introduced you to a very special friend of mine, Himari!"

"E-eh? Who?"

"_Gem-Knight Crystal!_"

The current of rainbow runs from behind Himari and courses beneath her, pooling to the glorious gem of every colour until its form takes something new.

W-whoa, she's BEAUTIFUL, actually! Her entire armour is covered in these smooth points of rock, and she's posing proudly with her hands on her hips as her tail of hair billows behind her. And **2450ATK** to boot, too!

...Though she can't help but wonder. Why doesn't it have a colour?

"Do you like her?" Lisa smiles. "She's the general of the Gem-Knights, y'know? Seems clumsy and foolhardy, but she's got the biggest heart you'll ever see. She never stretches herself too thin, because she's always indulging herself in her friends until everyone in the room's smiling." A finger to the lips. "That's why she's the best."

"She's awesome! But I don't get why she's just called Crystal," Himari responds. "I never studied geology, but like... aren't all the gems crystals, sort of? Crystal just seems kind of like a basic term, you feel me? And her colour's so... default, too. N-not that it's bad!"

"No. It's a gorgeous fit for her."

"Eh? Why?"

Lisa laughs. "Because she's the general~. She doesn't care if she looks 'generic'; she just shoves herself into the driver's seat anyway! Nobody ever stops her. That's what makes her so frustratingly amazing."

"O-oh. That makes sense!"

"And that isn't even the part of her I love the most!"

"What?!" She... i-is Himari feeling jealous of a monster card right now?

"Don't you see? There's a colour that'd suit her even better! And if I'm being honest here, Himari... I want to paint her in that colour with my own two hands!" Lisa slams the card onto her blade. "I activate the quick-play spell card _Particle Fusion!_"

Uh. Um?

Lisa dissipates her armaments, and her hair loses its ordinarily caramel shimmer, flaring in every colour of the rainbow. She rolls up her sleeve, and underneath there's nothing but an arm of pulsing crystal, glowing so intensely that Himari only wishes she had the brainpower to close her eyes right now.

Lisa raises her hand. "My materials are _Gem-Knight Crystal_ and _Gem-Knight Lapis_ on my field!"

Streams of gleaming crystal dust, carrying wishing white and cherished blue. Each piece is so unfathomably tiny that they're capable of combining into a flow more concentrated and intense than any other, taking in each and every last atom of a cherished gem-

Ohhhh god, oh jeez, WHY IS THERE SO MUCH ENERGY SHINING FROM LISA'S HAAAAAND

"O crystal knight of fellowship, lend me your insistent heart! O lapis knight of love, defrost my frozen tears! Think of the smiles you treasure, think of the beating hearts you both touch with your hands! Let your feelings flow between you, and let the bond that emerges combine your souls into one! Make your vow!"

The air becomes awash with her rainbow hand, and the colour flies out, leaving her human skin free. Lisa awakens; her eyes are lent a heart-coloured fire, feelings etched deep within. "_Fusion Summon! Level 8! Gem-Knight Rose Quartz!_"

Himari's jaw drops.

Like a self-driven paintbrush, the stream dances in a storm of crystal dust flowing through every chair, table and window in the corridor, building the form with a reckless lack of inhibition; lights sway and dance, a visor levels down, slotted with 3 windows, each encrusted in a pink deeper and hotter than the one colouring the rest of her armour. From her back, a beautiful gold-adorned cape bathes in light and splits into 6 glorious wing-like ribbons, each forming a sharpened, curved blade at the end ready to fire. Beneath her crystal-encrusted armour, the most iridescent yet indomitable exemplar of a knight poses proud with **2850ATK.**

...She's... "...oh my god, she's GORGEOUS!" Himari squeals. "Can I date her?!"

"Oh? I didn't know your tastes were like that!"

"Huh? Why're you laughing? I didn't say anything funny, did I?"

"Just don't look in the mirror TOO much in the near future, okay?" Lisa grins, before swiping her buckled hand out. "When _Gem-Knight Rose Quartz_ is Fusion Summoned, I can target one monster my opponent controls and send it to the graveyard!"

One wing splits off and flies beneath her monster, lashing at the plushie and shattering her. "Oh no! Krakeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!" Why'd her fluffy pal have to get tossed out by an effect that's just like her own?!

"And that's not all!" Lisa yells. "When I Fusion Summon a monster through _Particle Fusion_, I can banish _Particle Fusion_ from my graveyard and have the monster gain ATK equal to one of its Fusion Materials!"

Rose Quartz slams her hands on her hips, and the gem at the center of her chest gleams with white. "With the power of _Gem-Knight Crystal_, her ATK's totalling at **5300** now! And you're wide open for me, Himari!"

...O-oh, yeah. She was supposed to be dueling, wasn't she?

"_Gem-Knight Rose Quartz_, attack my opponent directly!" Lisa makes a finger gun, and fires. "Take every last bit of my love, Himari!"

Sweet Rampage. The knight bursts into a sprint and leaps into the air, spinning and spinning until its wings wrap around it like the world's flashiest neon wheel... and it's crashing right onto her. It's an entire vehicle, about to completely and utterly overwhelm her with the most fatal embrace she could possibly receive.

She thinks; i-is this, like, how Tomoe feels whenever she tacklehugs her? Is this her comeuppance? Oh BOY! Haha! Uh-oh, sisters!

The completely starstruck goose of a leader stands with her jaw agape, as she gets floored beneath the pink, and yells with all the grace and dignity characteristic to her:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

CRASH!!!

...

...There's the sound of dust coughing up the air.

...

It's... it's beginning to clear.

**...0LP.**

T-that was... that was a one hit knockout, huh? Yeah, it sure was! Her friend sure loves cleaving right into her heart, doesn't she? 

...Woo!

Lisa spins the spare card in her hand and tucks it right back into her disk. The gloriously mantled sword and shield dissipate, and Rose Quartz bows out.

And Lisa laughs, oh so sweet. "...A... ahaha~. That was... fun."

Stop, stop. She's stumbling, Lisa's stumbling, Lisa's in danger.

"...you were right... the only reason I ended up hurting anyone..." 

A foot shakes. 

"...was because I kept... wearing myself out..."

She's about to fall. Himari desperately runs across the corridor.

"Ha... funny, isn't it? After all... the reason I wore myself out in the first place... was to... help..."

The angel falls. And Himari's right there to catch her.

"L-Lisa!" She leaps with way too much forward momentum, but Lisa still manages to land in her arms- "A-ack, my poor elbows... marble hurts... L-Lisa!" She shakes her head, and pulls until the knight's back leans against her chest. "Are you okay?! You're not dead, are you?"

There's a little chuckle. "You're... always so... overdramatic. You sweetie-pie."

"That's my line!" 

Embrace, tighter and tighter; maybe if she hugs Lisa as hard as she can, the exhaustion'll seep out from her gem-fueled life. 

"U-um... Himari," there's a wiped stammer. "I think a few chairs would be better for this."

"Oh, right! I'm so sorry!"

She's expecting Lisa to laugh at her as she does that... but there's nothing but a satisfied hum. Even when Lisa laughs at her, it's not jeering, anyway. It's soft. Like a lullaby.

"...You're... always so nice, Himari." Lisa finds solace on Himari's shoulder. "Even after everything I did, you still want to reach out to me."

"I wasn't listening to a single thing you said, is why," she grumbles. "And that includes the things about Ako. If she had to do something risky, you'd just do it in her place!"

"A... ahaha. You're right," Lisa breathes. "I lied about every single thing. I'm not a monster or a leech... I'm just reckless. I exaggerated it because I didn't think you deserved to deal with me."

"I'll deal with you whether you like it or not! You're nothing but joy in my life, Lisa." She smiles.

"That's how I... h-how I feel about you and Tomoe, too. That's why... I was so angry at myself."

"Don't worry! I-I mean, don't worry TOO much; it'll be fine, so long as you apologise! Like, um..." think, Himari! "T-the other day, I ate both my ice cream and Tomoe's without asking, and she got really sad! I felt awful after that!"

"Wow. Truly... the greatest crime, huh? You naughty little angel, you."

...

...Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...... why... why does Lisa have to look like this? Why does she look like she's going to faint at any moment?! Why did she have to leave them be for so long?! "Liiiiiiisaaaaaaaaaaaa..."

"S-sorry... don't cry," her hand brushes her face. "I was lying when I said I wanted you two to forget I existed. It's just... I hated the thought of missing Afterglow so much that I... tried to forget about it entirely, instead. I've seen people grow distant, but... I'm not used to dealing with this sort of loss..."

"Even if you forgot us, we'd never forget you," she manages through sobs. "Leader's promise!"

"Ha... I really am blessed. Everyone's always so... lovely." Lisa's body loosens. "I shouldn't have been afraid about apologising to begin with."

Come on, stop sobbing for one moment, Himari. Or at least try. "Everyone's always afraid of that; it's okay! I know Tomoe didn't take it lightly, after all. But that's why it's so important that you explain yourself to her, okay? In fact, how about t-this; let's meet up tomorrow so that-"

But Lisa's grimace returns.

"S-sorry. Not... yet. I'm still... afraid to see her reaction."

...

"Ha. I... I know. It's selfish, in a way. I know I'm running away by doing that."

"No, it's okay! I'm the one who was too hasty, same as always." She threads Lisa's hair. "Just... promise you two'll talk, okay? I know it sounds dumb and insensitive of me like always... but I think she deserves to hear an explanation from you!"

"Ahaha... nah, you couldn't be more right. I'll make sure I do it eventually, I promise." A weary smile waning like the sunset. "Whether it ends with acceptance or rejection, I promise I'll let Tomoe be my judge."

"She'll-" No, she... can't really speak for what Tomoe thinks, can she? "Y-yeah. You can do it, I know you can!"

"...Thanks."

The clouds continue to hang over. It might rain, even. But the lights in the mall aren't flickering, at least.

...I-is this gonna be a silly thing to say? "Um, Lisa. Can I ask something REALLY-"

A finger on her lips. "Nope~. Sorry. I'm with Roselia now, too. So I'm still... going to be a bit too busy to hang out with you... for the next month or so."

NOOOOOOO- "T-that's okay! I'm sorry for asking!"

"Ahaha~. It wouldn't be my lovely Himari, if she wasn't delightfully self-indulgent."

There's a hand stroking her own hair back, and her heart skips a beat.

"Hey, Himari... can I ask something a little selfish, too?"

"Y-yeah. Go for it."

"Can we... lie here like this, for a while?" The hand falls. "I've... felt so tired... for the longest time."

...Lisa's eyes don't close. They're waiting. Waiting for her, just like always.

How could there be any other answer?

"Go right ahead. Give yourself a nice big rest," Himari smiles. "Then you'll be all ready to go for Roselia, right?"

"Yeah. Sounds..." the weight on her blouse increases a bit, "good... to me..."

Lisa begins to breathe, in and out, and the expression on her face softens.

"...Thanks... Rinko. You were... right..."

She shuffles a bit until it's comfy.

"...I'm not alone... at all..."

...

...An angel falls freely into Himari's arms.

There's a few drops of rain on the window behind them. But all Himari can really hear is the sound of Lisa's breathing, in and out. That strained normalcy... that weathered smile...

It's just like you, isn't it?

Himari hums, and gets out her phone. Looks like she's not going to that meeting after all. So, she starts tapping so she can throw a message to Moca and Tsugumi, right away.

And with the one of two groups, one's leader feels an embrace where the other can't. Himari fishes a little patchwork bear out from her bag, and slips it in Lisa's pocket.

The message sends. It reads:

hey guys!!! sorry, something came up, so you two can hang out without me

She'll deal with the consequences later, probably. For now... let's focus on the warmth lying on her side instead.

lets just say...

i managed to find a gem i couldn't peel my eyes from~


	27. An Ideal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one's a long one!
> 
> CWs:  
-Extreme states of panic and distress  
-Allusion to a past depiction of violence  
-Visceral blood/body horror imagery  
-Lots of first-person perspective
> 
> Note - Previously the last section of this chapter was a lot more intense, but I've culled it down a slight bit since. Sorry to anyone who felt it was a little too close-hitting; note that it's still very angsty and I'd HIGHLY emphasise the content warnings I've listed above here (as well as the ones in the fic's summary, which I want to reinstate will apply throughout the fic).

...

A blizzard. How serene.

...

Absolute zero.

Blue in the veins is what lets the blood flow.

...

Does that sound chilling? Try and take in the air. Is it possible?

That's how it feels when every particle is stuck in place.

Can a human walk in these hallways of pure, reflective cold? Can a human command their nerves to move, when the inner side of their flesh is fed with ice? Suppressing the fire, hiding the lightning... an arduous task for any feeling being. Even a dragon would struggle to survive in such a sterilised symphonia. One might ask her the question; how could you put yourself through something so inhuman? Isn't this... torture? 

For her, it's anything but. 

And for her, it's anything but. 

This place is our haven. A beautiful, pristine castle, four stories of ice, three towers betwixt. One tower stands alongside the wall around the perimeter. Another hides at the corner in the back. The third lies right in the center. Explore once more; rarely, I can find those yellow lights, the fuzzy electricity you once called home, scattered deep within the surfaces amidst the illumination of azure reflection. That wide-open balcony below the top floor at the center, looking out to the spacespray beyond; from that view, one can't tell a star from a speck of snow. And what of the beautiful lamps, whiting every glacial garden, and every walkway and plateau on the edge? What of the pieces of ice draped around the snow, and the tipped spires at the top of every tower, each their own creation loved more than any snowflake's design? In comparison, was my suggestion for the rooftops to be slanted, shaped like brick, too common? Too plain?

No... no, you wouldn't say that. Only I would. It's rather strange, having this feeling. But I suppose that's just another facet of our ethereal home. This castle truly does keep everyone safe.

And it all started on our rapture. My guide and yours. 

"_I'm nothing like the person I want to be._"  
"_I'm nothing like the person I want to be._"

They forged every piece of this intricate guardian together. A perfect symbol of the resolution they gave each other. And between the stars so high above, and the Earth so far below... that's where it hides. A perfect location; here, you can neither become a monster nor a human. So far from life, there's no need to fear the cracks; the castle always keeps you safe. Nothing from outside can fight it, nothing from outside can melt it, nothing from outside can overcome it. Nobody can see what lies within. For that, she'll eternally be grateful. Thanks to this person, she found it; a slow, steady stride. This haven... her companion is nothing short of a veteran, and yet she was allowed to build on it too. She can only marvel at how the towers look solemnly down upon their surroundings, each arbitrating a different malice towards pain. They sing a beautiful, hallowing requiem, pushing away any possibility of fire or lightning deep into the callous cold... and thus they imprison their worlds in pure frozen ice.

And what a requiem it is. It's incredible. I can't believe we actually formed it; every time I remember helping you make this place, I feel something inside me I couldn't possibly describe. You saw a value in my draconic hand I couldn't find myself. For the longest time, I thought I was simply a monster who had nothing left but red... until you reminded me of the last two traits I could uphold, in the hollow shell of my missing heart:

Diligence, and determination.

Can we sing this song together? No, that's far too forward of me; I apologise. I only ask because I trust you more than any other.

...You're okay with that? Thank you. I'm truly honoured. My eyes, my mind, my blade... they've all learnt so much from you. To lay my life down for you would be an insult; I would rather live for you instead.

It's strange, though. Would you not be happier if I were gone, and the shooting star took my place?

I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't think it true. I've even encouraged you as much. But at the same time, I wish for her happiness too. And I-

-no. It's nothing. It's just... I only f-feel that...

...I'm sorry. What a coward I am. I must look pathetic right now.

You understand? A-again, I apologise. It's truly rude of me to-

...

......Thank you.

Dare she would cry, were it not for her burnt eyes. Dare she would stay, were it not for her barren soul. For this, this, this is the reason they feel so blessed in each other's presence. It's something she would never have were it not for their chance encounter.

If only it could stay that way.

...

...

The blizzard howls. She stands outside the castle, looking down at the Earth. 

And she finally craves for something more.

Would she call herself weak for it? Emotional? Dependent? Perhaps, in the days of dragons. But now, they've pulled each other far enough from the stars that she can look more clearly.

And she can see the amber light, glowing far below. How brilliant it is. No doubt it could fill an empty shell. If she pursues this light... then she will not have to drag down the companion she cherishes. In truth, in secret from anyone else, a small part that wars with the rest of her already believes;

Have I not long overstayed my welcome in our home?

I'm sorry.

...

'You're going?'

It beats. The new, imitation heart she tried to make beats. Robotic, electronic; apparently, it's only one step forward to the functions of her old one. It's hardly capable of resurrecting her. But how could it not beat, in front of its very font?

She turns around, and faces the companion who opened the door to life anew.

Now it's time for her to take the steps forward.

'...I am.'

'I see,' her companion responds. That smile... 'I always knew you would one day. You're amazing.'

A malfunction. Funny, that a hollow vessel like her can have such a thing. But in a way, it's only natural this response would happen. Even now, as she stands on the cliff of ice, peering to the Earth below, there's a million voices screaming inside of her:

Don't do this.

And those voices are fools; they're drowned in flames. How could they think like that? They don't understand what it takes, to find a world in which her companion can be happy. Look at it with objectivity.

'Thank you,' she manages to finally respond. 'But I never would have found this light without you.'

'I-it's nothing, really. I didn't do anything.'

She can't help but breathe. '...Then neither did I.'

...

They share a chuckle. And it's then that her heart tries to grip her. Curse you, she tells herself, as she reaches out her hand and asks:

'...Would you like to come with me?'

It's cold.

It's crushing, the response she sees. That horrid, hamstrung frown, like a convict raising their own guillotine; it's a steamroller that crushes her and chews her into pieces, echoing in the guilt her companion suffocates herself with.

This is why her heart doesn't understand the pain they share. 

'I-I'm sorry.' Her companion grips at the sides. 'I... I'm still nothing but a coward.'

She shakes her head. 'You don't need to rush yourself into anything. And please know that you were brave enough to save me.'

A inhale. 'I'll... I'll believe it. T-thank you.'

A exhale. 'Then I'll take a slither of your words too. I'll call myself proficient, at the very least.'

And the subtle, chuffed smile she gets in response is breath-taking.

...

'...I promise,' she says to her companion. 'With the path I take, I'll tear every star down from the sky. I'll make a better world for you.'

A shaken head. 'For us both.'

'!' Malfunction. '...Of course. For us both.'

'Good. Keep motivated, okay? And hydrated!' her companion advises. 'You won't be able to practice if you don't take care of yourself.'

'Of course. This is a path of self-improvement, after all.'

'Y-yeah. That's... why...'

Her companion shivers.

'...I-I'll...'

The shaking goes stronger. There's always been a distance between them, one neither could cross.

But perhaps, merely standing here and waiting... is comfort enough. No, in fact; that may be the very reason why this castle can exist.

'...I-I'll... I-I promise. I'll find a path too.'

Clear and resolute; 'I have no doubt you will.'

'...hehe.'

She can't help but hum too. That smile. More than anything, she wants that smile to stay. A shooting star, in place of her scales... a clear night sky, in place of a malignant army of constellations... is that not the best way?

Her heart screams. But once again,

the callous cold pushes it deep away.

'Oh, and take this with you!' Her companion gives out the mask. It's rather simple in design; save for the two slits, it's essentially a crown of smooth, sharpened ice. It's what her companion knows she'll accept; the extent of her own self-acceptance. 'You'll need it if you're going down there, won't you?'

'...'

That hand... offering such an item, to her... it's almost too much. That hand, so capable and flexible, yet so soft and gentle. For a mere second, her thoughts try to heat with the idea of their fingers connecting.

But she simply takes a step forward, and accepts the mask. '...Thank you.'

'You're always welcome back here. I promise. I'd disable everything that'd stop someone from finding me, just for you.'

'...!' 

Malfunction. Sometimes, this technician's electricity shines through. 

'T-thank you,' she breathes. H-how perfectly fitting, the way those words come out. She holds the mask up; how is it that the purest, most concentrated form of ice can make her feel so... warm? 

...I'll never forget you, ever. I look down to the remnants of scales, piercing out from within my arms, I look to the virus that's frozen inside. And I swear it; for your sake and mine, I'll tear this entire rotten stardom down from the sky. For your sake and mine, I'll freeze every last monster until nothing is left. I will let this castle live in a world where it isn't a cage.

That's exactly why I must leave you.

She turns, and takes a step towards the cliff. Her feet tread easily on an edge of ice. 'I'm going.'

'...Okay.'

...

One last time, she turns her head slightly back, so heaven's technician can see her face. But the blizzard barely lets her do the same in return. The eyes of an amplitude transient are hidden by a cold, cold light. 

That expression. I can only hope it is not the one that haunts you, if we ever meet again. Please...

...please...

...I pray my absence will finally grant you your happiness.

Please.

I raise my hand, raise my mask.

Please.

And it encroaches my face, freezing my fractured nerves.

Please.

...Now, I bear the Monstrosity to a new world.

Please.

Please.

Please.

...

...

Heaven's technician smiles at her. '...Goodbye, Sayo.'

And with an ache her face can't reflect, she nods back. '...Goodbye.'

She pushes one foot, and leaps from the cliff.

From the Moon, she falls to the Earth below. 

Down, and down she goes. Further and further, from the only place she can call home.

Motion is but a blur. Life flies. The stars hardly seem further away, but the guardian shrinks more and more by the second. She can only chain herself from looking at it, and fixate on nature's attempt to welcome her. An embrace? No, it won't take a step closer. She shall allow no such thing.

Come, Monstrosity. Stop my heart through wings of ice!

They roar out and wrap her; slowly but surely, her descent becomes that of a flickering comet, showing no shine beneath the sky. The ice shrouds her, becoming a cage life cannot find. She throws out her arms, and spikes power from the surface, becoming an impenetrable wall.

And with that form, she finds the winter wonderland...

...shoots down...

...and lands silently with a downpour of frost, suspending herself on a podium just above the surface.

The light shines in the distance.

...

...

The edge of sunset. Lavender's assassin targets the stars in the coming night.

Sayo finds that hand, reaching out to her. And the rose-bladed empress who extends it says:

'What is your goal?'

She makes her oath. The rose blade is retracted, and the empress turns away, heading towards the dark unknown. She follows her savior, determined to see her new path through.

...But one last time, she looks back at the sunset, disappearing across the horizon... before... before-

WAKE UP

WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!

Red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red

Morning, Saturday, the 13th of February

She shoots up from her bed, breathing

breathing

Nine thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-nine voices say one thing;

Burn.

The pyre festers, the poor soul screams. Her hands strangle the flames, bloody beneath the bone.

N-no! Not again, not again... something is gripping her heart in a chokehold, again and again. Not the skater dancing on the surface; no, a horrifying dragon roaring within. What am I feeling? Let me see your form! Am I simply too far to know?!

Heat. It's hot. It's hot, it's so hot all of a sudden. Why do her lungs burn so strongly? Why is it even stronger, now that she's here? Why is it even stronger, when she should be further from the academy she was before?! Breathe, breathe; she won't allow herself such a flame... no...

She strangles the duvet and binds it around herself, slamming her head back onto her pillow. Please, breathe... breathe...

But it doesn't work. All she's done is surround herself with warmth. Blink, and she could swear scales might grow on her skin. Is she angered? Frustrated? Or is it something else entirely? How can she tell, how?! How?!

Nothing works. For minutes, she simply shakes in her room. That peaceful morning sunlight is mocking her charred eyes.

"I-I don't understand... why...?" She grits her teeth. "Why... why do I feel like this?"

Didn't she encase herself in ice? Didn't she keep all from seeing what lies within? There's no fire from outside capable of melting such a wall. So if that's the case, then this must be her own.

Curse it, curse it all! She survives through her ragged breaths, and lets her eyes wander in the mirror. If it's what she thinks it is, then she couldn't be any more outraged at herself. Didn't she-

...

...No, think. Bouts of anger... they do not come from nowhere. She could not wake from a dream feeling an urge for destruction. That means the source is... elsewhere.

"Tch." 

Of course. She's weak. Curse her beating heart.

She knows exactly what the problem is. It's the only other kind of encounter her mechanical heart can have with fire. It's the exact same one that's been haunting her for weeks, weeks on end.

...

...Just do it.

...Please.

...There's a part of her that wants to know, anyway. 

And so she dives, skirting around the flames. She reaches out from the duvet and snaps her hand onto her phone. The passcode is motioned. The screen is unlocked. The application is opened.

Inside the window, there's bubbles of both green and white.

Another picture of a dog. It was taken at least 15 metres away. It's hard enough to see even the wagging tail.

"..."

She breathes.

...Ice is not a bludgeon. It's so much more than that, isn't it? Focus, and think clearly; the fire in your veins is already being stopped. Feel the layer beneath your skin, and let yourself cool. 

Now, she realises; responding would be better for them both, would it not?

With that mentality, she finds a line, even with the Moon hidden to the sky.

But curse her beating heart.

\---

Something is aching.

Lashes of crystal in sulfuric green run right through her. Her LP drops to **2000.**

"And that's my turn! How was that, Sayo~?"

"An improved performance. _My turn._" Her blade cuts nothingness in half. "_Nekroz of Clausolas'_ effect; by discarding this card, I add _Nekroz Cycle_ from my deck to my hand." Winds carry the arctic ice back her way. "...I activate the ritual spell card _Nekroz Cycle!_ By tributing _Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz_ from my hand, I automatically meet the level requirement of 9 for my chosen Ritual Monster!"

The Monstrosity's Bearer shall return. The warrior's limbs are wrapped in ice, her eyes are shut closed by her mask, and that unparalleled might is crystallised into hardened steel.

**2700ATK.** A dazzling mane streaked with red and white, like bolts of shuddering lightning streaked with blood. Trishula's blade is swung through the air.

Three swipes. The countless purely concentrated gems are erased with a cut of encasing cold.

"Ooo, now that's a curveball~." 

A beautiful knight sings. She tilts her head and looks at Sayo with curious eyes, the off-the-sleeve jacket slipping from her arm.

"I thought I wouldn't need to summon my boss monsters during your turn anymore... but you still had another Shurit in your hand. I thought banishing the one in your graveyard would've been enough!"

"The opponent's hand is one of the biggest sources of unpredictability in a match. Always keep in mind the options they could still have," she says. "_Nekroz of Trishula_, attack my opponent directly."

One arrow of ice, straight and true. A motion takes the place of Trishula gripping the sword, and it flies right into her opponent, like a bullet through the heart.

**0LP.**

She sighs, as the morning passes by.

"Now that was pretty fierce~!" Lisa continues to lull. "You're so consistent, Sayo. You've always got a Shurit or a ritual spell hiding somewhere, no matter where I strike."

"...It's far from enough," she responds. "I've made plenty of mistakes today. Even last week, too." She closes her eyes. "If I had used _Call of the Haunted_ to bring back _Nekroz of Unicore_, I could have negated _Dark Strike Fighter's_ effect. If I banished Haine with Trishula instead of Verre, I would have not suffered damage during my last duel with Rinko. And if I used my trap cards during my turn instead of yours, I could have minimised the losses I took here too."

Lisa smiles. "You're sharp to notice all that! But that seems like only a few mistakes, not a lot. You sure you're not improving?"

"I will never content myself with so much uncertainty. I cannot overcome the Shirasagi Duel Academy's best without perpetuity."

"Aw, lighten up a little, Sayo. You're not gonna improve any faster by laying into yourself."

It feels less reassuring, when it isn't coming from home. "You are not wrong. But I will not improve at all if I do not analyse my flaws."

"Guess that's what makes you such a good teacher!"

She sighs.

How unusually sunny it is. The empress's 2nd week for amassing her army, the week of practical training and exercise, has mostly been shrouded in wallowing skies so far; but today is anything but. The cobbled grey paths and grass-strewn soil of the shrine grounds are coloured in the uncaring yellow of the natural world; the remnants of rain become dried puddles by their sides. It's blaring enough that the air actually feels lukewarm rather than cold. Perhaps this atmosphere is a sign March is threatening to come.

And how unusually sunny Lisa's expression is, too. "You seem rather joyful today. Are you taking your practice seriously?"

"Hey, my performance today was better than yesterday's, wasn't it~?"

Annoyingly, she's right. "Even so, slacking in the now often impends disaster. Your mentality affects your future as much as it does your present."

"Don't worry. I have a feeling my future's looking pretty good for it right now."

She's caught off guard by the intensity in Lisa's expression. How... strangely intimidating, such a kind smile can seem. No, it must be her seeing things; after all, she's met so many duelists completely unwilling to commit to their ideals.

"Anyway, let's take a break, Sayo. It's lunchtime pretty soon, isn't it?" Lisa suggests it, and then immediately starts heading back to the cabin. "Let's get some grub to warm you up. I'll make it myself, if that'd tempt you~!"

"I thought you decided to stop cooking last week."

"You can't live on takeout, y'know. C'mon, I even got some stuff out the freezer last night~!"

"Why are y-" But it's too late. For some reason, the spring in Lisa's step is completely dauntless. She wasn't commanded at all, yet she's led along into the base by the knight before she even realises it.

She's welcomed by the solemn warmth of Roselia's umber walls. The morning has had lots of them moving to and fro, more from their assigned schedules rather than any kind of joint practice.

"Rinrin!" An Ako races by her immediately. "I got the cards you wanted!"

"Ah... thank you," murmurs a voice from the dining room.

"Anyone wanna help set up lunch? I'm planning on cooking a hearty feast!"

"Oh! Me, me!" Ako races back. "I wanna show my dark frying powers!"

"Ahaha~! Let those veggies have it!"

"Let my worst nemeses burn!"

"Keep your voices down in there!" Sayo cuts. Why do they see fit to make such a ruckus when Roselia's location is meant to be a secret? And why are they so enthusiastic about taking a break? She puts it aside for now and returns her duel disk to her room, before deciding to address the pair of eyes peeking her way. "Rinko."

"A-ah!" A meek angel shakes. "Um. I just... wanted to ask... what did you think of Yukina's explanation this morning?"

"Which one? Do you mean when I brought up the percentage chance of drawing a particular card?"

"Yeah. I hadn't c-considered... viewing it statistically before," Rinko responds. "I thought that was good advice from you. So I... wondered why Yukina said it wasn't necessary for us to learn."

...She thinks. It's strange indeed; there's no better way to objectively assess a deck, from her point of view. And yet; "I believe she had something other than skill in mind when she made that response."

"What do you... mean?"

"I learned the concept of statistically evaluating a deck's consistency a few years ago. And when I tried to do so, it took a long time for me to get used to it." There's a small gasp. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's... I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'm just... surprised, to hear that. It seems very suited to you."

"Everyone has to learn from somewhere," she breathes. "But you are not entirely wrong. In the end, I found it to be suitable despite the effort. That's why I was surprised when the person who taught me said it wasn't necessary."

"Um. Were they a teacher at the academy?"

She almost wants to scoff. "No. It was a... associate. She said that even if it was an 'optimal' method, there were ways other duelists might better go through their deck building process."

"...I see," Rinko nods. "Like... Ako?"

"Yes," she monotonously responds. "I imagine if she tried to evaluate her deck's strengths through statistical analysis, her brain would overheat. That would hardly allow her to create a good set of armaments for her blade."

There's a small smile. "I... imagine she must be like that, during your tutoring too."

She returns no expression, maintaining a cold demeanor; but Rinko doesn't seem less jolly for it. It's rather disconcerting. "Ahem," she continues. "In any case, I believe that is the reason Yukina did not mandate it. Although I do not understand why she withheld this explanation."

"I think Yukina might be a p-practical kind of teacher, sometimes. When it came to our... first week, she often gave us questions, and let us find our own answers."

She contemplates, and realises; she hasn't thought much about Yukina's teaching methods up until now. Yukina dispenses so many kinds of knowledge, both in the playing of Duel Monsters and in the performance of entertainment, in so many different ways... does she veer between objective and subjective, flexible and rigid, depending on Roselia's needs? With how naturally the wolf's words flow, it's like the resolve for dedication comes simply once the instructions are given. 

Her thoughts are interrupted. "Mind laying the table for me, you guys?" Lisa puts a bunch of cutlery and a stack of plates down. "Won't be too long now; Ako's giving things a real good roasting!"

"Very well."

"Oh, and Rinko..." Lisa hops over, and whispers in the demon's ear. There's a sudden, almost flushed expression. "...Okay? I'll ask Yukina!"

"You're going to...?" There's a strange smile on Rinko's face. "Okay."

That she can't let slide. Those kinds of manners are completely unacceptable, and it feels rather rude, for some reason. "Do not engage in manners of romantic intimacy. It is hardly appropriate for Roselia's atmosphere."

.

Lisa bursts out laughing. A-and is Rinko angry at her? She wants to say... anything, but suddenly...

"I'm sorry, that was just priceless!" Lisa recovers. "Sayo~, no need to be so presumptuous."

"..." What on earth is going on? Still, she can feel holes being bared in her by a demon right now. Was her interpretation flawed? "I apologise. I should not have jumped to conclusions."

"Good."

T-there's never been so strange a reaction from Rinko in her life. Meanwhile, Lisa's smile is infuriatingly wide. "You're so pure, Sayo~. You're someone who asks people holding hands to 'do that kind of thing at home', aren't you?"

"I do not understand your tone. Amorous acts should be saved for private locations; it's a matter of decency." Lisa just laughs even more at that. "I don't see what's so funny! Cease your laughing and your... your..." No, no need to get riled up. Don't be so immature, Sayo. "...I apologise for making assumptions about the nature of your gesture to Rinko. Just, please do not act so... openly, around Roselia."

"Aw, come on, Sayo. Don't be a homophobe."

"E-excuse me?!" She nearly jumps from her seat. "That's an extremely rude accusation. I assure you, I do not have any kind of bigotry towards lesbians!"

"Is someone opposing the sapphic seraphs? Allow the dark lord to descend!" Ako pokes her head in. "I, the ultimate lesbian ally, shall blast any opposers with my laser eyes!"

Lisa snorts.

"What?" Sayo says it before she can stop herself. "Aren't you and Rinko-"

But Rinko shoots up from her seat and chokes Ako into a hug immediately, staring firmly at the other members. "Eh? Rinrin?" Ako gawks and blushes. "A-ah, I see. A reward for my allyship with lesbians... a return transgender flag of support for the fallen angel. How truly blessed my dark form is!"

"Yeah."

Rinko is VERY deliberately drilling holes into Sayo.

"Hmmhmhmmm~... Rinrin's so soft and cuddly..."

It takes at least a solid ten seconds of Ako humming in the embrace, before Rinko lets go and sits back down- 

Ah. Is Ako not yet aware? That's what she missed; she's a fool, she's been nothing but a massive fool... this entire time, she's been rushing on presumption. Great. She just made herself look like a gossiping, intrusive bigot in front of 3 different people.

"Don't worry, don't worry~." Lisa winks at her. "We're not trying to be mean. You were just clumsy, is all. It's cute!"

"..."

The exasperation on her dies, frozen beneath neutrality. She sits sharply at the table while preparations for lunch are finished. Raise a hand and feel the face with it; she must scan her emotions through the mirror.

Teeth gritted. Her normally fractured cheeks feel dangerously flushed, and she can tell the frown hasn't completely lightened yet. She was careless; she should be more careful in the future, and refrain from casual conversation. It's incredibly unwise to let the other members see her as human; that would only be deceiving them.

Why is the sun so bright out today?

It's blinding. And yet, when their leader powers from her room, she seems none the less suited to the world. Why does sunlight not conflict with the silver wolf? A certain academy would advise an image to be consistent, but this empress is striking in any light.

"Yukina~!" Lisa waves. "Lunch is ready! Come and sit down with us!"

"Very well."

Those eyes hover more on Lisa than they normally do today. 

"Hey, hey, Rinrin," Ako starts the conversation this time. "What were you talking about with Sayo earlier? Gimme the Duel Monsters tech!"

"Um... it was about the group discussion this morning. W-when Yukina... talked about consistency."

"O-oh. Uh..." Ako shakes about for a bit, looking at Yukina. "...Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-"

And Yukina cuts. "If you had trouble understanding a part of it, ask me now. I will answer any questions you have, Ako."

Interesting.

"Um! It's just... I didn't get the part where you were talking about the likelihood of having this card, or that one, in your hand."

"Then let me give an example," Yukina responds. "How many Darklords do you have in your current deckbuild?"

"18!"

"Then what is the likelihood of the first card you draw from your deck being a Darklord?"

"Um... 18 in 40!" Ako's very confident about her response.

"Incorrect."

"Eh?! How?"

Amber gleams. "You run Banishment of the Darklords in every single one of your decks, at 3 copies. A card that can add a Darklord from your deck to your hand. That means 21 in 40 is a slightly more accurate answer."

Sayo can almost imagine the voice in her head; 'It's interesting, isn't it? The way having a card that searches a monster can be helpful or harmful, compared to simply having the monster in your hand!'

"Ohhhhhhhh, I get it! ...So it's kind of like, over a 50% chance!"

"Indeed. Although that is only for the first card out of 5 you draw at the start of the game."

"O-oh. Am I gonna have to calculate the chance for all of them?"

Yukina shakes her head. "Experiment with that idea if you feel it would be helpful. But if that is too impractical for you, it would be better to simply keep the logic in the back of your mind."

"R-right..." Ako stares into her food. "...So... agh, but then Ixchel draws 2 from the deck, and... oh god, and then I could use Banishment again from the graveyard, and... ohhhhh, god.... right, right! No percentages, no percentages." She nods. "More's better! That works for me!"

Sayo watches Yukina's neutral, observing expression. And Rinko evidently catches onto her thoughts; "Yukina... is very adaptable, depending on who she teaches..."

"...Indeed."

Lunch passes them by, without much further notice. Although Sayo has to deflect far more questions from Lisa, today.

And eventually, Lisa directs a question to Yukina instead. "Hey Yukina, can I make a request?"

"What is it?"

"I'd like to take the afternoon off today."

.

Yukina's expression shifts to an intimidating scrutinisation. It's always strange, how Lisa doesn't balk at it; to Sayo, that frown is like a freight train, pushing her upward until she wants to reach for the stars. Whenever she sees it, thoughts of how she could do better plague her.

The room turns silent. 

"..." And Yukina's stare turns hostile. It feels almost worn. "What is your reason?"

"I'm planning on going out shopping~! I was thinking of buying a few clothes and sewing supplies."

"U-um." Rinko adds on. "I'd... also like to take the afternoon off, for today."

Sayo's jaw drops, as does Ako's; "Eh?! Both of you? Ohhhh, is it because of-"

A gesture from Lisa seems to cut Ako off. The knight sneaks a wink at Rinko before turning back to her leader. "That's all there is to it, really. I'm a little worn out, so I don't think training would help me much today. I'm just cooling my mind."

"Ridiculous," Sayo cuts. "What is the meaning of this? Fashion has no relation to Roselia. Do not waste our time on such trivialities."

"Lisa. Would going out shopping hone your skills at Duel Monsters and espionage?"

"Yeah, it would~."

...What?

"I realised yesterday, Yukina. If I really want to improve as fast as I can, and do as much as I can for Roselia, then I need to make sure I'm not fainting in the middle of the day." The words are clear. "I can't brute-force it by just 'doing more'. All that does is make me feel like I'm going to pass out."

"I see." Yukina's gaze immediately relaxes. It almost looks as if she's going to accept it, but; "What of your current prowess, then? I need not remind you that Roselia's most critical maneuver is occuring in 2 days. Do you really believe you can afford a break now, of all times?"

The air tenses.

"I will be personally assessing everyone's capabilities, in regards to every skill and demonstration of mobility, tomorrow evening." Amber nearly strangles them. "So if you are proposing to rest now, I will only accept if you are completely confident in your readiness."

"Yeah. I'm ready."

"What?"  
"...!"  
"Whoa, seriously?!"

Every soul in the room focuses upon Lisa. But there's no dishonesty in those irises... is she really, truly prepared? What they're going to do, on the midnight at February the 15th's end... it's something no normal human being would dare to even approach. How can Lisa declare her resolve so clearly? How can there be no discernable hesitation on her face? No matter what kinds of questions they ponder, the truth of the blaze in her gleaming rainbow speaks, almost crackles.

So Yukina closes her eyes, for a mere few seconds. She murmurs something the others can't hear. Then, she opens them again, and her intensity is gone. "Very well. You and Rinko may take the rest of the day off."

"Got it~! Thanks, Yukina!"

Sayo's jaw drops. She can only watch as Lisa grins, and sends a beaming thumbs-up Rinko's way.

"That does not mean I will be satisfied with any weaker a performance," Yukina makes certain. "I will train the both of you tomorrow until we have eliminated every last flaw from our plans, no matter what form they may take. That is all." She turns her head. "Sayo, Ako. We shall rotate these break periods. You will both take tomorrow off until the evening assessment."

And another curveball hits her right after. "What? Did you not just say we should only take leave if we are confident in our prep-"

"I have already made my decision."

...

...So that explains it. Lisa has already been deemed the worthiest, in her eyes.

"Oh my god, for real?! I know what I wanna do, then!" Ako's positively beaming. "Sayo, Sayo! Let's go to McDonalds tomorrow!"

.

"Excuse me?"

"C'mon, please, please?" Ako barely restrains herself from shooting forward; she's almost shaking as she drops a few crumbs of food. "I really wanna go to McDonalds with you! And I wanna, like, shop for some cards with you and stuff! I'm really bad at navigating stores, and I don't wanna pressure Rinrin too much."

It sounds ridiculous; if she's given time off, she'd rather use it to train anyway. But she knows for certain Ako will go out on her own if refused, and that's far too dangerous. So she makes sure for the usual; "Have you done your homework yet? I shouldn't need to remind you we're having a tutoring session tonight."

"Urk."

Sloppy. "Unless you finish it before our session begins, you will not leave the base tomorrow."

"I'll finish it, I promise!"

"...Very well, then." Ako squees the second she says that. It's almost comically exaggerated. "Lisa. Can you make sure our wigs are undamaged before we depart? It will be extremely troublesome if we are spotted by relatives or acquaintances."

"No problem~."

"It'll be fine Sayo, I promise!" Ako jumps from her seat, and waves her hands around. "The dark lord has already located a hidden sanctuary; a... an, um, hubspot of... of..."

"Hubris?"

"Thanks, Rinrin! A hubspot of hubris, to the south of Central City! ...As in, a place where people probably won't recognise us anyway! And it has a McDonalds!" Crimson glitters excitedly. "I get to shop with Sayo, I get to shop with Sayo... this is so cool! It's so cool!"

Sayo sighs, and lets the giggles and smiles pass by. Lunch is cleared up; Yukina heads back to her room, seemingly perfectly content to let a respite occur so close to such a critical moment. What on earth is she thinking? She looked as if she would be completely opposed to it, with how intense her stare was; and yet she let it through just fine.

It's rather strange. When she first met Yukina, she assumed she'd found someone as self-disciplined and cold as she was. But sometimes, Yukina's mentality betrays her wildest expectations; and the strangest part is, it's not even always consistent. She's far from a robot; rather, she's more an endlessly expansive forest whose animalia can never be fully explored, deliberately leaving all within lost. Not cold, just... openly restrained. Sayo's almost jealous of how she can interact so closely with people, with barely an emote of her own. It's like nothing she knows of the way people like Lisa and Ako seem so evidently human.

Ako jumps into Rinko's arms for a surprise hug, completely flustering the normally silent and observant magus. One who easily carries the title 'Heaven's Bane' with so much vivacity giggles in excitement as Rinko whispers some kind of news to her, and Ako waltzes 'Violet Red' into an impromptu dance, twirling and smiling the whole way with each lilted step they take. At one point, Rinko lets an uncharacteristically strong grin gleam from her face as she hoists Ako off the ground and dips her while staring into her eyes, causing a yelp followed by a bout of giggling. As it ends, Ako gives a rather strange yawn, and Rinko strokes her hair. The life they exhibit; is that not what it means to be human? To be able to clearly express the emotion on your face, to live with nary a robotic part necessary for your own function? That has to be it, no? She related to Yukina because they both seemed... detached from this kind of expression. But if Yukina is merely repressing it, rather than lacking it, then perhaps they are not as similar as they seem.

Of course, that hardly means she will deviate from this path. And she swears she will not feign loyalty; Yukina's guiding hand is something she will always be grateful for.

"Hey, Sayo~." Lisa seems insistent on talking with her, taking advantage of the surrounding activity to find them a moment of recluse. "You're always really nice to Ako, you know that?"

"I am not being 'nice'. I'm only taking the place of a guardian to protect her future."

"That IS being nice, y'know? You can frown all you want when you teach her, but that's the truth," Lisa says. "I don't think I've ever seen you smile; it'd be so nice on you, with how stunning you look~."

Sayo says nothing.

"Aw, no response? That won't stop me from trying, though~."

She can try all she wants. It's impossible for anyone to break through.

"By the way, mind if I ask a question?" Lisa sits down. "What're you gonna do after Roselia's done?"

...

"Honestly, I think everyone here'd still love to hang out with you after we disband. W-well, Yukina never makes it clear, but I know Ako and Rinko would."

"I intend to become a professional duelist."

"Ohhhh! Right, I remember that." Lisa ponders. "...But... didn't you leave the SDA? That's got to be a real roadblock, from what Yukina's told me."

She says it like the abyss is such a natural thing. "That may be true. But I did not have a future while I was at that academy, either. Despite my ranking, I was hardly ever given offers."

"Image and performance, right?"

"Precisely. Appearing good is more important than being good in that place. But I can use their ethos to my advantage now. My sister is far more reputed than I am, so if I can best her in the Haneoka Qualifier Cup with the skills Yukina has taught me, I will be able to secure my own career through shock factor."

Lisa smiles in the unlit room. "Ohhhhh, that's clever of you! So, wait, is that your 'goal' in Roselia? I just noticed, but I don't think you ever told us what it was."

"...That's right. It's hardly a sensitive topic, but I did not see the point in bringing it up."

"I see~. So the Supernova's your sister, huh... she must be feeling pretty down without you around."

...Unlikely.

"Hey, Sayo. I don't wanna be intrusive if possible, but... you said your utmost priority was dueling, when you first joined us. That doesn't mean you're leaving home forever, right?" She drums her fingers on the table. "Your family probably misses you, after all."

...

"...I am able to return home whenever I please."

She hopes it'll work. But she has a feeling the smile on Lisa's face isn't as sunny as it seems.

So she stands up. "I'll resume my work for the rest of the day. Do not spend your time too frivolously."

And as she heads back to her room, she thinks to herself:

Don't get any closer to Roselia.

\---

Ah, Tsugumi Hazawa. You always get so close to people without realising it.

_"Tsugu, Tsugu~," she shoves herself over the table. "Feed me a piece of the chocolate cake. It's lookin' scrumptious."_

_"Here you go!"_

_And she's given a spoonful, just like that. What a slob she is, using Tsugumi's kindness like this. _

_"Mmmm~. Now that's tasty." Well, it does taste pretty good. But ol' Moca's already had this cake a lot. All the short-term joy needs constant replacement if it's to satiate her... but being spoiled by Afterglow? Timeless. "Tsugu, you guys are all angels. I feel like I could ask you anything sometimes~."_

_"I-it's no trouble, really. It's always fun being with you."_

_"Fun, huh?" Moca grins. "I wonder if Himari'd say that about the time I made her run to Yamabuki Bakery in under 20 minutes."_

_"...Okay, that was pretty mean of you," Tsugumi can't help but smile. "I remember that day. 'If it's my darling Moca's last chance to get that loaf, I'll buy it!' Poor Himari."_

_"Hehe. That loaf wasn't limited-time at all. I was just hungry."_

_"And you never told her that, did you?"_

_They share a giggle. But Tsugumi's face wavers as usual. Doubt's pretty common on this bean. "Somethin' wrong~?" She asks. "Feeling a little lonely, with Himari hanging out with who-would-she-possibly-call-a-gem-I-don't-know?"_

_"O-oh! No, it's nothing. Honest." Tsugumi sits right up again. "Don't worry about me today!"_

_"If you say so~. I'm here for you anytime, my sweet."_

_"...Hehe. Thanks. Um, how about you? How are you feeling?"_

_Hm. Maybe Tsugu's frowns are a sign. "A slow but sure recovery~." Moca wiggles some antennae over her head. "I'm thinking of chuckin' myself back home next weekend. My two genius braincells'll have probably gotten over everything by then."_

_"Ah! That's... great." Tsugumi nods. "O-oh, sorry. I probably sound like I'm rushing you."_

_And Moca smiles. How home worms her way into their hearts... it's sickly sweet. Nobody would take their eyes off ol' Tsugu, would they? Afterglow can't soar to the stars, after all; she'll always be in their sights._

_"Um, Moca... does that mean you'll talk to Ran and Tomoe again soon?"_

_"Fufufu."_

_She wears her best grin, and sings:_

_"Don't you worry, Tsugu. Next week, everyone'll already be better off."_

"Um, excuse me. Are you buying anything?"

"Oh."

She blinks, and sees creatures so translucent they're hardly even here.

Ahhhh, right. She's in ol' Duston Drivethrough, isn't she? No wonder this fancy miniature seabed caught her attention. Wise Moca whips her head over to her addressee; the convenience store's shopkeeper, a pretty by-the-book adult. Although it's easy to call everyone 'background characters' when her childhood friends're the stuff of manga. "Fufufu." She grins. "This water party's got all sorts of fishies in it, miss. It's pretty."

"A-ah. It doesn't really suit a store like this, does it? I just... like having a few aquatic creatures as pets."

"Even jellyfish? You've got a whole compartment for them~. You don't see those often," Moca says. "Was this place an aquarium before it became a store? Pretty big downgrade."

"N-no, not at all! This place's been a convenience store for as long as I can say."

Well, that's a mighty suspect response. "Pretty sure off-chain convenience stores don't have the money for tanks like these. But whatever~," she waves. "I'm checkin' out with the chocolate. Here's my cash."

She lets the poor ol' lady breathe and saunters on out, hitting a gum-ridden pavement beneath her sneakers. Ol' Sunday the 14th, the day before the Festival. She'll happily pass on that academy-produced noisestorm tomorrow, but she miiight not return here either; because sweet baby jesus, this sunset's more intense than any Toyama-touted confection. Do all these grass-ridden sports grounds and their chain-link fences really like the orange that much? It's only around 1 o' clock, and yet you'd think the end of all days is coming. If only Moca were an impressionist painter.

Maybe it's suited to her, though. Can't deny there's still a spot strangling her heart when it comes to sunsets, anyway. Such is the way of Moca... in an environment at least half as dusty as she is, her silly stride's complemented a bit more than if she were in the big ol' city. Duston Drivethrough's the same as ever; her third time here, and humanity's sparse enough.

But oho.

What's this?

She sees two figures pass the road from the side, and she notices... those irises...

Hang on, hang on. Her vision never fails her, does it? Here's a fun little boast; Moca's got eyes like submarine seekers. So she hops quickly over to the corner of a building and takes a peek... the hair colour doesn't match, but there's no mistaking that crimson gleam and overdramatic gesture. That's Ako, isn't it? Pretty stealthy wig she's got on! Can't find a hint of the purple beneath. Maybe Lisa prepared it for her?

And who's the girl in the medium deep-brown? Another member of Roselia, probably. Although the demeanor deeeeefinitely isn't sweet mama Lisa's, and doesn't sound like what she knows of Rinko, so this is either that Yukina person or... someone else.

"Hm~..."

Let's focus on Ako's pal. Evidently, this girl's got a high-alert system, because she detects the hidden gaze, forcing Moca to quickly duck behind the building. Guess sneaking around isn't gonna give any her information, is it? Maybe it'd be better to reveal herself; after all, she's not at war with this crew like Afterglow is.

But she DOES care very much for her monster-truck mini. Look, if Roselia's as shifty as Tomoe made it sound, then Ako might not be in the best hands. Sure, Roselia's been assigned the temporary guardian status, but that doesn't mean you should take the security for granted. If there's one must-follow protocol about that adorable gremlin, it's that nobody's going to bring her any kind of harm, lest they face the wrath of Moca. And Moca is not someone you want to piss off~.

So... let's return a couple of favors, and check them out, shall we?

\---

Beat, beat, beat.

Isn't it invigorating? To express your emotions as 'dark powers'? To claim your actions are those of a 'fallen angel'? Take a deep breath, shoot every piece of adrenaline like a bullet through your vampiric veins, and... BA-BUM!

Normally, she isn't really anything cool. She trips up a lot, has trouble understanding complicated stuff and tends to whine during boring things. She didn't learn how to use a napkin at a restaurant until 2 years ago, when her way more polite and pretty friend told her how to, she didn't bother to handle washing dishes without being asked until a few months ago, and she still has to ask her friend to help when she goes clothes shopping, because she doesn't know how to sew anything yet. She swears she'll learn, but she gets lazy and doesn't find the energy. She's an annoyance sometimes, isn't she?

But there's something that makes her a bit larger than life nowadays. Something she didn't have when she was younger. Up until that point, she was more of a pain to the people around her than ever before, whining and crying and feeling sucky whenever someone told her she'd messed up. And that all changed when she came upon that card! Right at the end of her elementary school life, a mewling, meek child came upon an awe-inspiring being; so dark, so satanic, and yet it's posed as cool! As awesome! Her dark wings were shown at the store's front, as if saying 'look at me, world; I am but a mere imitator, a piece of cardboard and nothing more, and yet none of you can deny my presence!'

And from that day on, she knew what she wanted to become. Suddenly, every fear, every insecurity about the kind of body she had, and the kind of interests she had... started to fade. Because now, there's an image she's found that can tie it all together.

A fallen angel.

Condemned, but righteous. When she strikes that pose, suddenly it feels like every word she has spews with confidence. Her star-void blood rumbles, and the vessels of her lifestream become emperors in their own right! Her heart is set ablaze; gone is the cold ice, replaced with a brilliant crimson fire. A child is reborn as a mythical being, and her presence strikes the impressions of others! It's amazing, really just mega- awesome. Suddenly, she feels like she's not just faking it. Suddenly, she feels like the sigils and fantasies she loves aren't something childish; no, they're interests worthy of respect just like any other.

Things changed, quickly. Her entire life became a magical war between the abyssal lightning she claimed her fame, the variety of allies she had, and enemies she came across! She became a presence the Haneoka downtown could identify, one they were willing to treat with sociability. And she became a presence the students could scorn, one they found too 'out there' to be friends with. That part hurt, a bit; but it's not like it was all that bad yet. After all, she had the excuse of still being young anyway. 

Besides, she had a demon by her side now; the best friend she could ever ask for! And that happened because the image of a fallen angel gave her friend courage! The demon was someone who wanted to help her sparkle even more... and that's how she learned more about clothes and games, more about taking care of others, and her entire world grew! All because of someone she'd barely even met outside of a computer screen. It's amazing; her friend has so many faces online, so many different little expressions and twinkles she uses. And it means her friend has more faces than all the scowls of the students at school combined! Her friend's the coolest person EVER.

And once they travelled together, she realised; she wouldn't have it any other way anymore. Because now her words of support help others smile, rather than leave them in doubt. Claiming someone has a Dark Lord by their side is much, much more comforting than claiming someone has a game-obsessed teenager by their side. That very confidence she tries to give herself, she starts having the power to give to others; through her mere acting, others take on roles that give them strength too! THAT'S the truth behind magical expression!

A-and you know what? That's still true now, right?

Sure, she's an embarrassment at school. Sure, the adults still think she's being facetious, or think that she genuinely believes she's got wings and powers. Sure, everyone her age tells her to grow up and thinks she's not grizzly or edgy enough for them. Not enough of a 'realist', she remembers one person saying. A 'LARPer', another person said as she felt a foot land in her gut. And sure, even the family she loves thinks she's in over her head with what she's doing.

But that's fine. Because even when she loses her family, her life, and everything else... even when magical expression loses Ako Udagawa almost every connection she has, s-she can always rely on her closest, closest friend. They fill each other with strength like nothing else, a-and that's all she'll need now. And she doesn't have to crush herself with guilt when she burdens her friend, because she's supporting her friend too, and it balances out! So it's not like everything else matters; after all, isn't a fallen angel supposed to be a rebel to the world? If the world leaves her all alone in the darkness, she shouldn't feel sad... because that's the point when the wings fade, and she starts breaking the backs of her friends with her sorrows. If she cries, she's going to strain the people she loves until she's all alone. So she won't falter from this; fallen angels aren't supposed to. Their blaze is supposed to be stronger than anyone else's.

...

...A fallen angel, huh...

It's nice, making hyperbole from magic. It's nice, making charisma from cajolery. But there's some kinds of things that aren't as easy to... turn into cool symbols, or inspiring gestures. 

And to her, one of those things is lava.

She saw it bubbling on TV once. She watched it swallow up a car, she watched it swallow entire homes. She watched it set a bar of chocolate to flames instantly. She heard about the fumes poisoning people, she heard about how it devours skin and even devours bone. And that's... a little too real, a little too close to a real consequence, to want to fantasise about.

Maybe that's why the endless pit of lava beneath her form feels so nightmarish. Figures from above might be holding her arm, but supporting the weight of one person for that long's gotta be straining them. Why can't she just... fly back up, like an angel would? Ever since she fell through that hole in the ground, she's just stared into the boiling flame, unable to tear her eyes away. She stares at something so real she forgets about the wings on her back, forgets about the purple in her veins, forgets about her 'grand adventure' with her star-defying allies... and starts feeling like a scared overexcited teenager again.

...N-no, it's fine. Rinrin told her before; they're supporting each other, holding each other up. So it's fine, it's fine. She's not hurting anyone like this. She has to keep flourishing her wings, has to keep striking the life... because otherwise, she's nothing but a spoiled little child who burdens everyone around her.

Beat, beat, beat. The necromancer's heart is full of lava. The fire's becoming hotter and hotter, it's being fed, more and more. And she desperately tries to suppress it, by blazing as hard as she can in rebellion.

Beat, beat, beat.

...

Beat, beat-

Noooooo, stop it! Didn't Mom always say that focusing on your body just makes the sensations worse?

Beat, beat, beat.

Stop it, stop it... right, enough of that. Focus on something else!

D-Duston Drivethrough. For such a desolate, suburban area, it's rather full of surprises; perfect for one who craves adventure! "Sayo, my holy form has acquired it!" She shows off a card to her friend's face. "A 2nd copy of _Ghost Sister and Spooky Dogwood!_ That's gotta be everything, so let us sortie!"

"Very well."

Fast... Sayo's wasting no time in heading over to the counter. Still, she'll follow with all her aplomb! An orange wig won't stop her from looking mysterious and cool, right? Well, that is, if she stops shaking; she needs to just calm herself down and clear her mind right now. She's having fun with her big s- awesome ally, after all! "My fiery hand has grasped yet another of the Yokai Shoujo series," she boasts. "Hey hey Sayo, I made a good choice, right?"

"Only you can answer that question."

"O-oh. Well, I think it was good! My abyssal allies will gladly accept any source of life points; and this one basically always works!"

"Then I do not see why it is a bad choice."

"YES! Sayo said it's good!"

"Honestly..."

Venture forth, twin wolves! Well, it's okay if Ako tries to be a wolf too, right? And sunsets are close enough to the time-range wolves are associated with, so it's fine. Sunset wolves could be cool too!

...

A-anyway, this store's weirdly fancy; well, maybe fancy's not the best word, since there's stains on the carpet and all, but it's got some good booster packs and cards in it, and it's kinda big. This drivethrough looks pretty abandoned otherwise, so it's a cool surprise!

"Welcome!" There's a kinda gruff shopkeeper waving as they hit the till. "This all you're buyin'?"

"Yup!" She hands the haul over. "This place's really cool, mister! It's like, a bastion of Duel Monsters!"

"Wahaha! Thanks for that," he says. "Brought it up from the ground by myself a few years back. Memories come floodin' in when I hear the compliments."

"...A few years back? This building looks older in some places," Sayo says, handing over the cash.

"What can I say? Sometimes we wear time's stains quickly."

"Whoa, that's such a cool way of putting it..." Ako's got another line for herself now! "Thanks for the cards, mister!"

His chuckle's pretty hearty. "Pleasure doing business! You kids have all the energy nowadays. You remind me of another kid I used to see around here, actually."

"Eh? Me?" Ako blinks.

"Yeah. She had short orange hair like you, and fire in spades! Her family had the best butcher's around, I tell ya."

"Whoa... another person who looks like me? Maybe it's my secret dark doppelganger!" She poses. "Where's she now? I wanna meet her!"

Big guy's face turns a bit less smiley. "Not around here anymore, I'm afraid. Let's just say her family moved out." He waves. "Ah, but I'm taking up your time. Enjoy your day out, young'uns!"

"Will do! Bye, mister!"

"Thank you," Sayo nods.

Out from the heavy doors, back into the sunset-wormed tumbleweed. There's not a car unparked on this desolate road, is there? But enough of that, "Sayo, Sayo, SayoSayoSayoSayo!" She jumps for joy, because it's TIME! "I'm hungry! Let's go to McDonalds! I want McDonalds!"

A sigh. "Fine. Lead the way."

"Woohoo!"

She lets her fangs blare in dusk's early embrace of shadowy curtains! Beneath hordes of silent homes, the two of them make their way to one of the only corporate chains bothered to reside here. With the immediate delight of foul fast food, none can feel downtrod!

"Ako. Why on earth are you so enthusiastic about going to a fast food restaurant with me?"

...O-oh. Yeah... guess Sayo would have noticed it.

Ako stops.

"If you are excited about an outing, than so be it. But you should realise that our venturing is unwise to begin with. Both of us are runaways from our families. Is this trip really-"

"Hey, Sayo... do you miss your Mom and Dad?"

...

"Wh-what about your sister? Hina's your sister, right?"

...

"O-oh! Sorry, that was probably a weird question," C'mon, let's smile for her. "It's just, um. Me and big sis live near a downtown district in Haneoka... I-I used to go out on weekends with Afterglow to restaurants and the like. Although I kinda don't remember the names of most of them."

...

"Um. Sayo, this might sound annoying, but..." Ako squirms. "...Do you think Mom, and Dad, and Tomoe, are mad at me for running?"

...

"I... I don't want them to be mad at me. I want to go back once the Cup finishes, but I'm scared. I'm scared they'll..." Ako shakes her head. "No, no! Sorry, I'm being wayyyy too down about this. I love them, and they love me, and that'll always be the truth! No matter what happens. Right?"

"...Your family will most certainly be mad at you when you return," Sayo responds. "But that anger will come from a place of concern. Ultimately, they will be happy and relieved you have finally returned to them. That is the reaction, at first, that my-" A scowl. "That families usually have."

Yeah. Yeah, she's right, isn't she? She may've been a bit of a fool, but that doesn't mean she's going to be condemned, right? When Ako returns home, she'll probably just... like, get yelled at a bunch, and be banned from Duel Monsters for like, a month at most. And that's fine; that's fair, even! Her life'll be the same in every other aspect once she returns, right? The dark lord's home will remain as it always was for her!

Right?

So she lets the smile return in full force. God, Sayo's so cool. She's like, the only person who can just stare like that and still feel... like, reassuring? She's just! She doesn't even need to say anything or express anything to show support. "My deepest thanks! You've recovered my HP back to full! Let us continue, my comrade!"

Another sigh. There's no smile, but isn't that just what makes Sayo feel so... big sisterly?

"Ako. Have you talked to anyone else about this?"

"Y-yeah. Lisa listened to me once, and I've... talked with Rinrin about it a lot. I just didn't want to bother her too much. O-oh," wait, oh crud, "that doesn't mean I didn't trust you with it! It's just, I thought you'd consider it oversharing a l-"

"I don't mind."

"O-oh. Thanks!"

They continue their walk. To their left lies a gigantic stretch of a field, surrounded by a towering chain-link fence; any colour it had is long lost, devoured by rust and time (hey, that's cool at least). The colour of the gravel and the white scraps inside imply the remnants of a dueling arena, one that probably hasn't been used in ages. There's overgrown plants all over the side.

"Ako. Do not trip on the litter around here."

"Much appreciated, fellow magus!"

Sayo picks a peel up, throwing it into a nearby garbage can. She'd normally comment on how people shouldn't litter stuff by now, but guess that's... not what she's thinking about? She looks kinda strange right now. Floaty?

"Fufufu. Wanna see some of the goods, kids?"

Wait, since when did Sayo speak like that? And why does she look so appall-

HANG ON, that's not Sayo talking! The dark lord whips her head to the right-

Uh-oh.

Three meters away. There's a very, VERY knowing and goofy grin on her mentor's face. A most fearsome beast's squatting eagerly with several Duel Monsters cards sprawled across a miniature table at her front. That wooden sign, with the words 'Get Ur Top-Tier Cards Here' slapped across it in blue paint... it's the most intimidating thing Ako's ever seen.

"Welcome to Honest Moca's Dealership~. You looking for the stuff that'll get you into the cup, babes?"

"Let's go. Don't listen to strangers." Sayo starts moving. "What's wrong?"

D-does Moca know? Can she see through the wig?

"We're going, now."

That grin. There's no way she DOESN'T know, right?

"Mm~? You feelin' okay?" Moca makes no attempt to hide her smile. "Struck still by my immensely powerful lesbian energy? I know, I know," she says, failing to comb through her hair without tugging off a strand, "locks like these don't come naturally. I'm flatter-"

"M-Moca!" It accidentally squeaks out.

"Ako! We're not supposed to be talking to people!"

"Ah, jig's up. Always fun teasing you though~," Moca shrugs. "Heya, Ako. Did you feel like changing your hairstyle? Or are you on some kind of secret Roselia op?"

"E-eh?!"  
"Where on earth did you hear that name from?!"

Moca relishes her grip. "Fufufu. Let's just say I overheard it from a passing motorcycle last week." She throws out a hand. "But don't be shy. Take a look; I got some real good cards on sale here."

"I'm far less concerned about cards, and far more concerned ab-" Sayo blinks. She walks over to the stall. "Hang on a second. This card..."

"Ohohoho. A good eye, Miss Chestnut~. You've spotted the el primo, _Ash Blossom and Joyous Spring._"

"Whoaaaa?! Isn't that another of the Yokai Shoujo?" Let's look at it, let's look at it! "I've been collecting as many of them as I can, but this is the first time my dark visage has witnessed Ash Blossom in person!"

"There's a reason for that. This card is exclusive to SDA shops due to its ease-of-use and power," Sayo says. "How on earth did you manage to get it?"

Moca winks. "It's not the only SDA exclusive I've got either~. Got a few lying around that I bargained for from scalpers."

"..." Sayo frowns. "...Your posture is awful. Sit up straight when you're talking to your customers."

"Ehhhhhh? Uncalled for~."

"Moca, Moca! How much does this one cost?"

"Price tag's on the back."

Oh, SWEET! She can probably afford this,

riiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT "Oh my god, that's so expensive!!!!!"

A tut. "And yet it's half the price the SDA stores sell it for."

"Sucks to be your wallet, my demonic sibling Ako~. Meta cards don't come cheap. At least I'm a more generous seller than SOME corporations, though."

"Enough of that," Sayo scowls. "For all we know, you could be selling bootlegs. Ako, we're leaving her."

"R-right!" Yeah, good idea, she forgot entirely about the whole lying low thing whoooooops "l-l-l-l-let's go to McDonalds already!"

"Oho? You guys're getting grub?" Moca immediately hops up. "Well, if people're starting to call my business fake, my rep might be too low to sell. Lemme pack up and come with."

"I would very much appreciate it if you did NOT do that." Sayo sighs. "This entire situation is ridiculous. Ako, we would never have been spotted by this person were it not for our outing."

Oh boy, oh boy "I-I'm sorry! I didn't think I'd run into someone from Afterglow!"

"I won't hear it. We've been sloppy; we must return home and make sure we take greater efforts to remain stealthed next time. What if some of this... 'Moca's' friends are around too?"

"B-but..." Ako shakes. "I really wanted to go to McDonalds..."

"You are not a child, Ako; you're 16 years old. It's time you start considering healthier options for your diet."

"Uuuuugh...." now THAT'S a sucker punch. "I-is McDonalds too much of a kiddie place?"

"Aw, come on~."

Ah. That cheshire grin, eagerly supporting her from the sides... r-right, Moca could help! "My dark mentor! Sayo's saying McDonalds is too immature or whatever!"

"How mean! But, my dark apprentice," Moca drawls. "Think about it. Do you see more kids at McDonalds, or more adults?"

Oh, HOLY hell. That's GENIUS, actually! "You're right! There's more adults at McDonalds than kids!" 

"Exactly~. McDonalds is the perfect place for adults like you and me, Ako."

"E-ehehe." She jumps, and grandstands at Sayo with all the necromantic energy she can muster. "Hear that, Sayo? McDonalds is totally healthy!"

"That's not even what she said."

Urk. "C'mon!"

"Hey, you can't control her decisions, Miss Chestnut~." Moca gives Ako that typical pat on the back. "Don't be a party pooper. I bet you love fast food or something, anyway."

"I-I do not in the slightest."

"So you do. Cool~."

"I do n-"

"C'mon, let's go already. I'm huuuungry," Moca sings. "Hey, Miss Chestnut. Can you pay for my meal too?"

"Please leave."

The demonic prankster twirls and makes a peace sign on the pavement. "Aw~! But I'm not gonna tell anyone about what you guys're doing! You can trust lil' ol' me!"

"Please leave."

"I'll get you two servings of fries with my own cash. Moca's gift of diplomacy~."

Wowwwwww, how's anyone gonna deny that?! Moca's so cool. Seriously, the secret fiend's always chill; she's the one in class who actually keeps the serious secrets, and she always knows what you're thinking, too! She even buys you food sometimes when you're down... what abyssal concoctions occur in this beast's brain that let her see all? Whatever they are, Ako knows; she may be teased, but there's no reason to feel down when Moca's around. She can feel herself forgetting by the second, just ready to hang out and have a fun time. She can just... forget about everything else for now.

Another sigh. Sayo turns her head, and glares daggers right into the unassuming gremlin. "One hour. The second it ends, you leave us."

Moca giggles in glee. And with that, the dark necromancer shuts her eyes, and a new supporting character joins the party!

\---

Appalling. Absolutely atrocious. 

How on earth does Ako know this person? What an absolutely horrible role model. This 'Moca' should be ashamed of herself for acting so lazy and unfit around her junior.

"Moca, Moca! Over here!" Ako waves. "It's so weird how this McDonalds has individual rooms. Maybe it's a renovated building?"

"Plenty o' those down in the Drivethrough, Ako." This infuriating being thinks she's being slick; she's winking as she slaps down two packets of fries before Sayo. "This entire location's gone through a lot of recent changes, from what I can tell~."

"Wow... this place really is a mysterious hubspot of, um... hubris? Hubspot of mystery, or something!"

"You know it, Sabrina the teenage witch. Mystery, mystery~."

Sayo's about to drill holes into this annoying worm, until she notices; "Ako? Why on earth are you removing your wig?"

"It's fine, it's fine!" Completely gone is her previous (if sparse) subtlety. She places the mound of hair down and poses with her purple ponytail billowing. "Tada! What do you think, Moca? I changed my hairstyle!"

"Lookin' good~. How's all your dueling been going? Feels like ages since I last tutored you in anything."

"Mwahaha! The dark lord's powers have evolved beyond even your capabilities now!"

"Wow~, confident." Then Moca finally looks her in the eyes; "Guess that leads us to you. She said your name was Sayo, huh..."

That's an unnerving grin. "What of it? Is that name notable to you?"

"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing. Anyway, why not take off your disguise and strut your stuff~?"

What an absolute chore. She can only hope removing it won't lead to something disastrous; the way this person acts, it feels like no action or inaction is safe. "Fine."

"Ooooooooo~."

She does NOT like that pair of eyes. Why can she not remove a wig in peace? 

"Those're some gorgeous locks on you. What's your secret?"

"Be quiet."

"Spicy~! But cold too," Moca leans back. "I see how it is... my two offerings of fries mean nothing to you. I was even going to ask your number, because of how beautifully pretty you are-"

She glares as harsh as she can in the hopes it'll emphasise her point. "Ako. Never talk to this person again. The only thing she'll teach you is lechery."

"I-it's fine! Don't get into a fight!" Ako stammers. "She just likes teasing, is all!"

"Teasing is often a gateway into letting someone walk all over you," Sayo scowls. "This person evidently has no respect for others."

"That's not true! Moca's very nice, okay?!"

"In what way-"

"Guys, guys~." Moca slides a fry in-between. "My bad. Didn't mean to make Sayoey feel pressured." She leans back again. "I'm pretty used to back-and-forths with Afterglow, so I forgot strangers aren't gonna like overly close banter. Sorry, for real."

"..." Sayo takes the fry. "Apology accepted."

That being said, the mood's undoubtedly soured for Ako. Letting this person tag along was a bad idea, wasn't it?

"Now this is the life, isn't it~? Stuffing our faces with food at a nationwide chain restaurant that barely pays its workers is just the norm nowadays, isn't it? I'm much more used to local stores."

Silence. The starter doesn't seem to make Ako feel any better, so Moca sits back down.

...

...This atmosphere is atrocious. She may as well start a conversation herself. "You said your name was Moca."

"You got it. Bread babe Moca Aoba, at your beck and call." Please stop wiggling. "Nice to meetcha. Hope my second impression's better than my first~."

"And you're Ako's..." She scowls as she says it. "Mentor."

"Oh! Well, for a while, yeah! Before I started playing with Rinrin, Moca's the one who helped me get better at the game."

"They grow up so fast," Moca wipes a tear. "Now my apprentice's part of a professional dueling group. No doubt I'd be crushed if I fought you~."

"Only if you're lazy about dueling me! You're such a layabout, Moca."

"Me? Nah, couldn't be. I'm a genius, after all~."

"Sit up," Sayo says. "You're going to feel sick if you lie down after eating so soon."

"It's fine~. I've never had digestion problems in my life."

"Every human has a digestive system, and you're no exception. Don't you feel ashamed? You're hardly setting a good example for your junior."

"No worries about that," Ako says. "Everybody knows imitating Moca is a bad idea. That's just the kind of person she is!"

"What, a clown?"

"Wow. I've never had someone call me that with zero irony." Moca gets back up. "You'd fit right in with a disciplinary committee."

"Is that meant to be an insult? Disciplinary committees are important for eliminating behaviour that would trouble others."

"Agh, no wonder. Trouble's my middle name; you and I mix as well as gravy and Skittles," Moca sighs. "Still, the discipline's an attractive thing, in my book."

"You? Considering discipline good?"

Moca glints. For some reason, the sudden focus on this gremlin's face actually intimidates her.

"Well, goody two-shoes types don't usually threaten the people they're lodging with... right~? They wouldn't say, coerce people into doing something dangerous, or bully them into thinking they're not good enough, right~?"

"Eh?" Ako blinks. "What're you talking about, Moca?"

...

So that's how it is. She deliberately sets a bad example to seem unassuming, allowing her to freely watch over threats to her friends. "I have no intention of doing any such thing."

"Good, good~. We're all good pals here then." Another fry. "Open up, Sayogoo~. A celebration to our new friendship."

There is absolutely nothing she is implying to her peers by accepting multiple fries from this person. This is completely fine. This is a completely reasonable act. "...Do not act overly close to me-"

"Soooooo, Sayogoo." Moca immediately leans in before she can finish, and Sayo has to push her head back. "Ah, that's the personal space limit. Anyway, tell me about yourself. I wanna know more about you."

"Didn't you just say we mix as well as gravy and Skittles?"

"Some people like that combination~. Expand your horizontals, Sayoey~! For all you know, we could become a new secret ingredient that people'll love."

"I have absolutely no idea where your analogy is going."

"Truly, my genius'll never be understood."

"She's a genius, alright! Moca doesn't even need to do homework."

"This is real-time homophobia~!" Moca waxes. "C'mooon, I'm not superhuman. Even I have to study if I wanna get good grades."

"And yet here you are, eating McDonalds and selling cards in Duston Drivethrough."

"Sounds like her! The only weird thing is that there isn't another Afterglow member she's clinging to. How fare my banal allies?"

"All fine over here," Moca gives a thumbs-up. "Well, obviously some of them're pissed at Roselia, thanks to that Yukina person snatching you. But they're havin' more fun than I expected, all things considered."

...

"Ah." Moca's smile turns to a bit of sorrow. It's likely at the sudden dismality of Ako's expression. "Don't worry about it, lil' champ. None of em' resent you for choosing to stick with your new buds, I promise. Hate's all Yukina-related."

"O-oh! Yeah, I know, it's fine. I'm not doing anything wrong after all, right?" Ako nods frantically. "U-um, uh... Duel Monsters! Let's talk Duel Monsters instead!"

Thank god the topic's switched; although she's not sure if Moca will be all that helpful. "Is there much of a benefit to discussing dueling with this... person?"

"Nah~. I'm all washed up these days," Moca says. "But that doesn't mean I can't ask about YOUR skills. You're very good at deflecting me from learning about you, y'know that?"

"Oh, I'll explain in her place then!"

"Ako, wait-"

"Sayo used to be a top student at the SDA! She ditched the academy and we're gonna take it down together!"

Great. Just great. "...Ako..." 

"O-oh! Sorry, was I not supposed to say that?"

"Of course not! We're supposed to be operating entirely in secret!"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, so THAT'S why. Makes sense. You guys gonna like, do protests against the SDA or something?"

Thank god. Evidently, the scale of their goal appears rather unrealistic to Moca. It would explain the nonchalant reaction.

"T-top secret!" Ako whistles. "Can't tell you any more."

"Got it, got it~. You can trust your confidentiality with ol' Moca. Won't ask a thing." She waves, and sets those jovial eyes on Sayo again. "I'll just focus on the other topic, then. You gotta be real good if you're a top dog at the academy."

"Indeed."

"Wow, honest~. That's some confidence. And a leaver, huh? I don't think I've ever met an SDA ditcher before."

There's a reason for that.

"Why'd you do it?" Moca continues to stick her nose in. "People go to that place to get careers in dueling, after all. I'm not looking at you and getting the impression of a delinquent who gets expelled."

"I left it of my own volition. In that place, delinquency is the social norm."

"...Ah, that checks out. Explains all the violent jerkasses I've met."

What's with this fiend's gaze? Why does she glimmer with so much interest when she looks at Sayo? Is there something about this deliberately spiked shell that continually encourages fools to approach?

"Leaving the SDA, huh." Moca sighs. "What's your future looking like without it?"

"...That's not a question I expected you to ask."

"Hey, ol' Moca's very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of dueling careers. Honest~."

"Is that so."

"Yeah. That's why it still surprises me. If I were in your position, I'd view that decision as pretty... well," Moca shrugs. "Might make it harder to find a job in like, the only thing you've studied for, y'know?"

"..."

"I think I can kind of guess, though." Those eyes dart. "Even if it was dangerous, I'd probably end up leaving out of sheer apathy. The SDA's insufferable."

"...Do you have reason to resent it?"

"Don't we all? That place basically makes dueling look like a life of bloodsport, and we can't do a thing about it. It makes everyone care less about the world just by existing."

"Yeah, it SUCKS!" Ako cheers. "Screw the SDA!"

In a way, it is still surreal. Sometimes, she looks inside herself, and asks; why did you cast away a stable future for this light you're pursuing? She echoes the very question she asked Ako; would it not make sense to pursue the stable path, in the safe home of your family, until you have a solid enough foundation to explore your dreams?

But unlike Ako, there's a million reasons she has to throw all of that away, and the emptiness of that academy is but one. All she can do now is apply her discipline to her new, rockier path, in an attempt to stabilise it.

Her thoughts are broken by Moca spaghetti-flailing at her. "You and me're connected by soul, Sayogoo~. We're two rebellious young girls who hate the idea of a hopeless tomorrow..."

...

"Although I guess we're not all that similar~." Moca idly lays a finger on her own cheek. "I'm reppin' the lazy aesthetic, if you couldn't tell. I slack on tests like they're an underrated fictional character, but you evidently wanna keep all your discipline stuff even when you're a school leaver."

"...You're not as subtle as you think."

"Mm~?"

"You cite a lack of discipline as the difference between you and me. Yet you went out of your way to follow Ako to ensure her safety, and you're hosting a card dealership in your spare time. Is that not, in a way, dedication towards your own future?"

"Hm. Who knows?"

She really isn't that subtle, is she? For some reason, that thought softens Sayo's impression of Moca.

"Fufufu. A new alliance has been reached, it would seem!" Ako stands up, and lays a hand on the table. "In an unexpected turn of events on the dark necromancer's journey, her two companions have found solidarity! Moca Aoba and Sayo Hikawa, may your new bond flourish!"

"...Hikawa?"

.

Suddenly, the air stops. 

Ako blinks in confusion. "D-did I say something wrong again?"

And Sayo's left with a familiar feeling of dread. "I see. So you know her."

"Hikawa. Hikawa, Hikawa, Hikawa..."

She says it like it's a mantra.

"No, that's got to be a coincidence. But the hair..." 

That expression. She's thought it earlier, but Moca's eyes have a glint that feel like they're secretly opening Sayo's mind until it's bare.

"...Hey, Sayo. Are you related to Hina Hikawa?"

It'll never escape her. "I am."

"That's... I'm still having trouble believing it." Moca leans back and frowns. "I've known Hina for 3 years, and she's NEVER once mentioned having a sister. And Hina'll mention just about anything."

"O-oh, right! Um. Ran m-mentioned you guys kn... know the Supernova!"

Sayo doesn't say a thing. Rather, she wants this conversation to end as soon as possible. It's taken the worst turn; why is it that no matter where she goes, acquaintances of her sister pass by? Why has she ran into people personally familiar with Hina, when Hina's popularity is normally limited to that of the crowd?

A curse. Hina really is cursed. Why must the world drag the two of them together?

"I won't question it~."

She blinks. "What?"

"There's a few facts running through my mind right now," Moca says. "And all of them are saying that prying into this is a baaaaaaaad idea. So I'll leave it."

And then Moca dabs.

...She almost wants to chuckle. What a strange way of lightening the atmosphere. This person's apparently been a friend of Hina for 3 years, evidently loves sticking her nose into people's business... and yet doesn't want to press further into this. Any person would normally be all over this kind of gossip by now, wouldn't they? At least, if the academy's students are any indication-

"I'm... sorry."

She turns her head. "Ako? Was that you?"

"I-I'm sorry."

Is Ako... shaking? What happened? Curse her rock-shaped mind; did she not notice any changes in Ako's condition? Was Ako forcing enthusiasm today?

"I'm sorry." The normally upbeat duelist's frown is dismal. "We got spotted, and then I brought Moca here and you two argued, and now I accidentally brought up something bad again... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you guys angry."

Is she going to cry? Hopefully, it's nothing more than a minor bout of misery... but it's still heart-pushing to look at. What can she do? Ako's been moody during their tutoring sessions sometimes, but this doesn't seem like the sort of situation that chastisement would help Ako during... would it?

"Ako~. We're not starting a war or anything, y'know? No emotions running high here."

Those sing-song words ring through the air.

"O-oh! Um..."

"Poor Ako. You're always so sweet, y'know that?" Moca pushes herself up and walks over, giving Ako a surprisingly tender headpat. "Whenever people're feeling down, you always fret about how to cheer them up. Lemme assure you; that alone's already softening the mood."

"...Really?"

"Yeah." The wandering fool grins. "This is ol' Moca telling you this, isn't it? That's how you know you can believe it."

"..." Ako manages to breathe. She nods. "...Yeah. Thanks."

"Are you feeling alright? If you are unwell, it would be wise for us to return now."

"I'm secondin' Sayo here. Head back to your lair and recharge your gamer juice, Akoey~."

"Yeah. Um..." Ako weakly moves an arm. "My deepest gratitude, dark comrade, for our hangout."

If Ako's low mood is hurting Moca, she doesn't show it. She merely juggles her hefty bag over her back, pulls her turquoise hood over and throws a peace sign before heading out. "Later, taters~. Don't play with fire, got it? I don't wanna hear about broken bones from Roselia stunts or anythin'."

"Ako will be suffering no such harm."

"Then it's all chill in my book. Hm... wonder if I should go back and bother Masuki again now..." Moca opens the door. "Oh, Sayogoo. You SURE you don't want my number~?"

"I see no practical use for having it."

"Cold~. Then may we meet again, through some magical coincidence." 

In one last over-the-top gesture, Moca embouchures her lips and holds a total of 12 cards in her mouth and hands, posing like a ninja.

And it's then when Sayo sees something that threatens to change her perception of Moca Aoba entirely.

"Farewell, my demonic apprentice~. Let the devilry of Moca revive your, uh, fallen wings n' all that-"

"Show that card to me now."

It cleaves the entire room in two. Before she even realises, she's cut over to Moca's location and snatched the offender right from her hand. This card, it's...

...there's no doubt about it.

It'd be an innocuous one to most; a Level 1 Earth-Attribute effect monster whose sole purpose appears to be expanding a few niche combos. But if anyone of this era looked at the monster's Type, they'd notice something off immediately.

She holds it face-front back to the devil. "Look me in the eye, Moca. Where did you get this card? Not even the SDA students have access to it currently. There is no feasible way you should have this card."

"Huh? Ohhhhh, that one. Hina gave it to me, last time we met. That's all."

"Are you lying to me?"

"Nope~."

Sayo stares at her with all the scrutiny she can muster. No, Moca's probably telling the truth. What she says is certainly feasible; Hina's reckless enough for it.

...

...The card's returned. If there's any changes in Moca's innocuous grin, they're not easily detected. "Whew. I gotta admit, with your height over me, that dagger stare was pretty hot~."

And her hostility evaporates entirely. "PLEASE leave."

"Peace!"

The door shuts.

...

...The room is completely and utterly silent.

...Let's waste no further time thinking about that lazy buffoon. Instead, Sayo turns to face Ako again; Heaven's Bane seems listless, hardly a span of attention in the world right now. The way she looks up to the sunset with an expression completely undecipherable; no doubt she'd completely zoned out from that conversation.

"Ako. Let's go back."

"Oh. Um." 

There's no grin. 

"Sayo. Is it okay if I... hang out here, for a bit longer?"

"...That will not do. Haven't we already learnt that being outside to begin with is danger-"

"Please."

...

It's useless. Her mechanical heart can't connect to her companion right now. No matter how much of a priority Ako's safety is, she knows; whenever she sees an expression like that, she's reached the limit of her usefulness.

So all she can do is emptily stare back at Ako, until she can't take it anymore and closes her eyes. "Very well." She heads to the room's exit and opens the door; "Do you remember the convenience store with the jellyfish tank? We'll meet back up there in half an hour. Understood?"

Ako nods. "Thanks. Sorry."

...

Every cell in her body tells her this is an awful idea. There's a lingering, demeaning voice in her head accusing her of being paranoid, but it's the voice she'd rather throw against a wall.

And yet all she can do is slowly close the door, until Ako's visible no more.

...

...She slowly takes her leave from the building and heads outside. Glass double-doors always look odd in a place as desolate as this.

...

The sunset isn't letting up in intensity.

...

A raven squawks.

...

...Maybe it'd be best to simply stand at the waiting spot for the full duration. It would hardly do good to stick out right now. 

She walks by a row of empty, abandoned and grass-overridden dueling fields. There's a set of three-story apartment buildings to her left, one after another. They all look equally uncared for. Practically neglected on purpose, one could accuse-

"Where'd they go?! Find them, NOW!"

Freeze!

That voice; no, that tone most commonly belongs to one kind of person. The one desperate for power.

She immediately hides behind a building and peers out-

-a shadow blares right across the road, up to the sky-

Turn back! What in heaven's name was that?!

She has to blink twice when she sees it. "What...?!"

That figure.

It's impossible for them not to stand out. In about two seconds flat, they've paced several metres and launched themselves up the entirety of a chain-linked fence as tall as any house in the area. Their cloak of black could never block out the sun, thanks to all the countless holes it's been shot with; but that only serves to make them even harder to look at. As that voided robe billows in the wind, the sun flickers between blinding peoples' eyes and tauntingly giving them back their sight; and in those frames of vision, you can see a rather bored expression.

"Get down from there, you thieving shit!"

Sayo holds her breath. There's a crowd of students, at least 10 people strong, running towards the fence. Some are starting to split and enter the field from behind. "You guys're persistent, aren't you?" The criminal yawns. "That's what, an hour you've been chasing me for now?"

"An hour of you scampering like an ant, more like!" One student blusters. "Give it up and return those cards already! You're stealing several weeks' worth of my allowance!"

"Spending so much money, just for a few cards..." The criminal holds them out. "Truly, you're more sympathetic than any other! Maybe you should ask people to write you eulogies after you punch them in the face."

"Shut the fuck up and give our cards back already! I swear I'll knock all your teeth out if you don't!"

"Oooo! You've got moxie." The criminal smiles. "Well, leeeeet's see. Which one of you had _Infinite Impermanence_ again?"

"Hey! That's mine!" One student yells from behind the fence.

"Oh. What a shame."

The card drops to the front side.

"Guess it's not yours anymore."

The card sways slowly down to ground level, and the students positioned on the near side start pushing each other away to try and make a grab for it. Suddenly, it's a complete pandemonium.

And then their hopes are crushed. One student eats a boot to the face as the thief uses her as a launching pad and snags the card back up, easily sauntering back onto the concrete. "Nah, just kidding."

"You... you!"

The students all rush at them immediately. But this person's mobility is outrageous like nothing Sayo's seen before; she could swear the student at the front's only taken 5 steps before a shadow's already jungle-gymed the entirety of an apartment building.

"Tell you what. I'm really, reaaaally bored of this right now." The criminal holds out the cards. "Angering babies just isn't a fun pastime. So how about this..."

One step forward. A predator sneers at its arrogant prey.

"If you beat me in a duel, you can have every single card back. In fact, you can even have every other card on me too. How about it?"

"Fine! If it'll get you to stop moving about, then I'll happily wipe that smirk off your face!"

"Over here, then."

Phase.

Suddenly, the air is filled with dread. As the sound of foot hitting brick echoes further and further away, every student realises they're not in control of where the criminal goes; rather, it's the reverse. A complete stranger is tempting them towards a location they know nothing about. 

All anticipation and anger threatens to cease. As even a dragon fears the unknown, only 3 fools are ultimately desperate enough to give chase.

...Sayo breathes.

She knows there's no reason for her to care about this. But her thoughts don't mean a thing anymore; the sheer dread this thief's image radiates has already pulled her in. Before she knows it, concrete races beneath her feet, her eyes tracking a blot in the sky.

"Huff... huff..." 

There's a whole group of buildings clustered together, and an entrance to an alleyway hidden between them. Finally, the criminal graces ground level, wagging an index finger at their assailants. "Over here, over here."

How extremely reckless. She's almost tempted to run out and stop the students from endangering themselves, but that poses far too much threat to her own safety. Instead, all she can do is watch as their figures fade into the darkness. 

A series of yells echo from inside the enclave. There's the sound of multiple blades being drawn. And immediately, the ground rumbles, bearing the weight of a titan upon it.

...Sayo's eyes focus. What a terror; the _Ancient Gear Chaos Giant_ that's been summoned is an absolutely ginormous machine dwarfing every building surrounding it. Though she's felled it many times herself now, it's a monster no good duelist would dare to underestimate.

3 seconds. Likely, someone else has just begun their turn-

Something travels up the giant's skin.

"W-what?!" 

The giant no longer retains its original colour.

It turns around, gazes down at the ground behind it...

...raises its colossal fist...

And completely ruinates the surface.

...

Holographic dust stretches for miles.

...

...Then it shatters.

...

...

Complete and utter silence. Nothing can be seen in the sky.

"...What... what was that?"

\---

Beat, beat, beat.

_Whoa, the sunset's so pretty today, isn't it? Wait, no distractions- it's her class's turn to handle the chores today!_

_There's a few panting hums. A lively mess makes its way through the corridor, closer and closer._

_"Hey, can you look through this bunch? Teacher says we've got to make sure all the ID tags are on," she hears._

_And that's her cue. It's time for the dark lord to lend her heavenly aid! "Heya, you guys!" She pushes through the doors and greets a group of her classmates._

_"Ako?!" One of them balks. "Why're you here?"_

_"Eh? Why wouldn't I be? It's our turn to do chores, isn't it?"_

_"Well, yeah..." The student looks away. "We just thought you wouldn't show up, after... like, y'know."_

_"Y'know... what? You guys're acting funny." She takes a few steps forward. "Anyway, no fear; you now have the fallen angel's arms to add to your own! The library shall be sorted in no time!"_

_"O-oh! Right... riiight..."_

_Silence._

_"Um." A student looks at her peers in a panic. "Why don't we have Ako... like, watch over at the counter?"_

_She tilts her head. "The counter? The library's closed, though! There'd be no point in that."_

_"W-well, it's just that-"_

_"Oh, those books're from the History section, right?" She hops over. "Allow my dark powers to assist you! The demonic fallen angel shall bequeath the novels of time to-"_

_"Why don't you just shut up and leave?"_

Beat, beat, beat.

_"...Huh?"_

_"Hey, we don't need to be like that, do we?" _

_"No, we do. She's nothing but a nuisance, and we all know it; you lot are just too weak to say it."_

_"T-that's pretty rude!" The aspiring demon looks at a pair of malicious eyes. "I mean, I'd understand why people may be intimidated by my magi-"_

_"Cut that out! We're not kids!"_

Beat, beat, beat.

_"Do you know why we don't want you helping out? It's because you're a bother. The last time you worked with us at the library, you tripped and spilled an entire load of books all over the floor!"_

_..._

_"H-hey, she's not that bad! Give her a break."_

_"Dude, even you're treating her like a kid," another student says. "That's the nail in the coffin. It's just awkward being around someone like her, y'know?"_

_"I'm... not awkward."_

_"Really? Then why don't you grow up already?" The agitator chews. "We're supposed to be role models. The older we get, the more responsibility we have, and the more we need to take other people seriously. All you're doing with your embarrassing roleplay is demeaning everyone around you!"_

Beat, beat, beat.

_"I-I'm not trying to demean anyone..."_

_"Then why don't you stop with your stupid posing, and start acting more mature?" A snarl. "You're a middle-schooler, not a baby. Find ways in which you can actually be useful, like the rest of us."_

_"I-I am useful! I made soup for my sister when she was sick the other day!"_

_"How sweet. I bet you recited a dark incantation or something while you were at it, too. And I bet she just ate it up because she didn't want to make you feel bad."_

_..._

_"Instead of pretending to be a goddess or whatever, why not try and be an ordinary human being for once in your life? If you can't drop the stupid act around us, then leave. Don't bother coming with us when it's our turn for cleanup."_

_..._

_"...Okay."_

_Step, after step... after step. There's the sound of a few books being moved again behind her. Some conversations resume, now that she's stepping away. Out of their lives again._

_She looks back. The student's glare remains._

_"Go. Nobody wants you here."_

_..._

_...She opens the door, and leaves._

_..._

_..._

_...That was pretty pathetic of her, wasn't it? She's supposed to be cool, after all. She should've told them they were being mean, and stayed anyway. She probably would've shown them... she's not great at chores, but she's not bad either._

_Although... she could probably be a little better, couldn't she? Spilling books is just causing trouble. It's not unreasonable for people to yell at her. It just feels... mean, is all. Big sis would've supported her if she was here, right? She used to do that all the time. It doesn't happen as much lately; she still asks 'are you feeling okay', but she... doesn't really do anything other than listen. _

_...W-well, maybe that's the point! Maybe it's time to stop dumping troubles on people who're conveniently there to listen. Maybe it's time to be more resilient, instead... so, what if big sis was in this position? She's really cool; she probably wouldn't even be phased by any of this to begin with, would she? A-and she's really good at chores, too! Everyone'd be happy to have her._

_...Don't cry! There's no point in crying. Just put on a smile like she does, and keep moving forward. No matter what anyone says, you're always a confident and strong fallen angel, deep down! You just need to show them that, somehow... let's keep trying to help them!_

_Just ignore the lava, and keep moving forward._

Beat, beat, beat.

The sunset blares. It's really pretty, isn't it? It's so intense...

Step, after step... after step. She walks aimlessly through the streets, not a person in sight. Not even the wind thinks she's worth anything.

...No, stop thinking about it. Dwelling on the heartbeat is only gonna make it feel worse, Ako! Right, let's find something to do; it's still like, 20 minutes or something? Before she meets back up with Sayo, anyway! The world always has more adventure to offer, so let's think, let's think... 

...

...w-what about the card shop from earlier? That place was pretty fun! Maybe there's more to it!

"Welcome!" There's the familiar, gruff but friendly voice of the shopkeeper. It's kind of relieving.

"Heya! It's me again!" She gives a brief wave, before starting another trip through the aisles. C'mon, there's probably something she missed the first time around, isn't there? Having the sharpest hexes imbued into your eyes is important when you're a member of Roselia!

...

5 minutes pass. She sees a few cards she likes the look of, but she's only got so much money when she's...

...cut off... from her home.

U-uh, anyway. Yeah, um... most of these cards aren't gonna be helpful for the decks she prefers, are they? Save the frivolous purchases for after Roselia accomplishes its goal! After she returns home!

That is, if she'll ever be able t-

Uh. What'd be a good pick today, then? What'd be helpful? She can't really think of something like this... she's a little too shaky for that. Um, dark braincells, think a little harder, please! ...W-wait, that's it! Maybe if...

"Good to see you back! You grabbin' something you forgot earlier?" The shopkeeper gives a small grin. "We get a lot of indecisive buyers here."

"Yeah!" She places one card on the counter. "Another _Ghost Sister and Spooky Dogwood_, please!"

"Ah, lemme guess. That's your 3rd copy, isn't it?"

"Whoa, how'd you know?!"

"Hahaha! Basically every shopkeeper can tell. 3 copies of a card is like a magic number to us." He types on the cash register. "When you're in this job, you learn a few things about the sport after a while."

"Whoa, that's... like, a secret magical eye you have for cards, then!"

"Haha! Not sure I'd quite call it that," he says. "To be honest, I didn't know anything about this game until I took over the store from the previous owner a few years back. I just learn things from the customers sometimes."

"O-oh! Well, that's still cool!"

Wow. This game brings in all kinds of people, huh...? Even those who aren't familiar with it can still get a smile sometimes. That's just nice.

"Feeling down, little miss?"

"E-eh?! No, I'm fine!"

"Your frown's the biggest around! Don't bottle up your troubles, got it? Find a friend to talk to about that stuff."

"But I talk to friends about stuff all the time!"

"You gotta talk to them about sad stuff sometimes too. Don't be afraid, kid."

...But she does that, too. She can't recall how many times she's gripped Rinrin's sleeves. Rinrin always says she's considerate, and that she doesn't do it too much. But what if Rinrin's secretly really str-

"Here. Have this one on the house."

"E-eh? Really?" Her eyes sparkle. It's not a helpful card, but it looks really cool! Maybe she can build a deck that uses it one day, anyway. "Thanks, mister!"

"Haha! Kids always love stuff about the games. Lemme guess; do the others at school make fun of you for liking it?"

"...Y-yeah! That's it!" She tries to smile. "They're so strange. Even though some of them play it too... nearly everyone in this city does, and yet they still think I'm weird for it!"

That's not true. They think you're 'weird' because you're just wasting thei-

"Agh, school. The bloomin' ground for bullying, as always." He sighs. "Don't you worry, kid. They'll grow up eventually."

"Hey! I'm 16, y'know!"

"Wahaha! Everyone's a kid when you're my age."

...

...He's right, isn't he? They're the ones who need to grow up... right?

N-no looking down! She tries to take the energy she's been given. "Um! Thanks, mister. And thanks for the cards!"

"Pleasure doin' business. Come back any time!" He smiles. "It's nostalgic, seeing you. I can't help but feel like I know you... it's probably just my association with that butcher's kid, though."

"I'll come back and meet my doppelganger someday!" She strikes a pose, ready to continue her day once more! "Bye!"

The smiling, gruff shopkeeper waves her off. And she feels... well, a little less... pounding, at least, as she steps outside. It's nice to feel supported; sometimes people just help you out without asking anything in return.

Wow, there's a few other people walking around here, now! The world just feels a bit more... normal in this moment. Crowded places, she's a little more used to; after all, home was always havoc with Tomoe around, even if she tried to look calm and composed. Going on trips with Afterglow was nice; they were like a cool kids' club in some ways! And even if it was always hard, heading through the jam-packed city with Rinrin made her feel like she was never alone!

And none of that's gone. N-none of that's disappeared! Once the Cup ends, Roselia'll disband, and she can go right back home! She'll get chewed out, house arrested for a while, and then she'll finally be back with all the cool people she's friends with again! Maybe she can rematch Ran, to make up for their last duel being interrupted, sort of, and she can a-apologise to big sis for being such an ignorant jerk, and she can hug Mom and Dad, and she can get her hair ruffled by Moca and Himari, and visit Tsugumi's cafe, and hang out with both Lisa and Tomoe at the same time because she's never had the chance to do that yet, and then she'll groan and push herself through exams so she can go to Circle, and she'll go to another big tournament, and after the tournament's over she'll go back home and Dad'll be welcoming her back and Mom'll be chewing her out for forgetting veggies in her packed lunch, and Tomoe'll give her a hug and they can watch a movie together, and then she can visit Rinrin's house and have a sleepover, and she'll be in a nice warm bed where she'll easily be able to fall asleep, right next to her best friend in the whole world, and...

She shakes her head. Right, time to go back and meet up with Sayo; no need to be late! Let's hit a dark stride through the world again-

SLAM!

"You!"

She nearly jumps ten feet in the air. Past panic, immediately. 

She snaps her head around.

There's... t-the shopkeeper. She wants to say hi. She can't say a thing.

"You... I'm glad... I figured out... who you were..."

Every word. It sinks. She wants to ask what's up. She can't move.

"Posing, red eyes... you're the Udagawas' daughter, aren't you...?!"

People are mortal.

People don't shine.

From the inside of her mortal, human body, a void made entirely of lava suggests into her human stomach and leaks into her human heart-

No, it's fine. "How," she croaks. "Um..."

The shopkeeper catches his breath, wiping the sweat off from his brow. People are murmuring. People are watching her. People aren't watching an angel; they're watching a meek, little shaking ch-

"Um..." She takes a step forward. Let's put on a smile. "Congratu... latio-"

"It's horrible! Do you have any idea how much you've worried your parents?!"

.

The shopkeeper's eyes. 

"When they told me you ran away, I'd never seen them so crushed in my entire life. I've known them for a decade, and that was the first time I'd ever seen them cry."

They're an inferno.

"And it's all because of YOU! Because you won't return back home!" He screams. "I can only imagine what it's like, worrying for my child's safety because she's thrown her life away to play games!"

"U-um! I... I..."

She shakes. But don't, don't, don't. Let's put on a smile. Let's-

"You're the most horrible and irresponsible daughter in the world!"

.

Beat, beat, beat, beat

She runs.

"No! Go back home, please!"

It's a death wail.

Run.

Run.  
Run,  
run

run

Run  
run

Tears. Tears hurt. She pants, desperately trying to catch her breath. Her lungs can't take in air. Her hands can't stay still for even a moment. And it's then when she realises;

She can't smile. 

She's never been smiling at all.

"...!"

The sun sinks behind the horizon, and her world drowns in red.

Nine thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-nine voices say one thing;

Burn.

The pyre festers, the poor soul screams. Her hands strangle the flames, bloody beneath the bone.

And she wails in agony.

RUN, RUN  
RUN

RUN

PLEASE JUST RUN

For miles and miles, the loudest sound around is a young girl's tears. A young girl's shrieks, a young girl's strangled cries that cut off her speech and choke her on her own grief. There's lava cutting into every piece of her skin. Air can't save her anymore, and magic can't either. Nothing can.

"..!..."

And she still runs.

"I'm... sc...!" She repeats it, like a mantra. I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared! She can't ever finish it, can't ever form every part, because it's taking all she can to do anything at all. "I'm... scared... sis... Rin... ko-"

She nearly trips. She cries, she cries. She desperately holds in anything she can, and can't hold in a thing.

Is she there? Is that the forest? She can hardly see a thing, because it hurts; every tear scalds her eyes until she can't see a thing. All she can hope is that deep in roads no person ever goes, there's the foliage shrouding her... hiding her away.

Up the stairs.

Each step

She trips, and wonders if it hurts

each step

It's long, it's so long, she repeats. I want to go home, I want to go home, she repeats. I want to go home...

There... there's something she can call home, if she's selfish and greedy. 

It's 'opened'. She's probably got splinters in her arm from slamming open the door, and it hurts. A conversation dies immediately.

She collapses to the carpet.

"A-Ako?! Ako!" There's a scream, immediately. It's Lisa's, right? There's another gasp, too. That's Yukina, right?

"AKO!" That's Rinko's, isn't it? ...She's heard that scream before. "A-Ako! Please... talk to me!" Those are Rinko's arms, aren't they? She can feel herself being held up.

She opens her eyes.

There's her beautiful, amazing friend, the friend who she's hurt yet again.

Because she's crying, again.

Again.

And now her friend's eyes are in pain too.

Every part of Rinko's face is in pain.

She really is

the most irresponsible and horrible person in the world

isn't she?

"...I... I...! ....!..... !" 

There's no end to her wails now. 

All everyone did to hold her up, and she was too heavy anyway. All everyone did to put her back on the ground, and she slipped back in anyway, and she fell right down, right into the hell that melted her immediately. "I'm... I'm so scared! I don't want to be alone! I don't... want to be alone!"

"Ako! Ako..."

Rinko's grip is really strong. Normally Rinko doesn't like touching people, but when she's really scared and really afraid, she hugs you really, really tight. Isn't it comforting?

"...Rinko...! I don't want everyone to hate me! I don't want to go back home and be yelled at! I don't want to be thrown out,"

Lisa's hands touch her back.

"and I don't want to be alone! I don't want to be laughed at anymore! Nothing's ever going to be the same anymore! Nothing's going to be the same anymore when I come home!"

"Ako!"

"I made everyone worry, I made everyone cry, I made everyone hate me-" She chokes back a cascade of sobs. "I-" Another. "I made-" Another. "I'm making you miserable constantly, Rinko! I'm making everyone miserable! But I don't w-want to go home anymore, because now Tomoe hates me! Mom hates me, Dad hates me, and everyone's mad because of me! Ran hates Yukina because of me, Tomoe hates Yukina because of me, everyone hates me because I hurt Tomoe, everyone hates me because I'm dragging them down, everyone hates me because I'm embarrassing them! I'm going to be alone forever! I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME ANYMORE!"

"Ako. Ako..." 

She lets her tears bleed into Rinko's shoulder. She's the worst. She won't even lift her own head and push Rinko away; no, she'd rather just lie here and hurt her best friend more and more and more and more and more.

"Ako."

Why won't it stop?

Why won't it die out?

"Ako... they'd never hate you," Rinko manages. "They never would!"

She tries to speak. "I-I know." A sob. "I know... but everything's... telling me they will...!"

"They never will," Lisa tries to speak through her screams. "Tomoe and Mom and Dad all love you, Ako. They'd be happy to have you home!"

"...I-I know... I should know that! But I'm scared! I don't want to come home and have them yell at me, tell me they love me, then make me go back to school where everyone else hates me anyway!" She tries to open her eyes. "Everyone else will hate me! Everyone else already hates me, the shopkeeper at the store hates me, everyone in the downtown hates me, because I'm immature, because I'm horrible, because I'm heartless, I'm the worst, I'm the worst-"

"Ako..."

She begs for her friend's embrace to push the flames away. But all she feels is warmth.

"Ako... none of them hate you... and if they do..." She's gripped even tighter. She can hear Rinko's tears. She looks up, and sees Rinko's face shrivelled in pain, and it's her fault, "I'll never hate you, ever... so please..."

Why? Why does the warmth hurt? Is it because she's just hurting her friend?

It goes on, and on, and on. Her heart is falling into a bottomless pit. It'll never stop, because it's only growing; she wants to just cry, and cry and cry until she hopes the blaze will die-

"I'm back. Is she here-"

Oh. That voice.

"...I knew it," Sayo says. "I've ran from home one too many times not to know."

Great. Now she's disappointed Sayo too. She made Sayo stay back even though Sayo was worried about her.

She wails.

It's been half a minute. Sayo isn't doing anything. Don't think about it, she screams, don't think about what a disappointment you are; but it's all she can think about. She cries and cries in Rinko's arms, lets Lisa stroke through her hair, just so she isn't left alone.

"..."

It hurts... it really hurts! It hurts so much!

"...Ako. Stand up."

She opens her eyes, and there's a hand given to her. The arms around her fall away, and she wants to cry all the more; but she takes it, and cries. "Sayo... Sayo... I'm sorry!"

"..."

"I'm so sorry... I'm... you said we shouldn't have gone out, and I was still stupid and..."

"Ako Udagawa. Look at me directly."

...!

No, she doesn't want to.

...

...

...Sayo doesn't press her further.

She looks up, straight into Sayo's eyes.

"S-Sayo... I'm so sorry..." she sniffs. "The entire time, you were trying to help me be safe, and I just ignored you and acted like I was cool for it, but I'm just useless and-"

"Ako. Are you not a fallen angel?"

...

Hah. She turns away and grips Sayo's hand tighter. "Obviously not. I'm just a whining baby."

"Ako. Look at me."

"...!" 

Shut up, shut up, stop telling me what to do! Nothing you're saying, nothing I'm saying, none of it's wrong, none of it's right, just stop!

She strangles the hand.

"SHUT UP! I'M NOT A FALLEN ANGEL! I'M NOT A NECROMANCER OR A SORCERESS, OR ANYTHING! I JUST..." Tears. "I just... act like that, because that's all I have! I'm nothing otherwise! I just like pretending to be one!"

"No."

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!" She strangles Sayo's hand. "I'm the worst person alive! You're smart and responsible and pretty, and you know what to do, and you don't slack off or ignore things to waste your time on stupid indulgences! YOU'RE NOTHING LIKE ME, SO STOP ACTING LIKE YOU KNOW ANYTHING!"

"Ako, you are a fallen angel."

.

...

...Sayo's hand. Sayo was running all this way because of her.

"N-no..." she trembles. "I'm not. Fallen angels don't even exist."

"That hardly matters."

"!" She grits her teeth. "Why are you trying to validate me instead of chastise me?! I'm not a toddler-"

"That image is an ideal to you, is it not?"

.

Sayo doesn't strengthen the grip on her hand at all. She doesn't move any closer. It's just as firm and strong as it always is. Nothing more.

"The fallen angel represents the kind of person you want to be. You work hard, every day, to become more like it."

She looks back at Sayo's eyes. From her hand, there's something seeping in, something slowing her tears.

"And nobody should stop you from trying to improve yourself."

"...That's... not..." Ako murmurs. "I'm not improving myself. I'd spend less time on games and more time listening to you, if I was. I'd stop dumping my burdens on you guys and go home, if I was. If I was trying to improve myself, then I'd be like you instead of being gross pathetic me. I'm just using fantasy to run away."

"Is anything you just said true?"

...

...No... no...

"...Of course it isn't." She trembles. "I pose and I recite incantations because it takes confidence to do them. I wanna be someone who makes herself feel motivated, and makes her friends feel motivated. That's why I don't think I'm gross or pathetic. That's... why I spend time on games, that's why I pester you guys."

"There. That is your actual answer."

"I-I know that!" She shakes. "B-but... all I'm doing is hurting you by-"

"You help us far more."

She's cut off, mid-sentence, bluntly and cleanly.

That's... not fair. It's the same thing anyone else would say. So why does it feel... different when Sayo says it?

"...No... I don't believe it. Even if it's true, I won't believe it."

"Why not?"

"Because...! I don't think I'm becoming a good person by doing this!"

"Are you not?"

"No! Yes- I don't know!" She trembles. "I want to believe I'm helping you guys. I want to believe I'm not hurting people. But I don't know anymore."

"If you can not find certainty in your voice, take it from mine."

...

...

...Ah.

So that's why.

It's because Sayo's everything she's not.

...

...It's cold.

In her veins, frost and snow crunch quietly together, flowing into her blood. The voices screaming at her to burn are silenced, imprisoned deep beneath the ice.

An entire pool of lava is being completely and utterly frozen.

"If I am a person you consider smart, then let me be your guide, for just this moment. You are not a burden, and you are not immature. You are merely reckless and sometimes lazy; that is all. And to be frank, such flaws hardly mean a single thing in the face of your unending kindness and bravery. That is all there is to it," she says. "If people hate you, then that is their fault and nothing more."

...

"...You mean it?"

"I do. Ako, you are not a child. You are a companion."

"..."

Four pairs of eyes watch her. She looks to her right, and Lisa's smiling. She looks to her left, and Rinko's staring in wonder. She looks slightly behind, and amber watches from afar.

And she looks back to Sayo, and doesn't see a single emotion at all.

...No. That's not true. It's just that Sayo... doesn't show it openly. She just lets her feelings come through in her... unwavering...

...completely honest and truthful...

...words.

...

...Ako breathes.

Absolute zero.

Blue in the veins is what lets the blood flow.

...

Finally... she can breathe.

It's over.

She's not going to be thrown out. She's not going to be hated. And if she ever worries that'll happen again, then she just needs to give her happiness to her friends. And in return, they'll give it right back.

The air bites at her, on this platform above Planet Earth. The travels of a meek teenage girl- no. The journey of a dark necromancer with star-slaying wings takes her to a majestic, wondrous winter wonderland! And when she comes across the scaled mythril wolf, encased in spikes from worlds beyond, all she can think is...

...

...The dark lord...

"...is BLESSED!"

"E-excuse me?"

She wipes the remaining tears. "The dark lord is truly grateful... for all of her friends!" She smiles, she manages a hollow, croaked laugh. And she poses with the feeble might she has left, and looks right at the person she's not. "Um. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"I-I..." Sayo looks aside. "I hardly did a thing..."

"YOU'RE THE BEST!" She'd rush forward for a hug, but she doesn't have any energy anyway. So she just jumps on the spot, and lets Rinrin catch her as she stumbles. "Sayo, you're the coolest, you really are the coolest!"

"Aw, Sayo~. You really are warm inside, aren't you? That was so sweet!"

"No, she's not warm; she's the COOLEST!" Ako jumps. "She's the absolute most coolest person ever! ...Except for me and Rinrin, obviously!"

Sayo sighs. "I wasn't trying to compete."

Who cares? That's the point! She's not Rinko or Tomoe or Sayo; the maturity, responsibility, kindness and duty they have... if she wants those traits, she's going to have to find her own way to them! And she's already known what the way is, this whole time; and it's because of Sayo that she remembers now!

The fallen angel smiles. Her fur-spangled companion is so, so cool. So cool, in fact... that... yes, that's what should be done!

"U-um, gimme a sec!" Ako rushes past her friends and straight towards her room- "Uh! Rinrin! Did I leave the thing in your room!"

"O-oh! Yeah..." Rinrin's smiling.

"Thanks!"

C'mon, where is it, where is it, sorry Rinrin I'm pushing stuff all over the place I just have to find it-

There it is!

"Sayo, Sayo, Sayo!" She rushes back into the main room. "A-ahehehehem! I'd like to give you the highest honour you could receive from a necromancer of the abyss."

"...I... I see." Sayo's sweating. "And. What would that be?"

"Don't back down, now... feast your eyes on this unholy codex!" She thrusts a ragged, throwaway book that's had a flaming cardboard eye slapped on top of it. "The tome containing all the coolest party members to ever have joined my life's raid! And now I wish to dub thee a... um..."

"...Bequeath you to my ranks?"

"Bequeath you to my ranks!" Rinrin to the rescue! "Sayo, I will add your name and image here to be immortalized!"

"I'll pass-"

"So you can't take the front of the book, okay?" Ako starts flipping through the first 13 pages. "Me and Rinrin share that part, so you can't have it. Check out this picture of us holding our duel disks together; Rinrin drew it for me!" She holds up fine art drawn in crayon. "Oh, and uh, you can't have the 14th page either, because that's big sis's page! So you'll have to make do with the one after, okay?"

"...What kind of a compromise is this?"

"C'mon, c'mon!" She grabs a pen from the conference room and thrusts herself into Sayo's side, sharing the book with her and starting to scribble down on it. "This is your page now, Sayo!"

Another sigh. "If I must."

"C'mooooon, be more enthusiastic!"

"Fine. What shall I put in there?"

"Yes, YES!" 

"S-shouting 'yes' isn't an answer!"

She quickly scribbles what she hopes is the coolest version of Sayo she can think of; she looks a little bit plain on her own, so let's throw the silhouette of a wolf behind her! With wings, too! "Congratulations, Sayo Hikawa; you are now a member of the Demon Princess's Dark Allies! Welcome to my lair, uh... ummmm..."

.

"Um! Sayo! We gotta get you a name!"

"...Excuse me?"

How does she not know this? She's a duelist, isn't she?! "A title, Sayo! C'mon, basically every pro has one, don't they? Heaven's Bane, Violet Red... think of something! Please?"

"If I must. I'll try."

Sayo closes her eyes. C'mon, c'mon, what'll it be?

She sighs again. "...I can't think of anything."

"It can be anything! Anything!"

"That doesn't narrow it down in the slightest!"

"Um..." Rinrin raises a hand. "Can I make a suggestion?"

Sayo scratches her hair. "What is it?"

"W-well... if you... can't think of anything, that'd represent yourself... then think of the first thing that comes to your mind naturally. Like a keepsake you cherish, or a hobby you have... sometimes... those can reflect you, too."

...

Sayo speaks.

"_Alias Ice._"

.

Whoa.

Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. "Sayo, that's the coolest name I've ever heard!"

"I-I just did as Rinko suggested, and remembered a keepsake. That's all." She exasperatedly steps back. "Please do not cling to me."

"Ahaha~! You look like you're having fun, though. Doesn't she, Yukina?"

"..."

Ako stands proud. "The contract has been sealed, my fellow companion! Welcome to my lair, Alias Ice! I shall dub thee a friend and cherished sorcerer forevermore!"

"Yeah... welcome. Don't mind our... warm introduction."

The mewling, exhausted look on Sayo's face tells her all she needs to know.

She can definitely become the person she wants to be!


	28. A.T. Case Files: #2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's read this far so far! I mean it bc holy shit, I've just realised you guys have sat through three-hundred-THOUSAND words of my shennanigans. I am so sorry. As a warning, Arc 2 gets significantly angstier from here on out yall
> 
> I'd recommend taking a quick look at the content warnings in the fic summary if you haven't yet, because that's a lot of what'll be present in any given chapter. In addition:
> 
> CWs:  
-Verbal abuse/bullying  
-Graphic depictions of physical violence involving background characters + main characters fearing violence  
-Self-depreciation combined with first/second-person perspective

...

...

...

Normally, it'd be dark. Easy to hide in. The perfect environment for someone like her.

But to her left, her duty eats at her eyes.

The fire.

It's horrifically bright, this close. A cosmic pyre, the amoral astrologer's rocket pioneered from the Earth into the endless, distant expanses of space. The frozen shadows of her mind can't shroud it, no matter how hard they try; because the fire is simply out of their reach. A prison does not have limbs to reach forward with.

And she can't run from it, either. Such a path has been closed off to her. All she can do is open these bars with her own two hands, and follow her obligations.

Step, step.

...

...This fire. Sometimes, she wishes it would burn into her too. Feelings of self-destruction are hardly unknown to her. It's only because of a chance encounter that she decided loathing was preferable.

She's already prepared the fuel. In her flexible hands lies a stake carved with a disturbing, fanged grin. She can't recall how many times she's made these now.

There's nary a pang in her frozen mind as she tosses it into the fire.

...

...

She wishes there was.

A good question, that. Does she feel no guilt? Or has the feeling of guilt simply lost novelty to her nerves? In this place, it could easily be either.

She looks up to the top of the pyre. The flickering ends travel all the way to the sky above; charred, lifeless husks that become the stars. Time and time again.

Lately, she's felt nostalgic. So she decides to turn back and return to her mind's cage, finding that artifact television.

Another tape is inserted into the darkness beneath.

...

...

...

...whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr................

The screen is faint. The initial colour is black. But the light coming from it drowns her eyes.

Static. Sepia-tone. One can see little bolts of white blink over an etched heart.

**A.T.**

The horrors of a modern work environment. She'd become rather familiar with them by now.

**Case File #2**

But she was still so enviously naive.

...

...

...

Zip!

Almost everything's prepared. Fretting, she takes a few magazines out, knowing they'll make the bag too heavy, and puts them aside on the wooden floor amidst her racing thoughts.

What does it take for passion to have meaning? Is a hobby obligated to contribute to the world it lives in?

Duel Monsters certainly isn't like that. The word that'd best describe its nature as an interest is 'e-sport'. It gives no direct contribution to society or its players, and as a result it's often seen as unnecessary. Sure, it definitely has some social effects... it creates a sense of community, for one, something which can be capitalised on for revenue. That's more or less what the Shirasagi Corporation has done. It's what other companies do for other interests, too.

But joining a sport in a deliberate attempt to create a profitable community defeats the entire point in the first place. There's always a lot of motivations that go into pursuing an interest, she figures; maybe you want to stay close to a group of friends you've been with your whole life. Maybe you're trying to use it as a way to find new connections, or build your own character. Maybe it's even healthy or therapeutic for you. But that's not inherent to a hobby; after all, there's plenty of activities out there which can satisfy these kinds of needs. The main reason, the thing almost always inherent to any willful pursuit of a hobby... the reason why people get into a hobby in the first place... 

...is because it's fun.

"Everything ready yet, sweetie?" A voice shouts from elsewhere in the house.

"All packed, Mum! I'll be down soon!"

Zip! There's the last pouch on her waist zipped up. If people didn't think she was a tech nerd because of these, they'd definitely change their minds upon looking at the rest of her. Take a pick; is it her glasses, her jumbo backpack, or her general demeanor? No matter the reason, 'nerd' is a label she'll always take with pride; well, when it feels safe to, at least. Because whenever she slaps out 5 cards onto a table from her sorted decklist and explains the exact way in which it creates a combo that allows you to Special Summon a particular monster while dodging Trigger Effects that normally activate when a monster is summoned-

...hehe. Just... who wouldn't be excited thinking about it?

Oh, well, anyone outside of her field of interest, obviously. Actually, they'd probably have to be pretty into Duel Monsters to find the excitement in it; is that presumptuous? It feels like that's the case. But hey; there's plenty of other interests out there in the world, and plenty of resident nerds in those interests too. The ways in which they'd spend time lovingly waxing wroth about intricacies... most of them'd probably differ from her drunken cacophony of a giggle, but the core feeling's the same: A rushing surge of electricity. The lifeline of passion. 

An innocent indulgence. Something that contributes nothing to 'society', yet means everything to living, breathing people.

"You're going to be late, you know!"

"Not sure about that," another voice chuckles. "She could leave the house 5 minutes after starting time and still show up early!"

"I-I can hear you, you know!" Sheesh, her parents are just... "I-I'm just about done, I promise! Sorry sorry sorry sorrysorry!"

Ah well, she probably didn't need to bring any of her own duel disk parts, right? The work half of her day'll more or less be an introductory session, so it's p-probably fine...

"I'm coming down!" She heads out of her room with (hopefully) everything on her personnel and stumbles downstairs, heading right down to the entranceway of her semi-rickety home. Her parents are already waiting right at the doorstep. "Sorry, I'm really sorry; I'm not trying to be late, I promise!"

"Ahahaha!" Her Mom's raucous as always. "Translation; 'I'm so excited I can barely think straight!'."

"Don't tease her! This is an important day, okay?" Her Mum chides. "She's going to tour the department she'll be working in for over 5 years!"

"Alright, alright~." 

Eep! Mom's patting her on the head... ehehe.

"But don't stress out, got it? You're still 2 months from being 14 years old; barely a kid your age's already doing this kind of work experience, and you'll need time to make some new friends at the academy. So just take it easy and slowly get used to it."

"O-of course! There's no point in overworking myself, after all."

"That's a relief," her Mum sighs. "You seemed down during August, sweetie. I'm glad you're feeling a bit better!"

"Sorry for worrying you. But I'm ready to go now!"

...

...Watching from the tape, the present her remembers. She'd already changed from seeing the suffering of her companions. For a brief moment in history, this version of her was one she could take pride in. Not just one who looked at the world's misery and moved forward, but one who helped others move forward too.

"You can tell from the sparkle in her eyes," her Mom laughs and leans in with a sly grin. "Heyyyy, whizz kid~. What's the power of the last, uhhhhhhh... Level 7 Synchro Monster you used?"

"Eh? **2500-**" Oh, she got baited right into that one. "M-mom!"

"And there's the line that translates to 'I was running simulations last night!' My little whizz kid's always so excited at times like these."

"...hehe." How could she not be, she thinks? A chance to both train her skills and assist in the technology development of THE namesake for Duel Monsters in the dual-district? It's a path to any future she'd want in her interest!

"See, look at her smile!"

"Alright, dear. She's going to spill an entire encyclopedia's worth of knowledge if you keep prodding her," Mum pats Mom on the back. "Normally that'd be delightful, but she's got her first day of school to get to now!"

"Right, right." Her Mom waves. "Off you go then, kid!"

"Have a nice day, sweetie! Make some new friends, won't you? It's been years since we had anyone over at the house!"

...Yeah. It's time to go! In fact, she's never been more ready for anything in her life!

"I'll give it my best! And thank you so much for letting me do this!" She bows. "I'm off!"

"Don't trip!" She hears as she dashes out.

Down, onto the pavement, she slows to a walk of determined, confident pacing. Step after continuous step, through the pavement hued by the clouded sky above. Fitting weather, for a world that can't muster the joy it deserves.

That should change.

As September dawns, she approaches the epicentre of the the twin districts Hanasakigawa and Haneoka. In a way, she thinks the Shirasagi Duel Academy is a strong representative in just about every aspect of her life. It's passionate about Duel Monsters, admiring of technological indulgence... and satanic towards its very lifeblood.

When she received the offer at the end of August, she accepted it after a day's worth of thought. Her parents were surprised, but ultimately they supported her hapless excitement and beared with her reckless self-indulgence. It was as follows; she's joining on the tail of the SDA's current year, and studying there for the next 5 years too, up to the same end date that any other student has. And in addition to becoming a student, she's also going to receive training at the corporation's technology department, located upon the academy grounds; that means she'll get to learn even more about duel disks, holographs and card design than she ever did before! That'll eventually lead to her part-time, and possibly even full-time, employment at the place, possibly before she even finishes her final year. It's practically a miracle she has this opportunity, a dual package so jam-packed. No doubt she was given the offer because of all the work experience she's participated in so far.

And she knows now. It's going to be far from just 'work experience' she does there. Likely, she's going to get saddled with a far higher workload than one her age should ethically be allowed to handle. And likely, the technology department will be a similar environment to every hell she's seen before, or perhaps even the exemplar of them all. The Shirasagi Corporation is the biggest name in dueling for miles around, so it's practically a given that it squeezes as much out of its workers as it possibly can to innovate and drive profits.

But that's exactly why she's going there. She's tired of watching people collapse or fall sick. She's tired of watching all her colleagues and acquaintances succumb to misery and despair. And most of all, she's tired of sitting by passively as she watches the decay dance around her! She's tired of sitting by and just watching this catastrophe at the heart of dueling burn!

The world needs to change. And if she wants it to change, it's going to require more than just her own two hands. She needs to connect with others, needs to share that desire for a better life with everyone she meets, and let them band together for a world they can all smile in.

THAT'S the other half of the reason for her journey. Much like her new life at the Shirasagi Duel Academy, her goals are a dual package; she's going to pursue her own passions with all the unbridled joy and indulgent nerdery she can, and help the people suffering because of the people who control those passions.

Because everyone should be allowed to enjoy the non-profitable everyday!

...Her present self thinks. That hasn't changed, that part of her.

Her reckless goal, back then, and even now... was to let everyone have an innocent indulgence.

\---

Calling it 'fascinating' would be a MASSIVE understatement. Are you kidding me?

The Underside. She's just exited it, but it'll never leave her mind now. It's a department hidden underneath the entirety of the academy, where the real meat of Duel Monsters innovation happens... and she was allowed into it on her very first day! It's still so, so unbelievably surreal to think about how someone like her got to see it! Her new future line manager said she was probably the youngest person to ever lay eyes upon the place, aside from a few mischievous students. Its existence isn't exactly 'secret'; it's just referred to indirectly and kept closed to the public. But it's still amazing, knowing just how absolutely pivotal it is; and how enormous too... it reached all the way to the outer walls of the academy! It had so many entrances, and so many facilities inside... ohhhh, boy, probably the best part of it was seeing the gigantic holograph test chamber in the largest room (apparently named the Orcustrated Babel, after a card whose holograph will take years to develop!); that was incredible! She watched gigantic dragons, mechanised monstrosities, beautiful field spells and trap effects of all sorts be replayed over and over inside that tube. It's amazing how much effort they exert making sure any action a monster or card takes can be visualised by the holograph, so that the duelist using it can create whatever spectacle they desire. It wasn't until then that she realised just how much depth there is to this technology... oh god, there's SO many thing she needs to ask about later, it's going to be so much fun-

Oh, okay, whew, get yourself together! She juggles her mind and starts walking across the Dragon's Mouth, circling an eight-layered fountain and crossing bridges across its created rivers. Her destination's the LV4 Division, which she'll be studying in for the next 3 months before joining the LV6 Division alongside everyone else her age. The LV6 Division only lasts for ages 14-15, but it's still considered an important time by the academy before the 3 years they spend at the LV8 Division! It's the time where all the younger students move from a range of academic studies to a more concentrated pool so that Duel Monsters can become the focus point of their timetable; the idea is to encourage a slow acclimation towards a more professional and career-oriented environment.

But her thoughts aren't overly focusing on that right now. No doubt it'll be hard to make sure she's on par with the rest of her Division in just 3 months, but that's barely a molehill compared to the mountain of a personal task she's set herself. As she takes each slow, measured step, her mind wanders through her darker observations of the Underside:

Working hours. Firstly, it was as she suspected; though the Shirasagi Corporation advertises a typical 9-5 schedule for its proper employees, it's the type to frequently 'encourage' overtime in order to meet their 'dazzling' goals that 'everyone deserves to be a part of'. Its pay is advertised as generous, and it's definitely a margin above standard rates, but it's also reflective of the higher quality and extreme compliance they demand, even compared to other companies; she's already seen some employees get chewed out over basically nothing. Insultingly, it's barely enough at best to let someone live in a residence on their own. And it's not even a consistent pay rate; certain postings are still insufficient to allow such a 'luxury', and the corporation's somehow completely skirted the law regarding age discrimination by filtering inexperienced young adults into jobs that can 'justifiably' be given a lower pay. No doubt the corporation would insist it's not 'made of money' if it were to be confronted regarding this. In fact, she's probably read a tabloid article or two glamourising just that before.

It's no wonder a lot of the workers she met looked tired. It's harrowing, in a way; even in this dystopia, everyone still does their best to be amicable, and she's been included into that little family-esque aura. A few months ago, such an aura would have deceived her into thinking everyone's workloads were justified; but in grim reality, it's just humanity's desperate resilence against their grinning corporate overlords. And even resilience is a trait that companies can glorify until it's profitable. Every time she smiles and shakes another worker's hand with enthusiasm, she's reminded that their shared joy doesn't contradict the horrific environment they live in.

Well, not much'll be done by just contemplating how grim it is; what she needs, and what everyone needs, is action! The employees should all be allowed a wage that lets them live, and conditions that they can find a moment to breathe in. Nobody should be forced to work just to justify their own existence; everyone deserves an indulgence from time-to-time. And though she has no power to accomplish such a huge change on her own, the same isn't true if everyone bands together! All she needs to do is follow in the footsteps of her previous coworkers, and support the people she cares for, until everyone has the courage they need to protest against their puppeteers.

And she's got just the plan to try and start on that. It's not solid yet, since she'll need to know a lot more about what the corporation is like... but think about it. The image of an inspiring young prodigy, so talented at Duel Monsters and spoken of so highly by her peers-

Oh nonononono there's a person there STOP!

"W-woah!" She barely prevents herself from bumping into another student. "I'm so sorry! Please, um!"

"Chill out, dude. You look like an overexcited puppy. It's kinda gross." The student gives her a look of confusion, and keeps walking briskly away. 

"Whew..."

Th-that was a bit scary. Was that student angry at her, or just nonplussed? It's always hard to tell, and that's made interaction nerve-wracking so far. She doesn't even have the professional aura of a workplace to hide her anymore; now she's just a meek girl in a horde of students. Right, school's a completely different deal from the workplace... no doubt this academy's similar to any other kind of institution, albeit possibly messier if the stories that trickle into the news are any indicator. Whatever the case, it's definitely going to be a lot more awkward than work. It's refreshing seeing another person in the SDA's uniform, but she's evidently got a while to go if she wants to make any friends here. Assuming anybody'd be interested in her, that is-

...

"...An inspiring young prodigy, huh..."

She looks to the cloudy sky. The Dragon's Eyes watch down upon the ground in the distance, as does the looming, gigantic thick wall surrounding this entire place.

"...Inspiring." When did she get that kind of image? To this day, she's not really sure why her bosses and coworkers spoke of her so highly. You can be skilled all you want at something, sure, but that doesn't mean you're sociable. What's the point of being a prodigy when you don't have the courage or charisma to pull people in? Those traits are what let you convert your interests into something inspirational. The depths of an interest aren't amazing innately; only nerds like her are allured to intricacies. And most intricacies about her interests aren't really the sort of thing that'd enrich another person's life, because there's just far too many details for them to bother processing with. 

From her point of view, courage and charisma are what let skills actually motivate others; she's never had a time in her life where just endlessly splurging about Duel Monsters has done that in of itself. Her parents 'bear with it', anyone who listens 'bears with it', because they like her for other reasons. So it doesn't make any sense, that someone like her would be so... reputed, just for being 'good'.

"But, I guess it doesn't really matter."

She smiles. After all, even if there's no reality behind the image, the image itself is powerful. Image is a very, very powerful thing... and there's no better example of that fact than The Disaster, Chisato Shirasagi. Even at 14 years old, her decade of honed edge has given her the skill and commanding presence necessary to make performances that shake the motivations and beliefs of others. It's through her carved tie of regality and ruthlessness that a mere card game becomes a tool to manipulate the thoughts of others. 

In fact, The Disaster's image has been so overwhelmingly cut-throat lately that there's actually rumours of the corporation planning to change her title. It's probably related to the expulsion of Yukina Minato earlier this year; that's greater evidence than any that this company doesn't have the best intentions. They're probably looking for a less malicious name for their crown duelist to uphold.

Guess it'd pay to be a little more subtle in rallying for a revolution, then; the higher-ups might get suspicious if the new whizz kid overplays her 'talented up-and-comer'. She shakes her head and squints her eyes; no looking at it negatively, because this is the way she can still help, even if she's nothing special! She can use her image to give others hope for a happier tomorrow. That's the drive she should carry herself forward with!

She renews the rhythm of her pace, taking herself closer to the LV6 Division. Sometimes, the academy really does feel huge; but it's in spite of that size that she manages to near the building on time. She peruses her syllabus and reminds herself of what she's got going on throughout her first day, before turning back to thoughts of her hidden plans.

And that's the last time she was ever able to think so clearly about revolution again.

"...Are they lost?"

She sees a couple of students talking near the building. It doesn't exactly look like a conversation between friends, so they might be asking each other about where to go. She's got a pretty good idea of the academy's layout now, so maybe she'd be able to help? With that thought in mind, she approaches and-

Stops.

"Just hand it over," one student drawls with her fanged grin. "Quit wasting my time already."

"Is your head stuffed with bullets or something?" The other frowns. "Who goes around approaching other students and asking them for cards?"

"I'm not asking for one. I'm telling you to give it to me." She casually leans a hand out. "Caught a glimpse of that one you're holding earlier. Looks pretty useful. So cough it up."

"Yeah, if this is a prank, it's not working. If you don't mind, I think I'll just go to class and-"

But the other student shoves herself in front of the path. "I don't think you heard me. I said, cough it up."

"What the hell's wrong with you? Who gets this obstinate over a single card?" A sigh. "It's 5 minutes until lineup. Just go away-"

Watching from afar, she gulps.

The preying shark approaches the other student with a rolled-up sleeve.

"What the hell? Are you serious?" There's a laugh. "You're gonna start a temper tantrum over THIS in broad daylight?"

It's ridiculous. No, more than that; even as the witness, she's a lot more terrified than the targeted student is. Because the shark doesn't seem scared in the slightest. That sets off warning alarms like nothing else.

A step's taken forward.

"Okay, this is actually pretty funny now. You know there's probably teachers watching you, right?"

"So what?"

"You're pulling my leg," the student laughs. "You're not looking scary, you know that? Nobody's actually going to be stupid enough to start a fight ov-"

THWACK!

Watching it makes her blood still.

It was... so... so malicious. She just watched the shark slam a fist into the student's stomach... without a single hint of hesitation...

"ACK-!" The student loses breathing and keels back. "Y-you... what-"

THWACK! A murderous sweep buries right into the student's leg. There's a scream as a body's knocked bluntly onto the stone ground.

"...!" Why? Stop, stop... this sight... for some reason, it feels familiar. It gives the sensation that she's being strangled by fire, making her heart cower. She's never seen something this unabashedly cruel in person before, has she?

N-no. She has to look away. No, she can't look at this any longer!

"This academy's so big," she hears. "I always run into more people who don't know the rules. It gets pretty irritating sometimes." The sound of something being picked up. "Thanks for the card."

"Wh... what are you... talking about?" The response comes through repressed tears. "What rules?"

"Oh, they're hardly official. But usually the staff can't be bothered to clean up a fight, unless it's reaaaaally messy." Don't panic. "Everyone's here to win, y'know? So if there's a method that makes you stronger, you take it."

"That's... y-you're kidding..."

"Don't bother getting back up."

THWACK! She winces and hears another yell of pain. "STOP! Why... w-why?"

"You're really surprised I'd beat someone up for this? It's what I've been doing for 3 years. Works well for me." Footsteps. "I'm guessing you don't know anything about the academy yet. You don't know what the consequences of losing are, do you?"

...Consequences? What does that mean?

"Well, you'll find out sooner or later. Bye. Make sure you've got something else for me the next time I visit, okay?"

Footsteps-

No. No, no... they're getting closer...

She doesn't even open her eyes. She hugs herself tight and just hopes that nothing will happen, like a frozen child.

Beat.

Beat.

The footsteps stop.

Beat.

Beat.

Please... no...

There's the sound of a smirk.

"Another newbie, huh?"

N-no.

"You remind me of myself when I first got here, with that big backpack of yours. So I'll give you some advice."

Beat.

Beat.

"Don't show excitement to the others. It'll only make you a target for hate."

Beat.

Beat.

The footsteps fade. Further and further.

Beat.

Beat.

...She waits, waits even after the sound is gone, until finally, she hesitates to open her eyes. There's a feeling of nausea and shock from her vision being able to return, but she hopes it's correct when it says the shark is gone.

...T-the other student's still lying on the ground.

She tries to move. "A-are... are you..."

Even a movement makes her freeze. There's the sound of crunched teeth, muttering in rage.

The second she realises the student is shaking and clutching her stomach, she rushes over. "Um! Are you okay-"

Eyes bloodshot.

She stops.

"SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT YOUR PITY!"

Tears. 

A poor animal has been impaled upon a bolt of red-hot lightning.

...

...

She wants to reach out. She wants to stay. But when she sees the person's tear and dirt-stained face running through her heart, the flames burn until she steps back and thinks; there's nothing she can do to help..

"..."

She doesn't say a word. After all, anything she says now would probably sound patronizing, wouldn't it? It's not like she did anything to stop this person from being attacked. 

So she walks by, trying not to cry, and makes her way to the normalcy she believes she has. 

But it doesn't take much longer for her to find something else entirely. Unfortunately, even in the quiet aura of a classroom, or in the back of a room for lunch break, there's still a grip of horror. It's like every part of every student's skin is plastered with eyes that watch you, no matter where you try and run.

That was the first day she saw The Dragon's lysis of despair.

\---

Infection.

In a way, the Underside has started to become comforting. An hour's peace, before the day of fear begins.

"You guys! Could you fetch the goggles from the crate over there?"

"Oh! Certainly, ma'am!"  
"Y-yes!"

There's a strange kind of comfort she takes in this room. It's a testing chamber unlike the Orcustrated Babel, one more in the shape of an arena, made as a final testing area for cards with finished holographs.

It's been a month since she started her life as a student and assistant. And in that time, she's barely even talked to her peers... let alone step foot in a dueling arena like this one. Her teachers are already worried her ranking's going to be low, but her line manager at the Underside says her position as an assistant acts as 'insurance'.

But don't... don't think about the academy right now. Please, don't.

"Thanks for that, guys. Oh, whizz kid; do you have the cards I asked for?"

Don't think about it. "A-ah, I'm so sorry..." She bows. "A student stole the test deck from me this morning. I should've-"

A waved hand. "No worries; I'll use my own for this test. Guess some of the rumors I hear about the academy are true." She stretches. "Well, you seem a little shaken up, so have a relax for now. Take a seat on the bench and watch our trial, okay?"

"I'll pay close attention!" She salutes. "Um... pardon my rudeness, but are you involved in most of the testing?"

"Yup; I've got the official position of practical holograph tester. Guy over there's a card effect designer, but he gets hauled into practicals too." She points at the person standing across the arena. "...Don't think about getting involved in tests yourself, alright? You're still a young'un."

"O-oh! I'm sorry, I-"

"Haha! Don't worry about it. Just gotta make sure, since there's a bunch of reasons we can't let kids your age near prototypes." She sighs. "I imagine the agents'll pressure you into it behind my back sooner or later, but you're not endangering yourselves around me, y'hear?"

"Y-yes..."  
"Of course!" She salutes again. "I won't rush my training, I promise."

"Great! You've got a good head on your shoulders, whizz kid. Look after lil' jellyfish next to you, okay?" She waves. "Have fun watching the duel!"

Everyone equips themselves with the same set of goggles, standard equipment to protect from the visual glitches frequent to holograph testing. The pair sit down at the bench together and watch their seniors get out their duel disks. 

"This is really exciting to me, honestly," she can't help but start. "I, um. I don't duel much in the academy currently, so it's amazing to watch the workers down here playing! Especially with cards that aren't released yet."

"Y-yeah..." Her co-assistant manages. "I'm... not very good at dueling. And I don't have any friends at the academy. So this is nice."

"Ah. I-if it helps, I'm in the same boat." Smile. Don't hear the screams from above. "My studies are fine, but my performance in actual duels is awful right now. Everyone's too busy to lend a hand, really."

"You too?" The jellyfish moves her head. "But they said you were a prodigy at dueling on our introduction day..."

Ah. Right, she'd have heard that rumour. This person was with her on her first day at the academy; another young mixture of student and assistant like her. It's kind of surreal, to see someone else take the effort to follow this path. She can't really help but worry about this person, with how scared she constantly looks.

"W-well, I remember a lot of theory on paper," she deflects. "But I panic when it comes to practical application! I can't keep the knowledge in my brain during an actual duel."

"I see... I think I get it." That smile's oddly soothing. "I have the same problem... although I don't think I'm as good as you at studying, either. I wasn't all that familiar with Duel Monsters until about a month ago..."

"Ahaha... it doesn't mean much, really. Honestly. At the end of the day, I don't really do anything with that knowledge."

Her co-assistant looks a little dubious. But it's the truth, really. She can study all she wants, but it doesn't change the fact that she hasn't taken a step towards her own goals.

Not in a month.

Funny, that. The Underside has become a place for her to escape lately. Wasn't it originally where she was meant to put most of her effort into? Wasn't she supposed to reach her hand out to everyone in this place, and offer them all to band together? To make their circumstances known to the world? What happened to that confidence?

...Maybe she never had it at all.

No, no, don't get negative yet. Besides, the environment above and the one below are two completely separate things, aren't they? She's an easily-threatened and mugged student above, and a helpful assistant below; the latter of which still has plenty of positive potential.

"Oh, they're starting-" Her co-assistant speaks up, and then yelps.

Nerve-wracking. She's seen a few different card designs come to life in the Underside so far, but these seem a little more malicious than usual. They're Machine-Type monsters, made to have their attacks look brutal and simple to emphasise their cold strength.

"I-it's a little scary... I'm not the biggest fan of golems..."

"Mm." She nods, and focuses as much of her attention on the duel as she can. "..._Ancient Gear Chaos Giant._ These are the default animations it uses, right?"

"Yeah. I remember seeing them in the test tube last week," her co-assistant responds. "They're kind of intense, aren't they?"

"There was a lot of effort put into them, that's for sure. I can only imagine what they had to do to emphasise its swings in that fashion. It's a very direct way of selling its ATK value!"

The monster in question uses its default animation for the effect of inflicting piercing damage to its opponent; a giant, succulent laser that leaves a storm of fire in its wake. After the assault, the effects designer motions, and the giant stomps forward with the flames as its background.

"Wait a second," she gulps. "I think I've seen that kind of composition in a war documentary before."

"Yeah... it's really intense, isn't it?"

"...I wonder if that's the point."

"Eh?"

Something slowly creeps into her, and she remembers; she's also seen plenty of monsters whose attacks involve blunt denial and crushing. They give the impression of heartless, unstoppable beasts who care nothing for the victim under their grip.

She doesn't vocalise her next thoughts to her co-assistant. Instead, she lets them slowly seep into herself;

Doesn't every card's design serve a purpose, in some way? Normally, it's unlikely any of their images could influence an actual person's behaviour... but it's not as if they exist in a societal vacuum.

She thinks of a previous example she's heard about; first-person shooters. A video game genre often made the point of controversy that, like Duel Monsters, uses violence as part of its stylistic expression. They're often touted as shortcuts to violent behaviour and antisocial attitudes in real life, despite studies proving such results are far from inherent. However, plenty of those games have rather disturbing undertones to their story narratives, often rewriting historical conflicts to paint one side as more favourable than the other. Those elements... when combined with said violence, they're the true culprits in subtly shifting real-world behaviour.

She feels a muck building in her, and wonders; is it a coincidence that so many students above are desperate to win? She can't help but wonder about the 'consequences' she heard the shark mention on her first day. Does the corporation hold some kind of power over the students, too? It might be a bit of a stretch, but what if the design choices in some of the SDA's most popular archetypes are meant to-

The sound of groaning.

Her thoughts are interrupted.

"Ack!" There's a sudden collapse from the card effects designer. He falls to his knees and clutches his face.

The other employee notices immediately, and the holographs shatter. "Hey! Are you okay?"

"Oh, no!" Her co-assistant gets up from the bench. "Are the goggles damaged? That could've let the holographic light through... I'm the one who carried them over-"

"No, it's nothing that bad. If it's an acute pain, then that means something's gone into his eye."

He sighs. "Y-yeah, I think she's right. The goggles probably haven't been wiped lately."

"You bet I'm right! Urgh, what are those idiots at cleaning doing?! I need to give them a good scolding after this," the holograph tester sighs. "Come on, we're stopping the test for now. Let's get your eye sorted out."

That's her cue! She immediately jumps from the bench. "I'll get a swab and some water! I won't be too lo-"

"What's going on in here?"

But she can't take even a single step. They all jump; it's not a loud tone, but it's undoubtedly a strong one. Everyone turns towards the doorway.

An agent's just stormed in. H-her badge... oh, no, she's one of the vice-heads here, isn't she?

"Everyone stand up, now. I want an explanation from you all immediately. Our card effects designer was supposed to be at a meeting half an hour ago!" She looks at the employee in question. "Why are you crouching? Has there been a problem?"

"Yeah," the holograph tester responds. "He's got an object of some kind damaging his eye. The goggles haven't been wiped. You guys need to make sure the cleaning staff is actually doing their jobs-"

"I'm not responsible for your tomfoolery," the vice-head snaps. "If the goggles are dirty, clean them yourselves. Who transported them over here?" She scans through the 4 people in front of her... and narrows her eyes at the yelping co-assistant. "You. Why didn't you sort it out yourself?"

"U-um! I-I..."

The holograph tester steps forward. "Hey, don't take it out on her! She's a trainee!"

"Our employees are constantly tired from work... and yet our new assistants seem happy to slack whenever they please, I see."

W-what? She can feel her teeth grit as she watches the argument; how on earth was her co-assistant supposed to be prepared for this? She wasn't told a thing about the process; she was just meant to assist the others!

"-"

...

...Was that... herself? Did she just try to object? She wants to, and yet... she can't utter a thing.

"You should have had one of the assistants help you with testing the holographs. The card effects designer was supposed to be in a meeting half an hour ago!"

"I haven't heard a thing about this," he snarls. "Maybe you need to sort out the managers' communication channels already, rather than-"

"Oh? So you're saying it's our fault?"

...

"Good. Accept responsibility, rather than threatening our network."

What a horrible excuse. Is this agent so tired of work that she'd rather just deflect her shortcomings to everyone else?

"U-um!" The co-assistant speaks. "Please... don't take it out on him! He's been really stressed from overtime recently, so-"

"I'VE HAD IT!"

No... no! She's seen this scene one too many times already, but why is someone her age on the receiving end now?!

"You're a student at the academy too, right?!" The agent snarls. "I bet you find it awfully fun, indulgently playing the card games WE spend our time designing instead of focusing any of your efforts here!"

"I-I... um..."

"You're ridiculous! Don't-"

"QUIET! I'm listening to HER right now. I don't want to hear a word from your mouth, unless you're fine with me docking your pay!"

...

Silence.

With that threat to their seniors... she's the only one left who can protect her co-assistant. The workers might have a paycheck to be concerned about, but she doesn't have any such burdens. And she's seen as important to the staff around her... so maybe that means she can-

"You."

Cold. "Y..." She barely manages it at all. "Y-yes?"

"Don't think of stepping in either," the agent snarls. "Find someone else to help instead. It's a more productive use of your time than this mess."

...

...No. Important? How could she not see it?

People are only considered useful to corporations when they're obedient.

"You. Little, obnoxious jellyfish."

"...!" Her co-assistant forms tears at the edges of her eyes. "I-I'm sorry... please, I didn't mean to cause any harm. Please just don't take it out on them!"

"I'm not THAT cruel. I'm just going to refer this incident to your academic tutor, is all. I'll have them assign you to more remedial lessons after-school."

"...!" The co-assistant shakes. "N-no... I don't want to go back there."

Those eyes. Remedial lessons are apparently often left unsupervised. She fears a fight or theft, doesn't she?

But the agent probably knows that. And she evidently doesn't care.

"That's all. Effects designer's coming with me. NOW."

...Sobbing, and mournful silence. Everyone can only watch the ashes settle, suffocated by their inaction.

Except for her. She tries, tries so desperately to take a step forward as her co-assistant collapses into tears. So what if her image of talent is at threat? That doesn't mean her life is; if she has any courage now, she can muster it up and tell the agent to quit lashing out at others! Everyone's a living person who feels guilt, deep down; all she needs to do is make her co-assistant feel like she's not alone...

...so... please... step forward!

...

...

...What does she have to fear?! Why is she such a coward?! Is she ever going to do anything in the face of flames, except fear for her own life?! Why, why?!

You have nothing to fear, you useless coward. Take a step forward! TAKE IT!

But she doesn't do a thing. Nobody wants each other to step in, and take the heat of the agent's ire. They'd all rather sit back in fear for their own lives. And for everyone else, that's understandable. But she shouldn't be like that; she's always been the prodigy, she's always been the supposed inspiration. If she has the ability to bear the brunt of more work and hardship than others, then she needs to bear that flag, and start supporting others!

Useless, she screams inside. You're useless, useless, useless. How many times have you ignored students crying in the corridors, because you're too frightened to help, or too afraid of the bully sneering at them? How many times have you side-eyed someone's exhaustion because your boss or manager is watching? How many times are you going to prioritise your own life, when everyone else has so much more to fear?!

Coward... coward!

The door slams. Of course, she's taking the fool's route; she finally steps forward, and leans down to hold her co-assistant by the shoulders. "A-are you... okay?"

No response. A meek creature hides her head in her knees and wraps herself deep within, her sobs tearing out on the sides of her skirt. "I... I'm sorry..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for! She was awful! Please... don't beat yourself up for it. I'm here for you!"

"I... I'm sorry." The coworker gets up, face scarred in misery. "I'm... going to go to my lesson."

"O... oh. I-if you want, I can-"

But it's useless. "W-wait!" The victim runs. The door opens and closes. There's the sound of fretting, heavy, unrestrained footsteps rushing through the corridor, sobs barely suppressed.

...

They say the last sound you hear is what you'll remember in your head. She wishes that wasn't true.

Of course. She was useless. Stepping in to help after the fire's already burned? What a coward you are. Your time to be a hero already passed, you delusional pile of scrap!

"...Hey, whizz kid."

"A-ah." Don't frown. Don't scream. She smiles, and turns her head to the remaining employee. "What is it?"

"Don't throw your life away."

"...What do you mean?"

Gone is the jovial expression previously on the worker's face. In fact, it seems so serious that she feels almost guilty for smiling in its presence.

"Do you not know? About what happens to students who get expelled?"

"E... expelled?"

She's never considered the possibility. Do expulsions happen often here?

"It's not pretty. And it's not something someone your age should be learning. Expulsion is the guillotine that makes all your peers so ravenous for victory." Eyes bore into her. "You did all you could to support lil' jellyfish, alright? Don't throw yourself in harm's way for her, because the agents WILL kick you out if you're too defiant."

Defiant. Her cowardice, her inability to stand up for others... does that make her more useful to monsters?

It burns.

"Um. Thank you for the advice," she bows. "But I don't mind being expelled if it means someone else feels more supported."

"You should. Expulsion is more than just leaving the academy, here."

Fire.

"W-what? What... does that mean?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Fire.

Fire is so, so hot to the touch. She's never dared to touch it at all.

"...Please tell me," she croaks. "I... I want to know. I... need to know what I'm up against."

"..."

Every cell in her body tells her 'no'. The look on this person's face, it's the same one she's seen countless times. People whose hands were bathed in kindness and concern for her... always had that look.

But she has to know.

"Alright. I'll tell you. But say 'stop' the second you've heard enough."

The employee's voice lowers. She has to take a step forward, in order to

hear

it

Her eyes narrow.

"...No..."

"Do you wanna know any more? About what you'd have to be prepared for?"

...

"...I do."

And she learns.

The Dragon.

This was the first time she learned of the abyss beneath her home.

The employee turns away. "Whizz kid. Before you think about helping anyone else... make sure you're safe."

Silence.

And that's the last she hears on that day.

The second she's left alone in the room, she collapses to her knees, and covers her hands with her mouth.

A mental bile feels like it's burning.

"No... there's... no way..."

Watching from the television, her present self remembers. That terror, that fear of the abyss. It stays forever. It'll haunt her until the day she dies. The abyss is the Shirasagi Corporation's spineless guillotine, sharpened beneath the Earth in an iron grip.

"I... I really am useless. I really am... the worst. How did I not...?"

She doesn't allow herself to cry, no matter how many tears stab at her eyes.

But the next thing she says... is something she'll forever regret. No matter how terrified she was at the time, she'll never forgive herself for the cowardice she showed here.

"I... I have to survive."

Because the second she said those words...

...she'd already retreated from the prospect of supporting anyone else.

That's exactly how she became a dragon of her own.

\---

And by the time she'd realised, it was already too late.

The corridors of the Underside have never felt so dark before. The metal beneath her feet is nearly invisible. 

Her eyes taper to the note in her hands.

It's been 3 months since. It's January of the next year now. Her first year in the LV6 Division. She's already become an experienced hire at the department, too.

How talented of her.

The note's folded and marked with a little jellyfish. Her co-assistant gave it to her this morning. That was the first time they'd talked in 3 months. Apparently, she had to run away from the remedial lesson back then because a fight broke out in it, and she ended up hiding in the hallway crying.

"..."

The note's unfolded.

And it's exactly as she expected.

'Thank you. I'm sorry for avoiding you lately. I just remembered that day when I saw you, and I was trying to avoid thinking about it.

You're a really kind person. I hope we can work together more in the future.

Thank you, really.

-K'

"..."

Of course. No doubt there was a lingering sense of guilt, the feeling of a need to apologize. Even though she hadn't done anything at all to help, she was still given this note out of obligation. Because apparently, the pathetic aid she tried to offer, after the fire had already burned, was worth forming a 'thank you' for.

I'm sorry, she thinks. I'm sorry you felt the need to try and make me feel better, even when you're the one suffering.

"Hey, whizz kid! Are you checking out the poster?"

She folds the note again, and looks to her right with a calm smile, facing towards another employee. "...I am. It's really striking, isn't it?"

"I haven't seen it yet! That's what I'm here for."

It's towering. In front of the two of them lies a copy of a beloved bastion, and a manufactured executioner.

"The Central City Exhibition... god, I'm glad that went down well." The employee wipes a bead of sweat from her face. "It's been a bit over a year since Yukina Minato got expelled, right? The outrage was freakin' terrifying... last year's Exhibition was totally trashed. I got scared the academy's reputation was gonna collapse, but I guess this event's really good at swaying the public. It's made a comeback, huh?"

...

"That means we're all gonna keep our jobs, then. That's a godsend- hey, whizz kid. You listening?"

"O-oh. I'm sorry. I was just lost in thought."

"At least look at me when we're talking then! Ohhhh, is it because of the poster?" There's an innocent giggle. "Ahhhhhhhh. I know why you can't peel your eyes off that thing!"

...

"...So you've noticed, then."

"Yeah! I saw; all the people who worked on the new cards got listed in the credits!"

Of course. How could she not see it? She's been staring at it for what feels like an eternity.

It's her requiem.

"God, I can't believe it!"

The employee's hand reaches out...

...and one finger...

...points to her own name, listed on the poster.

"You're amazing, whizz kid. You're some kind of prodigy, to be able to help with holograph and card effect design at your age! A tech master AND a Duel Monsters master!"

... "Ahaha. It's nothing."

"Aw, you can butter yourself up if you want to! Don't sell yourself short! Your designs for some of the new Ancient Gears' effects were amazing."

Yeah. They were, weren't they?

The way those monsters tore their opponents apart, and spat on the hopes of a comeback. What a stunning visual performance, to strike the duelists' hearts with. What a stunning performance, to inject The Dragon's lysis into the students' veins with. 

How lovely, that her skills allow her to design the draconic stakes.

"Thank you very much. I'm honoured, really."

"Now that's a nice smile! You should wear it more often."

"A-ahaha. Thank you."

"Where are you planning on going next?" The employee's eyes glimmer with innocent enthusiasm. "You'll probably be hired full-time by the time you've finished LV6. You could be multi-tasking the LV8 Division and the Underside at the same time!"

"Yeah. I imagine that's what'll happen."

"God, I can only imagine what they might have you design in the future. Are you excited? Everyone can tell how much you love Duel Monsters, after all." A smile. "Remember that time you accidentally made us late because of your essay on Gungnir? It wasn't even a meta-relevant card, but you used exactly that topic to describe its impact relative to its predecessor. That's when I knew I'd met a BIG nerd."

"Yeah. I get called that a lot."

A hearty slam on the chest. "Wear it with pride! There's nothing but good that comes from your passion, after all."

...

"Well, hope I see you around, whizz kid!" A wave. "Lemme know if you need any help! Oh, and," a wink. "I know a few employees who're really good at the game too. If those asshole students are ostracizing you from training sessions... come and find us, okay? It'll be fun!"

No. 

Never.

"Thank you," she says. "I'll be sure to consider it. Have a nice day."

"You too, whizz kid! Keep doing what you do!"

Step.

Step.

Step.

Such unknowing steps.

And then she's left alone. Completely alone in the darkness. It's so, so dark. The metal's right there beneath her feet, all its visible indents, and yet she can't see a thing.

There's complete, frozen silence.

No tears.

No screams.

No laughter.

No smiles.

Because if she ever let herself express those things, she'd never forgive herself.

...

...

The poster.

The center is decorated with two monsters. The _Ally of Justice Decisive Armor_ is firing a devastating stream of lightning, ripping into and setting alight the chest of _Leo, Keeper Of The Sacred Tree._ There's a few subtle, flaming effects adorning the edges.

And right outside those effects lies her name on a list.

...

...

"...I won't."

Her body is strangled by the fire at her front. Looking at the smoke paralyses her. She's just stuck, watching the world burn.

She hasn't done a thing.

Everyone around her continues to suffer. Everyone around her continues to be threatened. And she doesn't help them with her prodigious talent. She doesn't help them with her skills. No, the only thing she does is contribute to the very cycle that causes it. Because all this time, she's just been running away, running away from it all.

Her passions, her attention to little details, her love for indulgence... all it does is help break people down, and tear them apart.

...

...Breathe.

Cold. Colder, colder, colder. Breathe until every piece of fire in your veins is snuffed out, and every bolt of lightning is hidden away, never to see the light of day again.

It's cold.

It's so, so cold, all of a sudden.

On her limbs, a prison grows. On her skin, there's the loving, caressing embrace of the callous cold. It's so naturally occuring, as if the very element was her lifeblood. Rippling waves of spike-speared ice run in and out through her limbs, until they form a perfect cage around her heart effortlessly. The prison grows, and grows, until it completely freezes her whole.

And she swears.

"...Never again."

She won't design holographs. She won't design card effects. She won't accept the kindness of her peers, she won't follow her desires, and she won't follow her passions. She won't ever try and support the Underside's machinations any more than she must. She'll only keep training because it lets her maintain her tie to this world.

I swear. Until the day I can help the people I care for, I'll never let myself breathe again. I'll suppress as much of my indulgence as I can, until I finally put an end to this lysis of despair. If I am to be a coward, I'll punish my cowardice until I finally take a step forward. If I am to turn tail at the sight of flames, I'll bury myself in ice until I face them once more.

She declares, from this point onwards, and hammers her haunting gavel of anguish:

Until you give the world its innocent indulgence, you are never to indulge again.

...

...

"...Right."

She smiles with ease. A perfect expression for customer service.

"Time to get back to work."

Step, step, into the darkness.

Until she slays her eternal sin of cowardice, this is her condemnation. And her sentence is: For as long as she breathes in complacency, she must imprison herself in this frozen castle. A castle made with her own prodigious hands.

A castle where no shine can be seen.


	29. Welcome, Orchid

Nature, yet not.

Isn't that my voice? Or am I arrogant for thinking it's worthy of the word 'nature'?

...

Drip, drop.

...

...Pitter pitter pitter pitter pitter...

Gently, down the night stream, the river sings... 

The crickets lullaby at the eye of sunset's silent hurricane. If she listens close enough, there's only one other sound; the breeze whispering against her cheeks, letting the grass nurture its night-glazed wave. Orange seeps at the side of the forest's plains, settling through the trees at her back and the plants at her front. But it's low, level to the horizon all around her; it's the reticent outer layer to an overhead blue.

...Pitter pitter pitter pitter pitter...

It's a little colder than usual. There's a circle of wood and stones at her front, barely wider than her own hand. Sitting in the smoothened grass, she makes a modest spark and starts a modest fire.

...crack... frazzle...

Light. A nonchalant sigh. She moves her hand back, and all's right with the world. The temperature's only lukewarm, but it's the perfect comfort. In the navy-painted green, a shrub's long thin leaf leans at the side of her face, and her knees rest comfortably on her chest as she settles into the grass. The quiet embrace of nature speaks stronger than she ever can.

...That's exactly why THAT thing taunts her.

She grips it.

'...'

...Pitter pitter pitter pitter pitter...

The longer her right hand holds it, the more her frown creases. Why does she even carry it around? It's the opposite of 'quiet', after all.

She should just let it go. And yet, it lies there, attached to a loose silver string forming a necklace slung asymmetrically around the back of her neck. It lies there, tied at the bottom, at the side of her core, resting behind the lapel of her leather jacket. That which claims itself life with its arrogant synthetic, its woven crown deeper in ebon than the plastic stalk it lies upon.

Who is it trying to convince?

'...'

She pulls her mind from her attachment to it, and lets the water soothe her soul again. Earth's embrace never shines when it comforts you, and it can't be bribed by a shine either. You can't bond with nature through gaudy trickery; you have to forge your mutual respect through your own effort and honesty. You have to be open. 

Vulnerable. 

Exposed.

'...'

...She curls her body inwards and grips the treasure tighter.

And seconds later, the world responds:

RRRR

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRUMMBBBLEEEEEEEEE

'...!'

.

'T-thunder...'

Winds begin to carry. 

It beats.

Thump, thump, thump. Her treasure beats. The lace of silver pulses at the back of her neck beneath her raising hair, kissing a haunting melody into her skin, and she feels a bead of cold sweat heating her up. 

'W-why?'

The treasure has departed from the curl of the lapel, hovering to the north. It's almost tugging on her; like it wants her to move forward, but denies the idea when asked.

'...'

Be like that, then.

A blink, and she's stood up, taking the plains as her own, moving forward. Rainclouds huddle around the sides of the earth, the storm begins to brew, and yet she's standing up, moving forward. The covers of all the plants; of all the trees, all the withered fern and weeping willow, all the shrubs and thistles around her, all the flowers and their fragrances... they all slowly abandon her until there's nothing but a wave of grass with each step she takes, implying to claim her a pretender.

Gripping the treasure is the only thing that lets her move forward.

That is, until the necklace digs in, and the treasure billows towards...

...her.

'Who... are you?'

Strange, that.

Her shape's so easily visible. You can see every daunting, imposing outline, like the symbol in a city's emergency signal. Every intricate scrap, every pointed end of the jacket's suggestion and every strand of the hair's being is so clearly visible.

And yet this... person, is so completely deluged, so completely drowned in shadow, that it's impossible to make out even a single detail.

...

Unable to see the core, she gazes at the shadow. She can still tell, despite the darkness; or rather, she wants to believe it's true;

The shadow is looking at her.

'W-whoa!'

The storm is ferocious. Around the two of them, a hurricane encloses until life's last stadium looks to the heavens. And there's a light blasting her face like never before. She looks up and realises; stars. There's so, so many stars, drowning the entire sky. The navy blue is covered in a rain of lights, so incomprehensibly far away yet so ruthlessly blinding. 

Were they always this present? She's never had to look at them directly before; when the outer rims of orange fade away, all she needs to do is close her eyes for a while. And the reason for that's always been the same; the stars infuriate her. In a way, it's an infuriation almost strong enough to warrant chasing them, just to wipe the grins off their faces.

But she's not going to dwell on it now. Instead, she grits her teeth and keeps her feet solidly on the ground, feeling like she'll merge with it if she presses any further. It takes every heating effort she can muster to try and suppress the manic beat as she's pulled towards the hidden shadow.

And she decides,

that shadow is more infuriating, more frustrating, than any star in the sky.

'You...'

Is it anger? It is admiration? Or is it just a vortex of chaos, screaming to break free? The treasure is so, so desperate to carry her forwards, and the mess of feelings it evokes can't be described. So she ignores it all, and settles on anger instead.

'...Who are you trying to convince?'

The shadow doesn't respond. She merely stands still, blackened sights bearing a hole deep within.

Fine then. If you're so high and mighty, so unwilling to answer me, then I'll slam your words right out from you, until you're exposed before me-

She's

She's going to speak.

The shadow speaks, echoing into the treasure across the field:

'If you cannot handle the stench of failure... turn back.'

A bolt of lightning strikes the earth. 'W-what?' It's never been so easy to respond. 'What does THAT mean?'

But there aren't any further words.

'Y-you asshole! That doesn't tell me a thing at all!'

SHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

'Wha-'

The burst of light she sees, searing out from the shadow; she knows it's brighter at its centre than the core of any star. But unlike a star, she's barely 5 metres from it, leaving her completely and utterly blasted by the very extent of its shine. The light pours, devours, drowns, fills and bloats all at once, until every blade on the ground and every speck in the sky bows to its majesty.

'W-wait!'

The shadow, the shadow's rising. Barely clinging to the ground, she throws a hand out in futility, she watches as the darkness-drenched shadowbane shines into the sky and pierces a gigantic hole through every cloud daring to cover the night blue.

...That shadow... with such a strong, such an overwhelmingly intense light surrounding it... if it reaches into space, it's going to become a star.

...

'No. Not if I can help it.'

She's never been so determined in her life. There's not a hint of hesitation as her voice makes itself known. Her hand thrusts out, grabbing the treasure and gripping it as tight as possible. 

The silver necklace fails to rise to the sky. Letting the treasure throw her forward, she slams it into the ground... and that voice, the voice making the strongest and most powerful blade she has, commands itself to stab out from Planet Earth, howling its defiant edge at the stars.

'I won't let you run!'

Come back down here, imposter. I'll shine myself, if that's what it takes! Just you watch!

Every blade of grass is shaking. An entire slab of the planet is quaking, forming into a gargantuan twin-spiralling tower. The tails split and merge into more and more, taking the fairy tale of Yggdrasil to space, stalks growing from the very Earth until it shows nature's magnificent bloom to the rest of the endless starscape. Even as the hypocrisy of nature shining cuts into her very breath, she stands tall at the top of the tower and pushes as far as she possibly ever could, more than anyone like her could ever dare.

...There she is, there the shadow is. Light-drenched shadowbane, it's so infinitesimally small to her still, but she's chasing it, and that's making her closer than she was back when she stood still; no matter how fast the tower rises, no matter how much closer to outer space it gets, that shadow still seems so, so far away, but she'll keep climbing, and climbing, and climbing and climbing and climbing until the cannon of the earth's vine rockets her all the way, so fast and so far that in an instant, the distance between them that keeps increasing'll decrease instea-

...she's...

...

...she's falling...?

The ceiling.

Is that... is that a ceiling? No, it couldn't be. The shadow was right there, the constellations were right there, in front of her eyes. She was about to breach the last defenses of the atmosphere. But no, something had to be calling itself a ceiling... otherwise, what could have possibly pushed her down, from that evergrowing vine?

She looks above

and gasps.

Nothing.

There isn't a single star anymore

in the sky of navy blue.

'-'

A voice? Is that a person? 

She tries to respond through the falling air. 'Who... who are you?' 

It's such an unidentifiable mass, such an incomprehensible being. Can she even call it a figure? She can't understand a thing about it. All she knows is that this... something. It's responsible, isn't it?

Whatever this star-erasing being is, it's cut her off from rising into space.

'Why? Answer me!'

Comprehend.

Comprehend.

....Comprehend it. There's... there's something being said! There's a response-

Her jaw drops when she hears:

01000110 01100111 01100010 01100011 00100000 01110110 01100111 00101110 00100000 01010001 01100010 01100001 00100111 01100111 00100000 01111010 01101110 01111000 01110010 00100000 01111010 01110010 00100000 01110000 01100010 01111010 01110010 00100000 01101111 01101110 01110000 01111000 00101100 00100000 01110111 01101000 01100110 01100111 00100000 01100111 01100010 00100000 01100110 01101110 01101001 01110010 00100000 01101100 01100010 01101000 00101110

...No.

It's no use trying to comprehend.

All she can do is stare, eyes wide open,

as she falls

and falls

and falls

and falls

and falls

and falls

...back to Planet Earth.

"Gah!"

Vision, blurs, there she is, steel wall-

Oh.

"Was I... daydreaming?"

Haneoka Central City.

She moves her arm, taking care not to damage the treasure on her necklace, and fishes her phone out from her pocket. The date:

Monday, the 15th of February.

\---

The doomsday has arrived. 

Once midnight strikes, blood will run red.

"Miss Shirasagi!"

A ragged but beaming idol runs at her side, carrying a mountain of paper on her arms that belies her seeming fragility.

"Aya."

"Good work at the photoshoot! You've got an interview and a few announcements before you attend the dinner party, right? I-It's my last day as your assistant, so I'll give it my best!"

That smile.

How it tries to shine, despite its horrific solitude.

"Very well." 

She continues walking upon the thin metal line on the floor.

Trying not to burn. 

\---

The Haneoka Festival.

The noise in the air, even in a place as high and elevated as this; it's friggin' unavoidable. It's the noise of hundreds upon thousands upon thousands. Thousands of voices, all entangling and falling onto each other until the entire district becomes a forever tumbling pile of blades.

Hot in the middle of the day, despite it being so cold. Maybe sitting at a table with a grey muffler and black leather winter jacket does that to you. An hour of lunch, and she's just let herself slack here, wistfully staring at the bright-blue skies. There's nothing to them except a few puffy clouds.

"...God, I really am bored, aren't I?"

She gets up; not because she has any destination, but because it's better than sitting around for so long. There's no wind to blow at her scarf here; all the action's happening far down below. Guess a cafe at the 3rd story of a shopping mall made for a decent getaway, at least. Sure, there's a few others sitting around on the deck, but it's nothing compared to the hordes of duelists hanging out below. You'd think the pavements were painted technicolour. Currently, there's a broadcast about a football field's kick away from her, an announcer failing to make themselves heard over the volume of a tournament's electricity. There's a few whispers from the people she passes by, all the typical; 'the competitors aren't all that good', 'there aren't any standout faces', 'if I were a pro duelist I would simply win'. Same boring stuff as always.

"I'm surprised the Dueling Idol isn't participating in this one."

"Why would she? She doesn't use Machine-Types."

"Yeah, but her cronies've probably stolen enough for her to make a whole deck by now!"

"Ohhhhh, clever~."

"Ugh, can you guys stop? There's so many stories about her thievery. I'm tired of the SDA media talking about it all the time."

Ran sighs. It's so exhaustingly negative. She tries to tune out from one table's conversation, only to have another chatter into her ear. All the noise frazzles in the air, and she just isn't bothered to say a thing anymore. Especially not when she's all alone.

"..."

Well, might as well swipe through her messages.

Depressing as they've been, this past weekend.

I wish the two of you the best of luck in the rest of your training! I apologise again for being unable to keep it in my schedule; it has been a daily delight teaching you!

I will continue to hone my bushido as much as I can ' v'7!!

Another from yesterday.

RAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! TSUGU SAYS MOCA'LL COME BACK NEXT WEEKEND!!! im going to make her spend ALL her allowance on my sweets, as vengeance for you

sorry that shes been so mean to you and tomoe!! i promise theres a reason!

Another. Received this morning.

hey ran! got a request to make; if my parents ask you about ako, don't tell them anything about where she is, okay?

long story short, we had a visitor claiming he'd seen her, and

well, it's been a bit unstable here since. i'll work up the courage to talk about it later, promise

She hasn't responded. It's not like she'd know what to say, anyway.

A sigh. She puts the phone away, and wanders back into the mall. She deliberately hid herself in here because it wasn't stuffed, compared to the hellhole pouring around downstairs, but that doesn't mean it's quiet. She's never had a reason to go into City before, and...

...well, she doesn't have one anymore, either. Sure, Circle made today a holiday, but... now that Eve's too busy to keep her and Tsugu's training up, what can she even do here? Everyone was supposed to hang out at the Festival today with her; it's not really up their alley, but hell, people give out free food and cards here, and that's basically reason enough to celebrate together, isn't it? That's what they always did, starting from a couple years back; but today's completely different. Moca's still giving her selective radio silence, and Tomoe's...

...Tomoe's... occupied at home. That just left her, Himari and Tsugumi. Normally that'd be fine, but it's been so long since the 5 of them had an outing together. Nobody was motivated. Himari went to go cheer Tomoe up instead, and Tsugumi went home to help around the house, even though the cafe was closed for Festival day.

Oh, by the way, Moca. Fuck Moca. Moca's such an ass right now.

Supporting, helping out... is that what she should've done too? Had an extra lesson with her father, or went to see Tomoe? Isn't she just wasting time she could be spending encouraging the people she cares about? 

...No. Not really. She's useless once fun isn't the main goal. It's not like she has anything to contribute to her friends' lives when the going gets tough. All she can do is play Du-

...

"...Why? Why is it causing so much trouble for me?"

Through obnoxious crystal chandeliers, she gazes at the marble mosaic-paving, ignoring the eyes of overpriced mirrors left and right, lingering past shops far too expensive a floor or two further from the earth than she's used to. If only she felt the bother to care for how out-of-place she looks in this flashy-ass public catwalk; who cares? Just who cares, right now? 

Okay, let's not talk out loud at least. That's gonna make her look embarrassing. She keeps her thoughts in, and wonders; is there a reason her Dad feared Duel Monsters beyond 'people are assholes'? Or is it just a coincidence, that there's this weird feeling she has about playing it right now? Why does it feel like an escape sometimes? 

She can't help but remember that night, back next to the solemn waves. The edge of Haneoka Coast, painted purple by the necromancer's violet-flared wings. It was nothing but a stake; she shared so much joy, so much fire with Ako, only to have it all burn away, have the veil burn away right before her eyes.

Ako was running away, because of just this one sport. Just a game.

No, more than that.

Someone lured her into running away.

"..."

She stops. All of a sudden, she's shot up in anger. Every molten vein in her body flares, and laughs at how absolutely pathetic she looks. You're nothing but a liar, Ran Mitake. You're nothing but a deceiver. You and all your hollow tricks-

"...!"

No. Screw all that, FUCK all that. You don't know what this sport means to me! I moved to an entire damn new school, just to be with them, and it's because of Duel Monsters that the plan even worked! It's because of this game that I've managed to stay close to the friends I love more than anything, time and time again! You think my feelings aren't genuine? You think I'M a liar?

Of course you are. Isn't it pathetic that your friendship relies on a stack of cards? What a feeble, laughable little bridge.

...No. Screw THAT! We wouldn't hate each other if we didn't have it; we'll always cherish each other, no matter what. It's just...

T-that's right! Duel Monsters isn't some kind of saviour; it's a vehicle. It keeps Afterglow all on the same track. No matter how long night lasted in the dark forest, we were always together in that vehicle until we saw light again. If Ako used it to run into the darkness instead, then that just means the problem isn't Duel Monsters; the problem is the way people decide to use it.

People... like her.

Channels of red veer from one river to another. No, it really is all THAT person's fault, isn't it?! It's the same thought that's coursed through a thousand times, be it at a port in the sunset or at night looking at the ceiling;

It's flashy liars like YOU that I can't stand!

No wonder. No wonder it feels so hollow, wandering around here on her own, more out of some strange sense of obligation as a 'duelist' than anything else. If she's not with her friends, what's the point in even playing this game? It's useless like this. Is it fun? Yeah, sure, of course it is. But even that's quashed by just...

...whatever this annoying festival is.

Is it too sour to see the festival as annoying? Every time she goes to it, it feels like an inconvenience. She knows she should be excited; after all, it's fun seeing the passion and joy you can potentially find... hell, even the half-off offers at restaurants are fun in their own way. But this corporate-hosted parade feels like a publicity stunt to her. Maybe hanging around the Teasing Prankster Duo at the end of every month's made her bitter whenever a corporation's behind something; it's easy to realise how everything acts as a lie, a PR boost. People will read the shadows of dragons on the papers, and fail to bat an eye, because those dragons are the only ones offering a market... everyone just ends up sucked into the everyday they can't avoid, powerless to change anything. The only thing an individual can do is watch the world burn.

She veers from the yellow-lit limelight into a red-marble hallway, pillars on each side. She doesn't even know where she's going anymore.

Ugh, screw it, screw it, screw it. Maybe she'll swallow the bile of anxiety and just... find a dueling venue or something. It's not going to be THAT bad, trying to do so on her own, is it? What's the point stewing in negativity when she's alone? She can't cling to everyone else like a codependent toddler. There's probably some spaces out there that don't mind the silent treatment, anyway-

Wait, stop moving, back up. "Oh, shit..."

Nothingness.

She's hit an opening. From the marble hallway, there's a gigantic, wide-open room with an absolutely enormous golden statue placed in the center, shaped like a melting globe. Checkered tiles dance in rings around it, making way to the ends filled with potted plants and white leather sofas beneath a windowed-dome ceiling, whose summer-esque light begging through makes barely more than a faint grey glow.

But that's not what's making her balk. It's the absolute horde of SDA students sitting around, instead. It's like she's walked into a den of sleeping sharks.

"..."

...The hell? It's quiet. Nobody's speaking. She takes a step and lets her eyes endanger her; the students're all lazing about the sofas or leaning back against thin air, idly whispering among themselves or perusing their decks. It's not even a forced kind of quiet; it's more like they've decided talking isn't worth the trouble. Why? Is there something irritating them...?

...!

"Hin-"

N-no. Her wimp's coming out in full force; she doesn't want to bring attention to herself. It's strangely frustrating, but right now she lets the fear take over as she watches. In front of the statue, gazing at a faraway wall, there's someone she thinks she knows all too well. Jovially slung-on tank top, waves of messy hair tied into braids, a uniform's blazer wrapped around the waist above what seems like an entire belt's worth of Duel Monsters decks; there's nobody else who dresses like this here.

And this person's standing, all alone.

Still. Unmoving. Lifeless.

"..." She can't help but stare. She knows the other students might have noticed her by now, but she's struck still, seeing Hina in their midst staring down at the ground.

...Her eyes. Her expression.

Why do they seem so empty?

It feels like an eternity. In fact, she's so transfixed, so strangely strangled in her stomach, that it takes a minute for her to even notice the student trying to sneak up behind Hina. She wants to warn her friend, but the danger's already been noticed; because before Ran even tries to say a thing, there's a little bit of stardust, and Hina finally moves like she was never frozen at all.

"G-gotch-" The student's hand falls on thin air. "Whoa!"

That's what you get, dumbass. Nothing worse than a thief.

"...Finally. I was wondering when someone'd try that!"

"Yeah, gloat all you want, Supernova. You sure are cocky, aren't you?"

"Mm? Whaddya mean?"

"Come on," the shark scowls. "15 different decks on your belt, and you're complaining about robbery? Must be nice, pissing everyone around you off."

No. Knowing Hina, she probably doesn't even realise. "Ohhhh, I remember you! You're always so angry, y'know that? You try to steal from me even more than everyone else does."

...'More' than everyone else? Is it that often? And why? Do these people hate Hina in particular THAT much?

She grips her fist.

"Well, if you're fine with getting robbed so much," the student says, "how about I try some more?!"

You're kidding. It's infuriating to look at. That asshole makes swipe after failed swipe, like Hina's cards should just belong to someone else. What the hell'd she do to deserve this? None of the other students even bat an eye-

-No. Are they all being quiet and sitting their asses back because they don't want Hina to talk to them? Because they'd rather relish in her suffering instead of treating her like a normal human being? Oh, screw this. Screw safety, screw danger; it's not like any of these 'sharks' have a spine anyway!

"Hey, asshole!" She rushes in and grabs the student by the wrist. 

"W-who the hell?!"

The whisper's so quiet, it almost kills her. "...Ran?" 

"Why don't you just leave?" She doesn't waste another second letting go of the vermin. "Go on. Piss off!"

She can feel people staring.

"Wh-why are you getting in my way, you nobody?"

"This nobody's going to make you catch hands from nowhere if you don't leave."

"T-that doesn't even make sense!" A step forward. "You talk a lot of shit for a wannabe hero. Hey guys, come over here."

Uh. Uh-oh. There's about 2 more sharks joining the fray. They're not going to fight in broad daylight, are they?

W-well, fine. If that's what you want, then-

Hina grabs her arm.

"Back off. Stay away from Ran."

Everything stops. Ran looks to her side, and...

...Red. It's speeding through Hina's normally golden eyes. And with that red comes the most subtly horrifying smile she's ever seen. "It's been months since I threw a punch instead of just evading. But you remember what happened the last time you tried me, don't you?"

...

None of the students step forward.

"And don't forget; I can ask the staff to arrange a duel between us at any time. I could plummet you guys' ranks whenever I want. So I don't think it'd be a good idea to lay a finger on my friend, y'know? Ever."

...

"Tch. Screw this." The sharks slink back to their shoal. 

Ran lets out a shaky breath; goddamnit, it'd help if she could be at least a little calmer in these situations. That was bullshit!

"...Hehe☆. Hey, Ran. This way!"

"Whoa! Hina?!"

Barely a second, and she's yoinked out by the wrist, dragged back from the red and gold into another hallway, away from the horde of murmuring students. "H-Hina, where are we g-"

SHUT! Before she realises it, they're in an elevator, just the two of them. Sheesh, getting pulled around by this person is like being thrown into a train... she has to shake her head a few times before she realises Hina's already selected another floor, singing happily against the wall. "Well, glad you're looking better, at least."

"Mmhm! Thanks for showing up, Ran. I figured it'd be pretty un-whazzin' if you stuck around those guys, so I whisked us away!"

"As you do." She can't help but grin. "Do they try to rob you often?"

"Yeah, yeah. That's why I stood there with all those decks on my belt, actually."

"Oh, I see," Ran nods. "...Hang on, what-"

"I just wanna know what other people're thinking, but that's impossible with the SDA students. The only way I can get them to talk to me is if I make myself a target. They just ignore me otherwise."

"...What are you to them? The Loch Ness monster, or something?"

"Beats me! Never really knew anything beyond 'they hate me because I win'. Figured out that part, but that doesn't explain why they stay away when I'm not dueling. I stood there with all those decks, and only one of them even approached me. Boring!" A stretch. "I'm so, so so so soooo glad you showed up, Ran. You're MUCH more boppin' than them☆!"

Oh sheesh, that grin's leaning in too close. "Move back a bit-"

.

"Wait," her eyes widen. "You stood there deliberately to make them try and steal from you?"

"Yeah. It's not like I get to talk to anyone otherwise. All the students ignore me, and a lot of dueling venues don't let me in."

...

"But who cares, who cares; you're with me now! Let's go!"

"Whoa!" The elevator door opens, and she's pulled right through. Hina nearly spins her in place and grabs onto her arm; calm down Ran, stay calm- "W-where're we going, anyway?"

"Let's just wander around this floor and see what's going on!" They tumble through a crowd in an entire aisle full of shops on both sides. The glitzy chandeliers and flashing billboards in the almost luxurious-looking marble palace, adorned with mosaic patterns and movable stalls of all kinds just for the Festival; it'd be less overwhelming if she wasn't running through it at a mile a minu-

Hina, don't stop that fast! ...Why does she look so thoughtful all of a sudden? "I wonder... will I ever be able to do this with her one day?"

"Her? Who do you mean?"

"Hm? Chisachi, obviously." 

...That nickname. It's something she lets slip out sometimes, when she talks about... that person. Does she notice?

"Hey, Ran! You don't mind hanging out with me for a bit, do you?"

Urgh. This feels sappy. "...I don't mind."

"Woo☆!"

Thank god Hina trawling her around the mall doesn't attract TOO much attention; there's some whispers from the sides, but otherwise they're free to explore without some gawking passerby asking for a picture. Any attention like that'd just make her choke right now.

...Still, Hina doesn't need to stay THAT close. It's not like she's gonna run away.

"Hey, Ran, have you had lunch yet?"

"Yeah."

"Boooooo. What about dessert?"

"...No." She had something small, but she's not gonna say that.

"Let's see what we can find, then~!"

That smile, so bright and curious; THAT'S the Hina she knows better. Back on the third floor, it felt like she was looking at another person entirely. Is... that what it's like, being in the academy? Do her peers envy her? Ran sighs; this is why she can't understand all the fuss about fame herself. There's no point in having a reputation or being loved by the crowd; if what she's seen of Hina's life is any indication, it just means being pestered and saddled with strangers' emotional burdens. It's the sort of thought that makes her... happy Hina can just hang out with her. It's not like own social skills matter when Hina's so embarrassingly jolly around her, right?

"...Over there." Ran points at a stall sitting on the outside of the mall, right in the joyous sunlight. "It's just ice cream, but-"

"Ehhhhhhhh, it's fine! C'mon, c'mon! Let's make the afternoon fun, Ran~!"

"After you, then."

She can't help but smile from time to time, even as her brain gets a massive headache over the next hour. This is probably, just maybe thanks to Hina doing the following:

-Pranking her by making her think she was eating chocolate flavour ice cream, sucker-punching her tastebuds with some unholy hyper-sweetened coffee and peanut butter combination instead (she should've figured when Hina asked if she had allergies)

-Dueling her 3 times at a fortunately empty venue; 1 of which was a complete stomp from Hina, 1 of which was also Hina's win (accidentally), and 1 of which was a win on her part because Hina asked her to try and deal as much damage in one turn as possible (thanks, double Bergamot)

-Throwing her into a FASHION store (a real-life store and not online, oh god) and recommending dresses saying 'I just wanna see how you look in them, is all~' with the most unsubtle grin possible. No, she didn't give Hina that satisfaction. No, she didn't buy any of them.

"Can I just stick with the ripped jeans?" Ran sighs and brings her only purchase over to the cashier. "Dresses aren't my style."

"If that's what you want! There's something that feels... weirdly mega boppin' about buying you clothes, Ran~."

U-urk. "Stop talking. Now."

"Got it, got it~." Hina lapses right back into thought again. "Oh! Oh, I know☆! Maybe I could buy her some clothes too..."

Hina sneaks out from the queue for whatever reason, before quickly cutting back in line with a new article. "This is definitely her size. Alright, I know what I'm buying!"

"That thing?" It's a jacket; it looks kind of similar to a tartan one Hina has, but this one's coloured a thicker faint brown instead. "Why? Doesn't seem like your style."

"Mean!" Hina sticks her tongue out. "But it's not for me. I'm buying it for Chisachi☆."

"...Ah."

A cut into Hina's wallet later, they're walking out.

"I wonder if she'll like it. I dunno when I'll be able to give it to her, though. She's always stuck in black and blue; she's not allowed anything else, even."

"..." Ran smiles. "Hope she'll get to wear this one day."

"Hehe. Thanks, Ran~." She leans over. "I don't get why you're washy about physical shops specifically, but me being here helps, right? So lemme know whenever you wanna shop! It's fun!"

Ugh. Is she smiling? Ugh. "...Don't count on it."

"Ahaha! You're so funny~."

Wandering, wandering. A bag in one hand, and now an impulse's milkshake in the other; it's a little easier to throw emptiness away this afternoon. It's idle, sure, but treading slate after slate of marble without a care in the world almost feels like the kind of thing she'd do with Afterglow. How Hina's stuck all the way in the SDA, who knows.

It... feels natural, almost. It's strange. Hina doesn't really act down-to-earth. But just walking, talking side-by-side like this, it feels like reputation and fame don't mean a thing. There's some weird kind of honesty in the air they can't hide away. Hopefully Hina's enjoyi- well, she definitely is. Yeah, with that kind of smile, no doubt Hina's enjoying it.

"Hey, Ran." She's caught staring. "Thanks for dueling me today. I mean it."

She slurps on the milkshake. "...I didn't do anything special. Don't you duel all the time, anyway?"

"Usually! But I've barely gotten to do anything lately. It kind of sucks."

"Why's that? Aren't you the Supernova?"

"Yeah! But I don't think the corporation likes me all that much. I keep avoiding duels with the other students, and I don't listen when they tell me to duel professionals on TV."

Hang on. She knows Hina messes around at pro games a lot, but; "You don't duel the other students?"

"Nah, not unless they're winning a lot. I let them face each other instead; if I kept beating them down, all their ranks would be in danger. Me and Chisato don't want that."

"Why?"

"Mmm... well, I'm not supposed to say this, but..." Hina stretches. "Students who consistently place low-rank usually get expelled."

"What? That's ridiculous. There's always going to be someone at the bottom of the list."

"Right? But that's my point," Hina wags a finger. "If they all fight each other instead of me, they're more likely to have an even win rate. The rankings'll keep changing, so it won't always be easy to boot a student out!"

"...Sounds complicated. Why does everything I hear about the SDA sound like a bloodbath?"

"That's kinda what it is, really. Everyone's obsessed with looking like they're winning, and it's boring. That's why dueling people like you's so much more whazzin'! I really wish I could do it more often." Slurp. "...Not like I've got the power to do much else, anyway."

"...Right. You're not participating in the Exhibition either, right? Himari and Tomoe told me."

"Yeah, yeah. It's deliberate; they don't want me or Eve to support Aya."

Ran blinks. "You know Eve? And Aya... that's the Dueling Idol, Aya Maruyama, right?"

"Bingo! I kinda had the feeling you've been training with Eve." Hina imitates holding a katana in one hand. "When I was dueling you, you were all WHEESH and whooshwhooshwhooshwhooOOOzzin'! That's how I could tell."

"...Right. So, what about Aya?"

"Oh, Aya? She's so funny!" Hina's eyes with stardust. "She cried on a TV interview one time and the audience applauded her for it! And then that just made her cry more backstage, and Maya had to escort her back to the academy, and-"

"I-I mean, what's going on with Aya at the Exhibition?"

"...Oh. Right," a much more morose sigh. "It sucks. I already figured out the plan; they're gonna have Chisachi call out Aya for her fan club's card theft. Then her reputation's gonna collapse, so the corp doesn't get national media on their case for expelling her."

"W-what?! What the hell's with that?" Every time she hears about some media or group-mentality bias thing, it's so frustrating. "Are the rumours about card theft actually true, then?"

"Well, yeah. The members really are stealing cards. But I don't think any of them actually care about Aya," Hina says. "They're probably using her to shield themselves. They always stay away whenever me or Eve hang out with her."

"...So they're stabbing her in the back?"

"Yeah, yeah. I've been debating telling everyone it's false, but I think the corp'd deflect it by grouping me with her fan club. And Chisachi hates it when people yell at me a lot." Hina makes what's possibly the most dejected groan she's ever heard. "And I can't find a way to infiltrate Earth's Skyscraper, and Chisato doesn't have a phone, so I can't talk to her... uggghhhh, Ran." Suddenly, she's being clung to. Hina looks tired. "I can't do anything right now."

"U-um. S... sorry to hear that," she manages. "Does the heir of the richest company around really not have a phone, though?"

"Nope!" Hina holds the bag with the jacket in it. "Corp restricts all her communications. She's only allowed walkie-talkies."

"...What the hell is going on up at the SDA?"

"Not sure! Everything's chaotic lately. Wonder what it'd take for stuff to start falling apart." Hina sighs. "...I just wanna make sure Aya doesn't get expelled, is all. I don't like this feeling. I don't like how much everyone's blocking me from doing anything. I feel like I'm just... not allowed to save her. Like if I try, I'll just be stopped by everyone around me again. Just like always."

...

"Hina... s-sorry," Ran says. "I'd brainstorm with you, but I can't really figure out what I'd do either."

"That's fine. If I can't figure out what to do, that means it's really bad. Besides," she smiles. "You're always hanging out with me, Ran!"

Huh?! Sheesh, what a swerve of topic! "W-what does that have to do with anything?"

"Everyone's always pushing me away and calling me dangerous, but they never tell me why. I can't understand them. Chisachi's the only one who always tells me what she's thinking." She looks up to the ceiling. "And I don't really get you either, but you're not trying to run away from me or anything. That's why people like you, and Moca, and Eve and Aya're boppin'!"

"...Thanks."

"No prob! Hanging out with you makes me want to keep thinking...what can I do? I can't let Chisato do all the heavy lifting..." 

There's a change in expression. It's kind of unusual for Hina to look deep in thought; seeing her gold eyes' fractures gleamed by the Sun as they head outside gives off an unusually wistful feeling. There's hedges of leaves and hordes of miniature parks around their sides, each designed to be able to fit a duel, but Ran can barely focus on anything other than the thoughts of her friend.

"Oh, speaking of, how's Moca? I haven't seen her since last month."

Ah. "...Ugh. Beats me."

Great. It's snuck in a couple times, but for some reason, that name's hitting hard now. Where's that annoying grin peeking around the corner, ready to tell them the latest facts about which species of fictional squirrels would eat your legs if they were conditioned through animal testing? She's back at it again, disappearing from Afterglow's daily life for whatever melodramatic reason it is this time around.

"Figures! Himari said 'it was dicey a bit back, but everything's fine now!' And Himari never catches onto anything."

"Don't tell her that," Ran tries a smile. "But yeah. Me and Tomoe both got into arguments with Moca. She said she's just 'taking time off', but... she isn't hanging out with us at all, and she completely ditched school. I haven't seen her for over a week."

"Mmmm. Moca barely ever tells the truth, though. Sounds like more than just taking time off."

"Right?" Thank god she's not the only one who sees it that way. "I hate her. Apparently, she claims she'll come back next weekend, but I think she's having doubts about stuff again. I wish I knew how to help."

"Well, she'll have to tell you what her deal is if you wanna help, right? You won't know what to do otherwise!"

Ugh. She's right, but this is the problem; the reason she was able to cheer Tomoe up was because Tomoe stopped being able to hide her problems. Anyone could tell she was feeling guilty about keeping secrets and supposedly 'failing' Afterglow. That's why Ran could just duel Tomoe, tell her they love her, let her just indulge and remind her not everything's about whether you're being enough of a worker bee for your friends. It was easy to use Duel Monster as a symbol for the 'fun' they always had together, given all that. 

She knew what to do when it came to Tomoe. But how is she supposed to figure out what Moca's deal is, when Moca keeps everything locked tight like a half-assed vault? Just wait for Moca to come back crying like she always does? Is that really always gonna be the solution?

"..."

...No. No, not again. She's just feeling useless again now... why can't she just talk to her friends normally, and have them open up that way? Why is she so uselessly awkward without some gratuitous dragon by her side? Is something like Duel Monsters really going to help at all when she's discussing serious problems with her friends? Or was the duel with Tomoe just a lucky fluke?

She could say her duel with Tomoe was powerful. She could say it was convincing. But is Duel Monsters really useful at all for bonding? Or is she just using it as a crutch that'll ultimately let her down when she needs it most, as a rickety bridge that only works because her incompetent ass can't construct anything stronger? Because if Duel Monsters really is more than just a placebo for actual communication, then why is it that people like that bastard-

She's flicked on the forehead. "Ran!"

"Ack! What was that for?"

"You were looking really scrunched again. Teasing those kinds of faces is a habit of mine now~." Hina grins. "What's up? Are you feeling tired? Angry? Slooshin'? You feel all those things a lot. You're like a big grumpiness magnet."

"...I'm not THAT bad, am I?"

"Well, it's true you don't smile much! Sometimes when I try and talk to you, you're just sitting there looking at the sky with a big frown on you."

...

Ran sighs. "...Hey, Hina. I think I might head home from here."

"Eh? Already? Aww, why?"

"Just..." She shakes her head. "Feeling a little tired. I want to think about things at home instead. It's quieter there."

"If you say so! Call me later if you wanna, okay? Even if it's just to talk."

Ran nods. "Thanks. Um. Sorry for leaving you alone so early. It's gotta be stressful when your friend's getting expelled."

"Ehhhh, it's fine. It'd be boring if I bothered you more with that topic, anyway. I'll figure something out." Hina gives that same gleaming smile. "You don't need to worry about me. We hang out because it's fun, after all!"

"Yeah. Can't deny that," Ran says. "And I'll definitely see you at the Cup."

"Hehe. Try not to get knocked out in the pools!" Hina waves and starts running off. "I'll find something to do until the Exhibition starts tonight! Byebye!"

"...See you."

...

...Another sigh.

Now she's all alone in the annoyingly radiant afternoon. Why does the day have to pretend it's so joyous and happy, when she's in a bad mood herself? It feels so fake.

"I'll just head home. I guess."

Step. Step, down the ignorant stone-cold brick.

...Fake.

Step after messy step. Now only her thoughts hound her.

Quit being a fake.

Another.

If you want to reach out, talk like a normal human being.

Another.

Just be honest. Be vulnerable.

Another.

Stop hiding behind silence or hyperbole.

Another.

...

She stops.

...But... is that really it? When she starts asking questions, everything becomes murky. Is she overselling herself, or is she being honest? Is this card game something that helps her talk to her friends, or is it just making it harder for her to?

Argh... why, why? Why can't she figure it out? What's making her doubt the sport she's loved for so many years, the thing that's helped keep everything together? Why, she asks, as she turns the corner, into one empty park of many, white gravel trudging beneath her feet, why does she feel like it's all an illu-

-

...

Silver.

Her eyes, find it. She.

She can't move.

...

"..."

...

...

Thought. 

...

...

F-form a thought, damnit!

...No. This aura. The aura of the person she sees, the shadow looming across the entire field, standing on the opposite side of the park and looking to the sky...

...That frustrating, infuriating aura. THAT'S the reason why everything feels so useless right now!

She sets her sights on the wolf. 

Amber eyes, silver hair. That black jacket with the pointed collar and time-worn denim, the hidden wrinkled blouse and untattered jeans; they even have the symbol of a wolf sprayed onto the cuffs. This entire ridiculous ensemble... that's the whole point, isn't it? It's supposed to be eye-catching, supposed to take your breath away. The idea that those unflinching, thoughtful eyes convey nothing but the strongest and deepest confidence you could ever find in another person... that's the whole point! This entire outfit... it's nothing, nothing but a...

"..."

One step forward.

"...You're..." she barely whispers. "You're... not going to hide from anyone anymore."

Another.

...

...Ran takes the deepest, longest breath she's ever known, summons every bit of her recklessness, every bit of her anger, flushes away as much of her pitiful fear as she possibly can...

...and rushes forward.

One step, two, leap forward! She crushes the gravel beneath, slams a foot down, and summons every last piece of her voice in red:

"Y-y... Yukina Minato!"

\---

A shadow rumbles.

Her name. Who would bother to waste their lips with her name?

She turns, and looks to the source of the booming vine; a destructive, trembling flower with a duel disk on her right hand. There's a blinding streak of red on the opposite side of her face, howling in the still air.

And how curious. That item, hooked on a silver necklace, resting behind the lapel of her jacket...

...it's a black rose.

\---

"We're dueling. Now."

The wolf blinks. "...A challenge?"

"Yeah, that's right!" She crushes the air with her right hand, and declares; "Blade of rose, blaze!" Rebellion throws all subtlety away, daring the empress to betray the lies claiming emptiness. From the edges of Ran Mitake's voice, translucent orchid petals flutter until they can no longer be seen in the bright-blue sky.

"You're rather impolite."

She reels back. "W-what?"

"Yelling for a duel from a stranger in broad daylight. Shouldn't you at least give your reason?"

"R-reason? Isn't it obvious? I'm going to make you expose yourself to me." She points forward. "I'm going to tear your illusion of authenticity apart!"

"...I remember you now. You were dueling Ako on that night," she says. 

Silence. A faint wind. One you can barely feel, coming from all sides.

"Very well. I do not usually duel strangers, but we are far from the center of the Festival here."

Good... you're not running, then.

Seemingly nary a bite of hesitation in the empress's decision. She throws open one side of her jacket, and picks out a set of 40 cards from beneath. "Authenticity. If that is what you are testing me for, perhaps this deck will prove it to you."

Thrown into the duel disk's slot, with closed eyes. An orb of gleaming, hidden white glows within a disk of metallic purple. Sitting idly in her lofty throne, the wolf humours the request... and a beautiful rose blade connecting scarlet and lavender cuts at a measured pace into being, deflecting any red from striking its seemingly invincible wielder. A flash signifies the end of its elegant emergence.

Is that really Yukina Minato's blade?

5 cards. "You. You'd better not be holding back on me."

5 cards. "That will depend on your own capability."

"Do you think I'm weaker than you? Fine, then. I'll just wipe the floor with you until you can't look away."

Every single voice humming in the Festival's background fades. For the first time in over 2 weeks, Orchid finally sets her sights on Amber. It's so irritating, how even the sunlight doesn't make this person look unnatural. That shouldn't be true at all, so let's wipe off that veil already!

J-just calm down, stop thinking about yourself, and point your blade at her!

Close.

And...

**4000LP.**

"**DUEL-**"  
"**Duel.**"

-

The second those eyes open, she feels fixed in place.

A charismatic hand takes automation as innate. "_I will see if you are truly willing to stand against me._ I summon _Magician's Rod in attack position._"

**1600ATK.** A layered yet simple rod cradling an orb cuts through from the void. As if it were being held, it points itself forward, and the silhouette of a figure known to all-

Oh, come on. She's using THAT archetype?

"When this monster is Normal Summoned, I can add a Spell or Trap card that mentions the _Dark Magician_ in its effect text from my deck to my hand. I choose to add and activate the continuous spell _Dark Magical Circle._"

The second the card embeds itself into her blade, Amber eyes give the world a glimpse of their depth. Shadows run through an already murky light, and the sigil of a Duel Monsters icon bows beneath Yukina, spiralling out in a sprawl of enclosed hieroglyphs. 

Oh, how infuriatingly convincing it looks.

"Then I activate _Card Advance._ This spell allows me to look at the top 5 cards of my deck, and rearrange them in any order I please."

The armaments in question fly out from her disk; it takes a whole lot of effort for Ran not to tut as Yukina analyses each. "...Okay, what next?" She asks the second they're put back. "Was there any point to that? Seems like a waste to me."

"I activate _Dark Magical Circle's_ first effect. Ascend."

A tapestry of golden runes flies from the circle's form and wraps around a set of shrouded cards from Yukina's disk. "This effect allows me to look at the top 3 cards of my Deck. Then, I can add 1 _Dark Magician_ or backrow card that mentions _Dark Magician_ from that selection, and add it to my hand. The rest, I will place back on top of my deck."

"..." Yukina takes her choice. Hell if she knows what the other 2 cards were, but it's not like Yukina knew they'd be on top of the-

Hang on. No, that's not true at all. "D-did you use _Card Advance_ to place cards that mention _Dark Magician_ on top of the deck?"

"Correct. Now, I will make use of Advance's rearrangement once again. I activate the spell card _Monster Gate!_"

"You're kidding me..." 

Come on. The Main Deck's shuffled at the start of each duel, and yet this person's able to decide and control what cards she gets? This isn't like Eve deciding how the decks are arranged at the start of a practice duel; no, this asshole's taking a random arrangement and remaking it into something that suits her!

"By tributing _Magician's Rod, Monster Gate_ will excavate and mill my deck until it reaches a monster it can Special Summon to my field. Of course, I already know what it will find. I imagine you do, too."

"...Tch."

Yeah, she knows. She knows before the 1st card's sent to the Graveyard, before the 2nd card even reveals itself from Yukina's deck and flies right into those curved fingers. It's the obvious choice.

That card. It's a monster not a single duelist in Haneoka- no, not a single duelist in the entire world wouldn't recognise. "Arise, ultimate wizard... the first master of Duel Monsters, he who carries a legacy of shadow upon his shoulders! _Dark Magician, I shall wield your might!_"

Infuriating.

The wolf's jacket flares, its shadow cuts. From a crackling, heaving portal to another world, the fictional dimension that poured lifeblood into this sport's creation, a simple yet sleek figure emerges with the very same rod from before in his hands. No apparent complexity, yet irrevocably striking in its identity. Level 7, **2500ATK;** it only took a day for Ran to learn about this monster, after Moca gave her her first card. He's where it all began.

...You're infuriating! "Is that all, then?" Ran growls. "Do you have to cling to a mascot to look intimidating?"

"I activate the spell card _Trade-In._ I discard _Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning_ from my hand to draw 2 more cards."

No response? That calm, collected look... that's the look of someone who thinks their opponent is a baby, obviously-

Light and darkness swallow half the field each, bordering between Ran's feet and cutting her thoughts in half. "Wh... what the hell?!"

"You're not paying attention." 

The sky drowns in an eclipsed black, leaving every building praying for the blocked sun's light until the eclipser becomes their new exemplar.

The black shout booms inside. "Thanks to _Trade-In,_ the number of Light and Dark-Attribute monsters in my Graveyard has become equal."

"You..."

Yukina raises her right arm. "...And now, by banishing the Dark-Attribute monster from my Graveyard... I will be granted the power to welcome the world to a new nightfall!"

CUT!

The Sun and the eclipser are sacrificed, sliced in two by a single swipe across the entire expanse above; the latter collapses and melts, pouring to the ground and becoming shadow awash in light.

"Your blade is mine to command... _<strike>Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of Evening Twilight!</strike>_"

The Sun is gone. The ground beneath Ran's feet disappears. She's welcomed to the heaven above.

Stars, stars surround her at every corner. She imitates standing in a world with no Planet Earth, balking at the endless distance between every star. So clustered from the view of this one empty lane, so horde-like in their gleam, so overwhelming and countless... and yet always so far away.

A being drowned in golden wings of white and black, incomprehensible in its charisma, points a **3000ATK** sword and shield her way-

"Envoy of Evening Twilight's effect," she gasps when she hears the silver wolf stride from nothingness beside her, "when I Special Summon this card by purging the darkness from my Graveyard, I can banish one random card, face-down, from my opponent's hand until the end of her next turn."

"Wha-"

CUT!

The second her ear is caressed, jet-splattered black robs the life of an armament in her hand. She blinks. Yukina's standing across the field again. "Y-you..." 

Th-that was ridiculous. But then again, Yukina's entire strategy is ridiculous. The power behind that attack... is that why Yukina's whisper actually struck her? Because she's just been disrupted before she even took a turn, by a set of actions entirely coordinated and planned?

...No. This is all just trickery. She remembers the real Planet Earth, hidden behind this holographic space, and grits her teeth in red. "I see how it is. You've got some pretty fancy moves. No doubt a stadium crowd would be all over you." A dagger crawls from her throat. "I bet that's exactly how you lured Ako away from her family."

No response.

"Got nothing to say for yourself?"

"...I did not do anything to lure her in."

"Liar."

"I speak the truth. I was merely a passive influence at first. She simply saw me as an opportunity to find her own path, on the day she met me. Only then did I respond."

"So you just watched as she ran away from home? That's even worse!" It floods. "Look at you. You're the perfect performer, even when you don't do a thing. Watching her from afar with that obnoxious getup of yours, silently letting her train for your sake... are you really surprised she latched onto you?"

"This is a duel. Not an interrogation." A ruthless swipe. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

"Fine. _My turn._" She's at a disadvantage before she even starts- but who cares. "You're really surprised this is how I'm asking you? I know your type," she points. "You're a fake. Flashy performances are the best way to talk to a fake. You're the sort who hides your lack of skill behind dramatic imagery, so nobody can expose you as the imposter you are."

"Those are not the eyes of someone who doubts my skill."

Fire, blaze blaze blaze- "Shut up! Lisa and Ako cried because of you! You were willing to let them hurt for you without a care in the world! I'm not going to sit down and accept the illusion that someone as callous as you is actually any good at this game!"

Good. The asshole actually looks shocked. "...I am not surprised you despise me. But I do not understand exactly what it is you are angry about. Empathy has nothing to do with skill at Duel Monsters."

"Ggh!" Shut up, shut up, shut up- "I-if you don't understand, then I'll just show you myself! I'll expose how weak your turn 1 board is!"

And she looks at her hand, and knows just how wrong she is. The amber wreaks havoc on her soul, but no, there's no way it can. The melting darkness of space beneath her is awe-striking, but it's all fake. She knows just how stacked this board already is; but she doesn't care at all. There's no, no, no way she'd ever accept the idea of this person having any genuine passion for Duel Monsters!

Think, Ran, think... just think as hard as possible!

..._Card Advance._ That's where it started, isn't it? That asshole used it to rearrange the top 5 cards of her deck, and added the 3rd to her hand with _Dark Magical Circle._ Then she milled the 1st card to the Graveyard with _Monster Gate_, and summoned _Dark Magician_, the 2nd, with **2500ATK**...

...The 1st card. _Magician Navigation._ That's one obstacle.

Next. The face-down is _Eternal Soul_, the 3rd card; Ran knows, because she saw it being added through _Dark Magical Circle's_ effect. Any card that's added to a duelist's hand is shown to both sides. Then the 4th card was Envoy of Evening Twilight, the **3000ATK** monster that banished _Lonefire Blossom_... and finally, the 5th card is currently in Yukina's hand. She doesn't know what it is, but Dark Magician decks aren't known for Hand Traps; all of the really strong, fast stuff that activates from the hand is exclusive to the SDA, anyway.

No, the face-down is the issue. _Eternal Soul;_ it can revive _Dark Magician_ from the Graveyard. If she takes down _Dark Magician_, and _Eternal Soul_ revives it... then _Dark Magical Circle_ gains the ability to banish any single card on her field. That'd disrupt her and leave her wide open for a counterattack next turn.

"..."

Silver raptures her. "Your time is running out."

"I know that! Don't rush me!"

Ugh, that's ridiculous. How is she supposed to overcome all of these things? N-no, don't get caught up in the pretender's pace. All she needs to do is work around the barriers, and wipe it all out at once!

That's right! She smiles, and realises; _Eternal Soul_ has doomed her opponent. Yukina Minato's a fool for accidentally revealing that it's the face-down! If she destroys everything on Yukina's field with just one effect, then _Eternal Soul_ and _Dark Magical Circle_ don't mean a thing! Because they'll be destroyed alongside _Dark Magician_, rather than being able to revive it afterwards! 

And she has just the card to do that with. That's the win condition she needs to reach, whatever it takes. If Yukina cuts one route to it, she'll just make another! "...I activate the spell card _One for One!_" She arms her hampered blade. "By discarding a monster from my hand, I can Special Summon a Level 1 monster from my deck; come, _Glow-Up Bulb!_"

A plant with just **100ATK.** Nature, nature; if she summons it, she can believe she represents it. "I summon _Aromage Jasmine in attack position!_" A white-tipped mage gracefully joins it. "Then, I tune my Level 1 _Glow-Up Bulb_ with my Level 2 _Aromage Jasmine!_"

The green beam of light bursts at her hand's command, 2 stars dancing. "Magus of jasmine, meet the seraph of nature's grace! Your aroma carries the blooming point of life, the beginning of journeys; that distinction will grant you your title as master of your art! Let your expression flourish, and wield the holy light as your own!" 

She ignores the fire within, and focuses her eyes on the holograph of a mage's butterfly-glass wings, blossoming a new angel into the air. "_Synchro Summon! Level 3, Aromaseraphy Jasmine!_" With **2300DEF,** Ran stares defiantly at her opponent, drawing Jasmine's light in with her eyes. "I hope you don't think this is all I'm doing. I'm not some rookie."

"That's for you to prove."

"You asked for it, then. Here comes the part where I find what's inside that twisted shell of yours!" She raises her blade in the vacuum of space. "While I have life point advantage over my opponent, Jasmine protects my Plant-Type monsters from destruction by battle; and I'll gain that advantage now!" A light, held to the air. "_Aromaseraphy Angelica's_ effect! I discard this card from my hand and target _Aromage Rosemary_ in my Graveyard to gain 1800 life points!"

Spiralling, twirling; Jasmine dances through the air with her staff, and a graceful whirl of teal-teared spirits surge into a blossoming tornado around her field. Her LP hits **5800,** and she feels the confidence to declare; "Jasmine's effect! When I gain life points, I can Special Summon 1 Level 5 or higher Plant-Type monster from my deck! Come, _Aromage Bergamot!_"

The grim reaper watches, unblinking.

Jasmine's tornado hits a near-climax, and every petal suddenly breaks into a surging, roaring red. Whether she's smiling or scowling, she doesn't care; all she's focusing on is the rush of adrenaline. The veteran magus of **2400ATK** is exactly her key. "The 'courage to stand against you?' What a joke. You sure love playing yourself up, don't you? You're just like the SDA's sponsored celebrities." She raises another card from her hand... "Must be nice, being able to deflect your shittiness because you look cool."

No response.

"How about I change that?" ...and slams it down! "I activate the field spell _Aroma Garden!_"

A land of gravel and dirt, strewn on the sides with grass, phasing through to become ground in this empty, star-drowned space. She shapes it after the unassuming arena where the waves crash against the rock, where she and her beloved friends dueled when she was younger. "I activate _Aroma Garden's_ effect! Once per turn, I can gain 500 life points!"

"I activate the effect of _Magician Navigation._"

Yukina's hair glints, and ley-lines of hard-degree magic pierce through the void. "By banishing this trap card from my Graveyard, I can target one backrow card you control and negate its effects until the end of the turn."

CLASHCLASHCLASH! Ran grits her teeth as the beams collide with her blade, deflecting them onto the field beneath. The beloved garden loses its colour, becoming a patch of memoric grey; but she lets the blade glow even more. "...Good on you. Bet you saw that coming from a mile away, didn't you? You've stopped me from gaining life points and boosting Bergamot's ATK with his effect. Now I don't have the firepower to beat your monsters."

No response.

"Do you think you're smart? I bet you're gonna bluff and say 'You've hardly bested me at all.' But..." She throws her hand out. "You're not prepared for my next move anymore. I've already seen through your illusion."

No response.

But that's just fine. "I activate the effect of _Glow-Up Bulb_ in my Graveyard. Once per duel, I can send the top card of my deck to the Graveyard, and Special Summon this monster to the field." 

**100ATK.**

This is it.

Take the longest, deepest breath you can... ignore how much your body is shaking... and cleave through her with all your might...

...because that mask... is asking to be torn away!

It spills. It spills, it spills, and she starts betraying herself. "That skill you have, that aura you wield, that voice you create... I won't let you use it to hurt people more. I won't let you use it to hurt Ako, or Tomoe, or Lisa... I'm done with watching my friends hurt themselves just for your sake!"

The slightest change in expression. "...Your friends..."

"Yeah, that's right. My voice... is one I was able to make because of my friends!" Ran slacks both arms down to her sides, stretches her hands out, and keeps her eyes open. "I tune my Level 1 _Glow-Up Bulb_ with my Level 6 _Aromage Bergamot!_"

A wind starts to howl at her body, and space truly turns black. This is how it'll start:

A droplet falls. In a pot of water, petals and flowers of every kind glow. The entire body is slowly enveloped by an overwhelmingly intense light, each and every colour melding together. Then, the peaceful background melds into a blinding stream. 

But this is where it changes. Now, the blade of her disk disappears. Rings of turquoise descend and surround all sides... 6 stars dancing around her right arm. The necklace shivers, and one who names her title after a non-existent flower dares to make nature shine. "...Voice of the Black Rose, become my blade!"

Each ring cuts into blooms, six-fold sharp pink petals glowing at intervals down her arm. The light drowns her eyes, daring Amber to be pulled in too. And as that shine becomes stronger, each flower travels down to her wrist, leaving tempests in their wake, merging, merging and merging...

"With the power of _**Black Rose Dragon,**_ I'll cut through your entire field at once!"

...until they all create a new blade of orchid light.

Forget making the monster itself appear; she's going to use it as her weapon instead!

It's the strongest kind of light she could humanly muster, a gigantic flickering sword bleeding spews of petals down its length, drowning the stars in the sky with a fragrant embrace. She takes a step forward;

"This duel's mine!"

and charges.

Her own two hands grip her blade. She charges; her own two arms are going to tear apart this field and bring back her world, her own two arms... she's screaming them FORWARD!

The second she crushes the ground, she swings AND-

CLANG!

.

"...!"

M-move!

Ran can't move.

Time itself stands still.

The empress's blade... the very blade attached to that disk... she's moved it to her left arm, raised that arm and ironed the edge upwards,

choking Ran's rose onslaught in place.

"...Wh... wh..." She pushes forward, and forward, and forward... but no effort she musters moves Yukina's arm. Her voice can't overcome this wall. "...how?"

"This is a pointless duel."

She gasps.

"Forget the difference in skill. Such a contrast between us hardly matters, when your train of thought is obsessed with your performance instead." She can feel her arm being moved back. "I can tell... it is not just a mechanical victory you desire over me. It is also a moral one."

"Wh-"

"You wish to defeat me so you can make me feel inferior. You are desperate to best your opponent at the one thing she has, so she cannot 'hide her sins' any longer. But a round of competitive sport is not a moral debate."

...

...She's right.

"I'll explain regardless. Your mistake lied in assuming my face-down was _Eternal Soul._"

Ran's jaw drops.

Yukina reveals the continuous trap _Eternal Soul_ in her hand. "_Card Advance's_ arrangement. I placed _Magician Navigation_ at the top, _Dark Magician_ 2nd, _Eternal Soul_ 3rd, Envoy of Evening Twilight 4th... and the counter trap card _Champion's Vigilance_ 5th."

"...W-what?! Then, the face-down was-"

She looks at the field behind Yukina, and sees the card's front.

"You saw me add _Eternal Soul_ to my hand with _Dark Magical Circle's_ effect. But when I drew my 4th and 5th cards through _Trade-In_, you did not see either of them. Therefore, you assumed _Eternal Soul_ was the only trap card I had, and that the remaining 5th card in my hand was simply irrelevant to the playing field. But in reality, I had set that card face-down, and kept _Eternal Soul_ in my hand instead."

"N-no. That's..."

"If I had set both of my available traps face-down, you may have seen through the trick. But by only setting one down, I deceived you. You reckless assumptions cost you."

It's useless.

In fact, she doesn't even want to press her blade forward anymore.

"..._Champion's Vigilance._ When my opponent would summon a monster while I control a Level 7 or higher Normal Monster, I can negate the summon..."

Her grip dies.

"...and destroy it."

The orchid blade shatters into pieces.

In an instant, the holograph of space disappears. She's left standing in that sunlit park. Yukina's guards tower over her.

"Your entire strategy was insufficient and self-destructive." The wolf turns back, and walks. "Even if _Black Rose Dragon_ succeeded in destroying every card on the field, you would not have damaged me."

...

"...Damnit."

"You have no further moves that could save you. End your turn."

"...I end my turn." Almost insultingly, the card Envoy of Evening Twilight banished returns to Ran's hand.

"_Farewell._" Yukina cuts. "I tribute my monsters to summon _Magician of Dark Illusion in attack position._"

The icon of Duel Monsters becomes a flaming spectre worth **2100ATK.**

"This monster's name is treated as '_Dark Magician_' while on the field. _Dark Magical Circle's_ second effect," Yukina says. "When _Dark Magician_ is summoned to my field, I can target one card my opponent controls and banish it. Descend."

"A-ah!" She stumbles back as the runes shine. A vortex of shadow devours _Aromaseraphy Jasmine._

"_Magician of Dark Illusion's_ effect. When I activate a backrow card or effect, I can Special Summon _Dark Magician_ from my Graveyard." **2500ATK.** Yukina looks at her disk's display. "I activate the first effect of _Dark Magical Circle._" 

She looks at the top 3 cards, and adds a spell to her hand. Ran can only watch.

"You have nothing left to protect you. So this will do fine," she says. "Now, with my 2 Level 7 monsters, I establish the Overlay Network. Xyz Summon, _Rank 7_; come, _Ebon Illusion Magician!_"

A striking wizard dances through enough forms to make her know;

This person is far beyond the peak of any mountain.

"_Ebon Illusion Magician's_ effect. By detaching 1 Xyz Material from this card, I special summon another _Dark Magician_ from my deck!"

Two wizards twirl their staffs and hold Ran at match point.

"Finally, I activate the quick play spell _Dark Magic Expanded._ With the minimum requirements I have fulfilled, _Dark Magician_ gains 1000ATK."

BOOM!

**2500ATK, 3500ATK.** A tempest of gold has ignited Ran's eyes. Every figure, real or holographic, faces a storm in a plant-adorned field.

And the end comes so unhesitantly. Her defeat is marched towards unstoppably.

"_Ebon Illusion Magician_ and _Dark Magician._"

The wolf closes her eyes and thrusts one arm to the side.

"Attack my opponent directly."

Amber.

Incantations recite in an instant. Staves dance. Dark Magic Attack. A stream of gleaming golden lights cuts rivers through her soul, and a humongous sphere of violet lightning engulfs her.

"Damnit!"

It cries out, straggled and hushed, as her entire world is drowned in dust.

...

Her LP falls from **5800** to **0** in an instant.

...

...It's laughable.

She strangles her arm. If only that merciless defeat was even half as crushing as her own self-hate right now. "What am I doing?"

No response.

She doesn't look at Yukina's face. She doesn't want to look at anything right now. Life is mortifying, life is painful; all you can ever do when you try to speak, is realise how absolutely pathetic you sound. How petty, how angered, how childish, how... how...

...how can she pick even a single emotion out of this vortex right now?

"A duel is not a moral validation. Remember that next time." The sound of a blade retracting. "Though I understand why you made such an attempt."

She looks up. "...Are you faking sympathy for me-"

"You feel insecure, do you not?"

.

...

"It's strange. I do not normally consider myself perceptive, but your dueling communicates your emotions extremely clearly. Labelling me as illusive through your shaking voice, believing in the idea of being 'genuine'; as one who also plays this sport, I could tell you depend on Duel Monsters to communicate."

...How?

How is it that this reclusive bastard, who seemingly doesn't express a single emotion other than some unfaltering well of confidence, can see right through her?

It's frustrating.

"You evidently care a lot for those close to you. And I, in comparison, am a lone wolf who uses others for her own end. Your intention was to defeat me, and use the image of victory to validate your reliance on Duel Monsters, was it not?"

...It sounds like the silliest thing in the entire world now. The worst decision she's ever made. She really, really wanted to believe this would help her, didn't she? Like a child who thinks messing around with knives will make her feel braver. "Yeah. That's right," she murmurs. "Go on then. Laugh. Aren't I an embarrassment?"

...

"Laugh, damnit! I'd feel better that way. I used skill as a measuring stick for how good I am at talking to people. I really was stupid enough to think beating an isolated jerk would prove I'm close to my friends. I'm a pretty crappy illusionist myself, aren't I?" She glares. "Go on! Laugh!"

"...There is nothing wrong with your dependence on a sport."

!

"Competition. It has strengths and weaknesses in bridging you to other people... just like any other method of communication." Amber. "So long as you understand those strengths and weaknesses, you will be able to reach through to your friends."

...Moca's fading grin crawls into her head.

She shakes it off. Well, yeah. Sure. She... yeah. Now that the red's subsiding and her lungs are coming back, it's so easy to realise, isn't it? Every kind of interaction has its ups and downs.

But all that does is frustrate her. She spent all that time looking for an escape. A way to cope with her social fuckups, instead of overcoming them like any normal person would. "...It sounds so easy when you put it like that."

"Hardly. When your friends enter emotional turmoil, doubting your ability to stay connected to them is quite common. And when you fester in self-guilt about ability, a desperate search for any form of relief, no matter how irrational the reasoning may be, is a natural result." 

...

"But in a way, I rather admire the role Duel Monsters plays in your life."

Beat.

Beat, beat, beat.

This person? This infuriatingly dazzling, charismatic empress... admires something about her?

Why? What possible reason could a superstar have to... to...

"Your name is Ran Mitake, is it not?" There's an outstretched hand; one not close enough to be touched, but still... reaching out. "I do not normally waste time talking to others. It is hardly beneficial for anyone to get close to me. But if possible, I would briefly like to discuss your interest with you."

Her jaw drops again. You're kidding. Did she pass out from sheer mortification and lapse into another daydream?

Yukina walks briskly to a nearby bench and sits. "For merely a few minutes. Talk with me."

N-no. This is real. For whatever incomprehensible reason, this jackass who plays up the lone wolf is actually asking for Ran's company. This unemotional, elitist trashcan who's willing to hurt friends and strangers alike is offering a hand out to another person; a person who's just thrown a salty, incoherent hissy-fit she had no obligation to bear with. 

It's so ridiculously contradictory, Ran could almost swear she's not talking to a callous wolf. Was... her hunch actually true?

She breathes. She should hate this person, she should hate how readily she's jumping on the opportunity to accept compassion towards her childishness. But she breathes instead, and takes a step forward.

Maybe not everything is drowned in shadow.

"...Fine."

Walking over to a bench and sitting on it should be simple as all hell. And yet even a movement like that feels awkward to her sometimes. If this was with anyone else, she'd probably walk away and forget about the entire thing. But this person's obnoxious enough for her to feel brave.

"I-I'm here, then."

She sits.

Birds begin to tweet. A nearby bush sways from side to side. Chatters and cheers are heard across the horizon. 

The smoke of the surrounding clouds creates a journey to the Sun.

...

She can feel a bead of sweat drop from her again. When she turns, all she sees is two curls of silver flowing faintly in the breeze, like a curtain closing and opening the play known as Yukina's face. There isn't a smile, or a frown; just a deadened look of concentration, unflinching as it gazes through the sky. She sees eyes that hardly even change in their luster when sunlight beckons them. Eyes that just watch, without ever saying a thing.

...

...This is the weirdest sense of comfort she's known. A minute's passed without a single word; she sneaks glance after glance at Yukina, and doesn't get anything in response. Whatever contemplation's going on in that mystery of a brain is completely lost on her, evidently. What a friggin' smartypants. Maybe if-

"Do you enjoy it?"

"Wha-" That's the conversation starter? "...Yeah."

"How much?"

"H-how much? Am I supposed to quantify it?"

...

"...Fine. It's not really the most important thing in the world. That'd be Afterglow."

...

"T-that's the name of my dueling squad. Dueling group, whatever. My friends."

...

"Um. They're why I duel. And, well. Because it's fun. Lots of things, I guess. I'm good at it, and......" Ugh. This sucks.

"I see."

Good response, jerk. Say two words and sit back, why don't you-

She chokes. Those eyes are staring directly at her. The voice grasps, it speaks:

"Show it to me."

"Wh." And she can barely speak back. "Wh-what?"

That hand. I-it's gesturing at... "That rose. Show it to me."

"H-hang on! Why?" She immediately clutches it. "What's the point?"

"Do you dislike the idea of me touching it?"

"N-no! I couldn't... care less," she manages. "I mean... it's just... why do you care? It looks silly."

"You're wearing something you find 'silly'?"

She can't form a response. 10-second silence.

"Let me see it."

...Isn't it a bit early for it to be hot? It's February. "...Fine."

Slowly, she reveals it. From the lapel of her jacket, she unveils the black rose, and begins to hold it out. This entire conversation already feels awkward, and yet she's only making it worse by taking so long in showing this thing to Yukin-

The silver necklace pushes into the back of Ran's neck.

"H-hey-!" The hell?!?! What are you doing, grabbing it that bluntly?! 

T-that hand... Yukina Minato's hand, holding her oldest treasure so silently... that face, scanning it with such unblinking eyes...

Ran can feel her own breath becoming ragged.

"Do you like to express yourself with flowers?"

What kind of question is that? "...M-my d-dad runs a... a flower arrangement school..."

"I see. Do you use flowers like this one in your... arrangements?"

"No way. A-any school worth their salt only uses actual species. R-real plants, I mean. He'd probably kick my ass if I used this. I would, too."

"Do you hate this object?"

"O-obviously." She squeaks. "...It's the edgiest looking thing in the world."

"That would be why it stands out."

"And? So what? It's not like anyone cares. It just makes me look comedic. No doubt anyone who arranges flowers would think I'm a 'menace' for wearing it."

"Interesting. You talk a lot when it comes to this object. Do you treasure it?" Oh, s-shut up. "You're wearing it as a part of your outfit. The way you talk about my presentation, I would imagine you consider objects like this rose an important part of yours, too."

"...Presentation? No way," she responds. "This thing's exaggerated as all hell."

"But exaggeration can have its place in expression. That is what we use Duel Monsters for, no?"

"Ggh." She gulps. "Y-yeah. You're not wrong... but don't you feel embarrassed, shouting stuff like that when we fight?"

"Hardly. Exaggerated acts of self-representation have incredible clarity. Images of magic may be shallow, but we can make them evident in what they represent. It is one of the countless reasons people can be drawn to this game," she says. "And you hardly seem embarrassed yourself, when it comes to Duel Monsters."

"T-that's just because I've played it for so long. I'm used to it now. It's just... my default, for getting to know people."

"I see. Then it's as I suspected."

"What do you mean by-"

Breath, lost.

"Wh-wh..." Stop heating up, stop heating up. Jesus christ, it's so infuriating. She's blushing, and Yukina doesn't change expression at all, and that only makes her blush more- "What are you-"

Yukina's tugged on the rose, bringing it close to her face. She examines it with a depth uncountable, completely ignorant to how she's dragged Ran by the necklace it's attached to, b-bringing them a centimetre closer than she would've liked in a million years. How... how can this jackass act like everything's natural when doing something as ridiculous as this?! Is her head just empty or something?!

"Ran Mitake. You live in a rather pleasant world. If I were someone else, I might say I was envious."

Her heart pauses.

"If I had to guess... then I would describe your life like this. You wake up in the morning, greet your parents, and go to school with your friends. You study for your future, follow the biggest passion in your heart, and look out for the people closest to you, finding your own way to try and support them. Then, you head home, have dinner, and pursue what will sustain you in life under the guidance of your father. After all is said and done, you rest in your bed, facing head-on the struggles you ponder for the morrow. And then, the cycle repeats. Day after day." Yukina looks at her face. "That is your life, is it not? A pleasant normalcy, maintained by the skillful effort you continue to put into it. An effort fueled by love and determination; your friends, and the way in which you use Duel Monsters to express yourself."

...

It's such an expressionless face. And yet... and yet... there's an overwhelming kind of emotion she can feel from it. "...You..."

"That is all." Yukina lets go, and stands up. "Ran Mitake. You should be proud of your capabilities. If you find ways to face the limitations of Duel Monsters, you will enjoy it as a fulfilling part of your life."

...

...Those words. They're the words of someone who knows this sport better than she does.

"Farewell. You will not see me face-to-face again."

.

...Wait.

Yukina's walking away. There's clouds looming where she travels. There aren't any voices cheering in that direction.

Where is she going?

Ran scowls, trying to recover from her previous proximity. Good, she should think; this asshole's finally leaving. She can forget her temper tantrum, head back to her friends with what she's learnt, and forget this ever happened. Wouldn't it be nice? That way, she can take the... unfortunately good advice she's just been bestowed, and separate it from this bastard of a bestower.

But no. Having the words that clear her mind come from THIS person, the person who constantly pushes everyone away... that'd be the most infuriating thing in the world. It can't end like this. "Hold it!"

Yukina stops.

"D-don't get ahead of yourself." She throws herself back onto the gravel. "You and your obnoxious aura. You're acting awfully high and mighty for someone who barely won our duel."

"...Barely won?"

"Y-yeah. I can tell we're not that far apart. After all, plenty of games can end up one-sided, regardless of skill level!" She points a finger. "I'm not as weak as you think. I can easily catch up to a pretender like you."

"...Do you think I'm skilled or not? Your words make a habit of contradicting each other."

Urgh! You don't have any right to talk about contradictions! "S-shut it. Just don't think this is over, is all I'm saying. We're having a rematch one day."

"I don't understand. You despise me, do you not? You should have no reason to continue talking to me. For what reason are you so desperate to view me as some kind of rival?"

Ack, you... you... you! "It's exactly because I can't stand you that I need to keep dueling you!" She points. "It's not because I want to validate myself; it's just- it's just because I... I..."

Yukina closes her eyes. "You already believe it yourself; there is no point in getting to know me. I am far from your plane of life. If you take the advice I have given you and simply part ways with me, that would be for the best."

That's.

That's... that's...

"Farewell."

She nearly chokes. This person keeps walking away; or running, in one sense.

...Why are you always so ridiculously frustrating?!

The necklace tugs at her neck, and she rushes forward,

grabbing Yukina by the jacket.

"...!"

And for the first time, she sees a pang of shock in those time-worn eyes. It lets her breathe. She tries to breathe, and tries to think of what she could possibly say. Anything that wouldn't make her look like a desperate child right now.

Those eyes. They're so murky, so haggard, and yet Ran can still tell she's being searched. "...Stop this nonsense. There is no benefit to our interaction. I am done talking with you."

"No."

"What?"

And she finds something. "Lisa. Ako. Ako's friend too, while we're at it." She looks up, trying to keep her gaze strong. "You can't just say there's 'no benefit' when you're the one who's around my friends right now. Do you think I'll ignore the person who's harming them?"

A breath.

"Exactly. I need to know how they're doing. You're the only person I know who can give me that information. A-and I'll need updates, too! I'm not gonna let you treat them like trash."

"..."

10 seconds pass.

Yukina mouths something in silence before frowning at her. "...So, what then? You wish for a phone number? A meeting? What on earth is your plan?"

"P-plan? I-"

"What are you even asking me to do? Did you not consider that at all?"

"I-I did! It's... it's..."

And she blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.

"...Tutoring."

The breeze flows in the dark forest. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." She keeps her grip on Yukina's jacket, and stares with all her orchid might. "That fits the whole 'beneficial interaction' thing, doesn't it? We're obviously both training for the Qualifier Cup, so learning from each other would help. That's why you're tutoring me starting from now! W-we can just... meet up when our schedules are free. It's an excuse so I can know- I mean, it'll also let me know what's going on with Ako, and Lisa, and..." Damnit. "A-anyway! You're not running away again! That's all."

And on that whimpering, reckless note, she ends it. The breeze that flutters couldn't fit her shaking form any less.

...

Yukina closes her eyes. "Very well."

"...! G-good." Ran breathes, and lets go of the jacket.

"But you will come to regret that decision."

The sky darkens.

"...Oh, really?"

Yukina flicks a folded piece of paper into her chest. "My phone number. I will text you the time and meeting place later. Do not neglect to show yourself."

"Oh, I wouldn't. If anything, I'm more worried about you running away."

"I'll hardly need to run. Soon, you will come to regret demanding my tutorship."

"Hard to pull that off. You already suck as-is."

"...I see. Then that is all." Yukina takes one step. "...But I do not fall short on my words, Ran Mitake. When we next meet, you will feel even more of a headache in my presence than you do now."

The wind strengthens. Ran takes a step forward with her. "And why's that?"

Howling. Silver blades linger in the spectral shade of the streams.

Behind Yukina looms Earth's Skyscraper. It stands with the like of the Shirasagi Duel Academy's buildings in height, beaten only by the Haneoka Haven Stadium. It's a gigantic piece of earth, raised to the sky; not like a natural wonder of the world, but almost like an altar instead. It's unnervingly carved like a tower, with a gigantic, wide-spread and watered plateau pouring over the edges at its top.

Yukina speaks for the last time:

"The Central City Exhibition."

"...!"

"If you gaze upon that display, at the err of the next day's dawn... you will have your answer. That is all."

With that, the wolf steps back into the shadows, far, far away.

Ran can only watch as she disappears.

"...What's that supposed to mean?" What does that mantle of arrogance calling itself an Exhibition have anything to do with this? 

Is it related to Roselia? Why was Roselia formed, even? That's something Tomoe didn't have the answer to.

"...Midnight..."

As the sky blots in ink-splattered grey, Ran lets the winds cut through her blade.

\---

Mint rock candies.

Apparently, they're great for keeping yourself focused. A refreshing taste, combined with a need to dig into them. The gnashing of your teeth is a sensation that can output your stress when work would otherwise fry you. It's a very fitting sweet for someone like Maya.

There's a packet of them on The Dragon's desk. Their colour is faintly digested by the office lights. Chisato takes one mint, sitting on her chair as the camera watches, and crunches it. It's extremely tough, rivalling a jawbreaker in the stubbornness of its outer shell. She thinks:

Crushing these sweets into dust would require ridiculous strength. No human arm could manage such a feat.

...

...The sweets came with a note. Somehow, it was stored inside the package without it even being opened.

'I'm sorry.

I think the agents realised you handed me a walkie-talkie. They didn't want you in the Underside, did they?

They talked to me. I told them you gave it to me, in case there was a fault going on during the Exhibition. The excuse worked, I think. You can still use it, but it's probably not me who'll respond if you do. It could be anyone from the department. Most likely an agent.

I'm sorry.'

"Chis- I mean, Miss Shirasagi!"

She looks up.

"Good work today!" A smile. The hair doesn't look less dishevelled than before, despite her advice. "Did I do okay? I-I know I ask that a lot, but this is the end of my job, and all..."

"You did fine."

Perhaps it came too blunt, too fast. It's difficult for her to speak. But Aya seems none the less dauntless for it. "Th-thank you very much!"

...Her mind echoes.

_'You won't obey it though, right? Promise.'_

_Magenta grows resolute. 'Of course. I promise. It's my sworn duty to neuter my poison. And she's your trusted friend, is she not?'_

_'Yeah. Thanks; I really appreciate it.'_

"Um. Are you going to the dinner party soon, Miss S-Shirasagi? Sorry if I'm repeating myself, it's just the time-"

"The venue is hardly a breath away," she responds. "It will take me no time at all to reach it."

"O-oh! I didn't know that. Whoops!"

Aya attempts a wink. It almost kills her. Of course, she can't let it show on her face.

...

...And yet despite that, she feels reckless. Everything around her has already become a vat of poison; why not take a page from her beloved's book, and ignore the risks? "Aya."

"Y-yes? Wow, first name, that's rare-"

"What inspired you to get into Duel Monsters?"

"Eh?" The animal squeaks. "Oh, sorry! It was just a surprising question, is all. I'm happy to tell you~. Can I ask why, though?"

"3 years. That is the length of time you've spent in this academy. I simply wonder what motivates you to continue your dreary position."

...That's not the same smile as usual. It's far more subdued. As Aya wears it, she gazes to the ground. "Miss Shirasagi. Have you ever heard of a duelist called Marmalade?"

"I have not."

"That checks out... most duelists get forgotten after their careers end, don't they?"

"Indeed. Even the biggest faces can easily be replaced," she responds. "Was she fired by her managers?"

"S-sort of. She didn't get cut off, or anything like that. It was more... people just stopped liking her."

...

"I remember. She had a fan meetup, once. I even got her autograph. That was the best moment of my life," she says. "I was so excited when I found out a meetup was actually happening. Ayumi wasn't all that popular, after all. O-oh, that's her name; Marmalade was her dueling title." It's soft. "She's the reason I'm the person I am today."

"Why is that?"

"She always kept working."

...

"She was never that big a face. She placed low in tournaments and always made mistakes. But she enjoyed it. And her fanbase enjoyed watching her too. A lot of them'd laugh when she messed up, but it was never the really mean kind. You could tell they were all grateful to her." A hollow giggle. "...I was lucky to find her. I picked the right TV channel at the right time," she says. "She really was an idol. She'd try combining her cards' effects with singing and dancing, when it came to the holographs. Sometimes people laughed at her for it, but she never stopped. She was fearless."

Chisato takes a sip of her cold coffee. "She sounds like an amicable figure. Why did her audience stop admiring her?"

"W-well. I... think it's because... I-I think I might be an odd-one-out, actually," she manages. "I never stopped cheering her on. But others did. Others got tired. I remember reading posts on forums. They said they couldn't relate to her."

...

"One of the posts sticks with me still; it was by an adult who'd just gotten fired from their job. They said hard work doesn't matter at all in this world. They said Ayumi was just setting herself up for eternal suffering. I think... soon enough, a lot of people had that same attitude."

Chisato looks at her laptop, refreshing the email tab. "I see. They're hardly wrong. Effort is meaningless compared to image, in the modern world. It only gets you exploited."

"Ehehe. I hear that a lot," she sings. "...Forum posts, huh... that takes me back. I was just a scared, anxious child back then. I couldn't even tell people I was a girl at the time. But Ayumi helped me realise that part of me, and so much more. And she gave me courage, too. She never gave up, when it came to pursuing her career." She looks up. "I know I'm... kind of pathetic at everything, honestly. But I don't ever want to give up either. I want to interact more with the rest of the world. And I've met some really nice people in the process, too. I met Hina, and Eve, and Maya, and... y-you."

...

"I think I have a dream now."

Chisato's lungs ignite. She shifts through a stack of letters she's already read.

"I've always focused on having fun and working towards my career. Trying to feel more confident in myself. But... sometimes, I wonder. Do you think I could give other people that courage, too?"

Her stomach feels sick. It's rather hot for February. "The possibility is slight."

"That's enough for me. Hard work is the only perk I have, after all. So if there's a chance it'll get me a title like Ayumi's, I'll take it."

"Even if you meet the same, fading end she does?"

"Yeah. Even if."

...

"...Though that end might be coming pretty soon already. Right?"

A knife runs through her nerves.

Chisato looks at Aya's face. "You-"

"It's okay."

She's not allowed to take off the mask.

"Thanks for letting me help out. It's been nice. Hina really was telling the truth, wasn't she?"

"..." She's not allowed to show her face. "...I imagine the Supernova has plenty of lies to slander me with."

"Ehehe."

Step after exhausted step.

"Um. See you at the Exhibition, Ch-Chisato." The door opens. "I'll give it my best shot, just like always."

And it closes.

...

...

Chisato takes another mint, and starts crushing.

...

...Thunder.

The weather. Dark clouds are encroaching. There's only one spot in the sky that shows the stars now; the sky over Earth's Skyscraper. There's no rain forecasted, but it seems a drier storm might come.

"Hmm."

It's an oddly relaxed hum for her. Perhaps it's the familiar sensation she and Hina have felt countless times; that there's no more hope, no further reason to press onwards. The world is against them, and nothing will ever change.

In that pit of despair, isn't it oddly satisfying to continue fighting back?

...She stands up and walks towards the windowed wall, gazing out to the city. All the complications and failures make way for a weary composure. And she begins to think.

Hina must have told her. That's unsurprising. But what's somewhat surprising is that she didn't ask for Chisato's help at all. How much did Hina tell her, exactly? Did she stay silent because she was aware of the camera's gaze, and didn't want to trouble Chisato's unstable position? Or did she stay silent because she simply felt unable to ask The Dragon for an alliance?

...The temptation to fall asleep right before a dinner party. That's always been a strong feeling.

She blinks. What about Maya? To be perfectly honest, she suspects failure on her own end far more than on Maya's. It's unlikely Maya did something to bust the operation such as leaving the walkie-talkie out in the open-

Ah. So that's it. She looks down to her waist; she's been rather careless, hasn't she? She placed her third walkie-talkie on her person alongside the other two, and completely failed to realise the agents would catch its presence.

"...Strange. Sleepless nights didn't impact me at all until lately."

Well, it's far too late for regrets. What can she do now? Unfortunately, the only thing she can possibly change at this point is her behaviour at the Exhibition. Can she pull off a facade that would protect Aya's reputation while remaining ambiguous to the agents?

...It's rather silent now. Save for thunder and the humming of the heater, there's nothing.

Actually, she'll probably have to do more than that. The goal can't just be to 'protect' Aya; she also has to empower her now. Aya's image has become distorted and warped by the actions of her fan club, into that of a wolf in sheep's clothing. Aya will ultimately need to cast that image off herself, but it's unlikely she'll feel able to do such a thing without any help.

...Wind batters the window. She could dare to feel rebellious.

Perhaps playing it risky would be fine. Would the Council dare to cast her away, over one uncharacteristic performance? Isolated incidents don't always impact long-term reputation; it's not unfeasible for her to defend Aya in public and still keep her own life intact. Problem is, she's ill-prepared to try and rehearse any subtly motivating speeches. The accusations of Aya being a card thief are very, very recent; far too widespread to be anything other than a deliberate attack from a Council-guided Asami. 

When she was first given the order to damage Aya's reputation, she wasn't informed of this element of the plan. In fact, it seems like the agents made it as an on-the-go decision in response to the Watcher, without telling her. She's not 'running her blade' into a hapless animal; it's more like she's finishing the job. Why did the Council change its pace so quickly in how they attacked Aya's reputation? And why did they not tell her? 

She sighs. "...For what reason did they not inform me about the thievery rumours?" "Because disobedience will not be tolerated." 

-

Her eyes narrow.

The Dragon jumps and falls to pieces. She can't control her expression as she faces the presence. "H-how..." It's an agent. Fire. Fire, fire, fire. "How... h-how-"

"The Council has noticed some of your recent behaviour patterns. Specifically around the Supernova. That is why she was disconnected from the Exhibition; distancing her is the only solution possible when it comes to her chaos."

She can't respond. Her lungs bleed with smoke.

"But the same does not apply to you. After all, the public has become less tolerant towards cut-throat regality as of late. Your current image, and by extension you, may cease to remain useful unless you tailor it to the Council's plans."

"Is..." Breathing. A hand clutched over the opposite side. "Is. Th-that all you had to say?"

The agent walks to the door. "The dinner party begins in 15 minutes. You then will be escorted to the foyer of Earth's Skyscraper at 9:50pm. Don't be late."

The door shuts.

...

...Chisato can't regain her breath.

...

She walks back to her chair and sits down. For the next minute, she moves a stack of letters to the left, then to the right, then to the left again. 

Her eyes settle on the surface of the desk.

_SLAM!_

The sweets are crushed into dust.


	30. ...and Welcome, Disaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: This chapter is 25,000 words long. Don't feel pressured to rush it! And hope you're all holding up well!
> 
> CWs:  
-Extreme states of distress and panic  
-Intense imagery involving blood, violence, body horror and minor amount of gore. This includes characters being 'attacked' as part of a holographic effect.  
-(Holographic) animal cruelty  
-Virus-related imagery

ccrk

9:20pm.

2 hours and 40 minutes until she duels Aya. A bloodied axe holds each of them by the hand.

...She pushes back her cape, retrieving a dusty walkie-talkie from the belt on her waist. A button is pressed. She holds it to her ear.

...

...fffffffffffrrzzzttt...

No response. Kaoru doesn't seem to be picking up as of late. How sloppy.

...

There's a full wine glass, gripped in her left hand. Looking from her mahogany-sheened table, on a golden carpet devoid of the guests and donors clogging the floors beneath, she thinks: 

If you break a mask, will you find a human face beneath?

She's thought about this before. Her day is never-ending work, but there's plenty of time to contemplate at night. That's when she shoots up from her sheets in bouts of cold sweat. The desperation of begging to fall back into slumber... it's as honest as it is intense. It used to be the only trait she would consider a 'real' part of herself. Expressing strong, unabashed emotions; that is often what people mean when they say 'your real, human face'.

And 'human face' isn't a bad classification for that. But to say that only the face is real, and the mask is fake, does a disservice. After all, are masks not, in a way, also a facet of your character? Behaviours, mannerisms and a dash of lies; there is always something behind them. They always come from an intention that reflects the face beneath. 

If only such a beautiful face had since risen beneath the mask of The Dragon. She can hardly call herself human just yet. Her real, unabashed emotions... they've been tortured beneath a plastic smile and a scale-forged frown for over a decade on end. Now, the only person they can breathe, and try to bloom around, is Hina.

cccr rk

And Hina isn't here right now.

"..."

Raucous laughter beneath.

The hypothetical that you will find true emotion beneath the fangs. A common conception. But from her experience with infecting others, she's become acquainted with many other kinds of unmaskings. The type where a face is revealed, but it is covered in the remnants of scales, its original drive distorted. The type where there is simply nothing. And the type where, instead of a face or no face, you only find another mask.

That last one. The world is often too crushing for a single layer of protection. The face that should be lying within is often so distorted from fear that the prospect of its reveal becomes a nightmare. Hence another mask. It's a pursuit of comfort, no matter the loving or heinous form it may take, in retaliation to the terror of personal destruction. She wonders:

How many poor souls has she seen drown in their masks? Drown so deep in the layers of flames, the emotions beneath can't find a single breath?

"...ha."

She lies, a corpse on a chair. She can barely set her eyes on the table. All its fancy furnishings, yet nothing on the top but her glass... one could tear it to shreds, and cause little financial strain...

"...I have to focus." Be calm; she must find a way. If she merely exists as The Dragon, her presence will only further damage Aya's reputation. That is why she must set the tabloid stage appropriately. The only reason she would dare humour her current mental wandering... is so she can find a way... to steady her thoughts, until she is calm...

_"Disobedience will not be tolerated."_

...but it's not just Aya anymore, is it? It's also herself. The rose-tinted threads have been dissolved, exposing the razor-thin tightrope to her acid-streaked eyes. 

_"There's a reason the agents have been pushing you for more lately. What do you think they're going to do to you if you keep making excuses?"_

Stardust has pushed her to a far cry from her old mentality. Play it safe, fight from the shadows... it's hard to follow her old gospel when it achieves so little. But it appears having a brighter dream has only threatened her with ruin.

"..."

It's a labyrinth. If she plays the hero despite the horde of condemnation surrounding the supposed cheat, how will everyone react...? The corporation has already spread its infection; does she have any power to defend Aya amidst the naive calls for expulsion? If she goes against the popular rhetoric and damages the academy's reputation, then...

_"You already know we're not exempt from the Shirasagi Corporation's ruthlessness."_

cccccrrrr rrrrk

..with Yui Shirasagi ready as a suitable replacement, a brighter face for an era less tolerant of brutality... perhaps she was presumptuous to think she still holds value. Unless she dutifully cuts into Aya, the current symbol of malice, she may quickly fade into post-celebrity obscurity.

And that would mean the end. 

"...Hina..."

"Now there's a name I've heard before. But it's not mine, I'm afraid."

Through a swath of voices, one rings true.

If only she could muster something upon hearing it. Instead, she only lifts her bedlammed eyes, and witnesses a mane of caramel. Movements which are relaxed. "...How did you get in here?"

"Waited for the guard to take a break~." A blinding smile, above a tailored scarf and jacket. This person would look rather glamorous, if she was away from these clotted chandeliers. "Oh, I know it's restricted; I'm just being naughty. So don't worry about that."

"...I see. I'm surprised they forgot to have someone cover their shift."

"Works for me. After all, it means- whoa... w-whoa, hang on!" Shock. "Y-your hand. It's bleeding. A-are you okay?!"

Chisato sighs. She looks at the wine glass. Annoyingly, her grip's formed cracks spanning its entire width. "I am not injured."

"But it's all over your fingers! C'mon, I can patch it up for y-"

She lets go of it. 

The red begins to spill.

"A-ah. It was wine, huh." The stranger breathes a sigh of relief. "Whew. I was really worried for a second. Any cuts?"

Chisato flicks her left hand, and the shards fly off. "No."

"Really? But-" Inspection. "...Wow, no kidding. That's almost scary. Your fingers looked real stuck in there."

She rests her arm upon the table. "Leave this place. If you are caught talking to me here, you will likely be arrested."

"Aw, the concern's appreciated. But I came here 'cause I was curious about you, y'know~?"

A quiet heave. "You intruded out of curiosity? How ridiculous. Did you expect a mewling kitten behind my public persona?"

"Mmmm... well, I wasn't expecting the rumours to be fake. I've got a lot of friends who resent you, for good reasons. But committing ethical atrocities'd make any pretty face feel down, right?"

"Aren't you quite the charmer." At the very least, talking with this person engages her brain. Seeking the escape, she sits up straight. "Then proceed. Your vision appears to be unaffected by paparazzi. If you are so curious about the life of The Dragon in her callous den, I will humour you."

"Looks like I'm a lucky girl tonight!" A few layers of cotton rest against another chair. A lock is twirled. "Got a pretty hectic schedule, so I'll stick with relishing one question."

"Be quick with it. I'm hardly in the mood."

"Well, here it is then." 

There's a finger pointed jovially at her face. 

"You feeling okay~?"

The faintest of impulsive scoffs. "Hardly in any condition to stop working."

"Ahaha. I feel like I'm looking into a mirror when you say that."

...How pleasant. She can almost tell what will come next. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you seem pretty wiped out." There's a pitying smile. "I don't think most people'd notice. But I've got an eye when it comes to this stuff, at least."

"And I suppose your advice is to rest?"

"Ahaha... well, I figure it's harder with a schedule like yours," the stranger sings. "Just call it my sisterly instinct. I don't want to impose, but... I also don't want anyone falling into the same trap I did. I've seen it happen too much. Just keep in mind for me; if you work until your limbs fall off, you won't have limbs to work or play with anymore. That's why finding some playtime's important, okay?"

"Hmph. How foolishly kind, to express concern for a monster."

"How about we call it my guilty pleasure~?"

She's heard words like these before. Of course, in her situation, relaxation is impossible; the Elder Council doesn't command such a thing, nor do her personal obligations. In times where one would seek the unburnt embrace of earth or ice, all she can do is walk through fire.

But even if such an ideal is impossible for her, it doesn't mean the advice is poor. So she fakes a smile for the sake of this stranger, and looks at a nearby window. "Very well then. I'll pretend I'm grateful to you, and pursue some time to rest. Call it a guilty pleasure of my own."

"Hmhmm~. Pretend, huh?"

"Is something the matter?"

"Oh, nothing~." A lively hop, and the stranger's up from her seat. It's rather impressive how undaunted she seems by the illegality of her intrusion. "Well, my time's about up. Hope you don't mind it being short; I just wanted to stick my nose in."

"It was a passable distraction," Chisato manages. "But you are responsible for your own safety when you leave. Don't dawdle; likely, the agent will be back at their post now."

"Oh, don't you worry. I have a feeling she's still on break." A friendly wave with a wink, and the stranger's heading towards the exit. "Oh, and by the way, I'll be watching the Exhibition up close! Looking forward to seeing you in action, Chisato~."

...So this person's spectating from the displays beneath the Skyscraper?

Strange, that; those tickets cost a fortune. But dwelling on it is tiresome. "Farewell, stranger."

"See you! Oh, and the name's Lisa Imai! Happy to help anytime!"

There's a faint bolt of thunder.

With that, the knight disappears down the stairs.

...

"Hmph."

She almost misses it already. It hardly quelled any flame, let alone lava. But even a simple conversation is comfort to a straggler. With that gone, only a void of searing heat 'remains'.

Breathe, Chisato.

...Breathe. In, out... in, out... in a way, such instructions have lost all meaning. But if she gave up on breathing, she would undoubtedly collapse. That is unacceptable. Even the most futile struggle is worth a try.

She frowns. Voices, they begin to raise, they begin to clamor. It feels like hundreds, thousands, thousands and hundreds of thousands; each is a finger, jabbing and squeezing into the brain. Put together thought, Chisato; something, anything to focus on... her watch... the time. The time. That's right; soon, she'll be escorted to Earth's Skyscraper. Perhaps the walk will strain to clear her mind.

Chisato stands up. And it's then that she notices the stains on her hand. She's fortunate to be alone; it'd be impossible for anyone not to see them.

The entire table is splattered red with wine.

"What a bother. I'd best get a napkin."

Her steps appear to remain rhythmic.

"After all, the public would feel abhorred if they saw a bloodied dragon."

**}-{-----}-{**

The top of Earth's Skyscraper.

The touch of the earth; maroon rock, sharpened and gritted beneath the feet. The sound of the sea; water, swamping the ears at all sides. Darkness... seeping from the air, carried by the howling gales, painting all that touches the sky.

Behold, Shirasagi. One of the very products of your destruction. An altar to the heavens, a cosmic pyre. What should be lying on the planet we call home is perched on a pedestal hundreds of metres above. The audience beneath watches through broadcasts on concrete and steel, while the students stand on 'proper' ground; near god's realm, where the dragons dare to tread. 

Let your heart creak, as the wounds of white gaze down to the world.

10:32pm. 

Chisato closes her eyes, filtering the commotion. The wine was an absolute chore to wipe off her uniform. Deep blue has a tendency to make red stick out... it would've been easier if it had stained the black lines, instead. Thanks to that, she's started the Exhibition a few minutes late.

No matter. It's time.

The Dragon nods at the one of the only members of staff present. There's a lot of cameras dotting this place, but most of them can be controlled remotely if necessary; this person, and the few assistants with him, are just insurance. Then she glances at the students. Lesser beasts adjust their collars, straightening their postures and scurrying into position. Some have lakes as their background, while others have rivers and mountains. All of them are lined at the sides, ready to display an esteemed cheer.

Now, her mask changes shape. She gives the signal.

The monitors blink on. The livestreams have begun. The broadcasts hit the populace's bedrooms, the national TV, and the eyes beneath. Not only does the audience get to see the students' faces, but they also receive the privilege of vice versa; holographic screens fly into the air and surround the stage of Earth's Skyscraper, displaying the faces of the audience to the students. 

And of course, even in her current situation, Chisato has her plastic smile perfectly prepared. "Good evening, everyone." She bows. "I wish you a warm welcome to this year's Central City Exhibition!"

The applause and cheers are deafening.

"It would appear the audience is packed tonight. We at the Shirasagi Duel Academy are truly grateful for your excitement."

It rises. Some of the yells are so loud that they feel like they're right here.

The students all bow. She lets her face have a doll's ribbon of confidence. "And to express our gratitude, we'll deliver upon you the most eye-catching duels you can grasp. I hope that tonight, when you see us clash, you will feel the desire to have your souls blaze too. Just as your light fuels ours, we hope that ours will fuel you too!"

Together, humanity brings a vocal rise millions above the lines on a musical stave. Slowly, the chant begins its overlay:

Dragon.

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

Every student gestures; on cue, the lakes and rivers give a calm, resplendent glow, murky red fading behind loving blue. Streams of water propelled from hidden machines fly through the air, giving the impressions of animals like one would imagine them from a cloudy sky. It's a beauty of a scene painted many a subtle hue in each section by the cameras' filters, and shaded with the silhouettes of dragons in the distance. With this subtle, high-budget resplendence, forged from their endless practice and muddied coordination, the Academy's claim is made, writing the words 'down-to-earth' up on the Skyscraper.

Two steps forward. The charismatic being dressed in blue and black, blazer and trousers, 4 glowing capes encompassing all 4 earthly Attributes, lets her smile settle. She closes her eyes and makes a noble bow. "Fret not. I'll waste no more time merely claiming our shine; now, you'll see exactly the game of survival you've come here for! The play you watch will tie your eyes, and embed itself deep into your memories! Let the duels... begin!"

CHEER! The curtains open, and one by one, the students enter to dazzle. The arena they duel upon isn't painted with lines or stuffed with lights; it's just a strait of maroon rock surrounded by seas, like the rest of the plateau. Upon it, mechanical warriors, serpents from the depth, excavators of the earth, keepers of the tree... they clash, they burn, they carry every colour of light onto the shimmering water. With each duel's end, Chisato swipes, and the next begins. So continues the demonstrations of skill. Lashes of flame, a cheer, swords of aqua, a cheer, they come from pair after pair of duelists, each taking their turns to represent something old or new. Some cards exert tornados of plasma, while others cover the stage in veils of stone. The Exhibition runs through its program, shifting from rapidly paced real-time duels to pre-made puzzles posed as challenges to overcome. With each and every success, there's a wave of watery lights and a chorus of huzzahs; some of the students are even genuinely smiling. The noises from the audience far below echo through the screens surrounding the Skyscraper, as the Academy grants sight after sight from the heaven they claim.

...An hour passes, before Chisato gulps. The initial adrenaline wears off, salivating at her void. Her time is already running low.

She searches and searches. Temporary gazes, subtle glances when it would make sense for the camera not to be on her; that's when she takes her chance to locate the one she's looking for. And eventually, she finally spots her, standing behind those on the backburner.

...Aya.

She doesn't look meek or whimpering. In fact, she's not even trembling. It's hardly like the Aya people know at all.

All Chisato sees is a soft, lifeless smile, looking at the ground beneath.

...

...Even in this situation, she's...

"Hey. Does The Dragon seem kind of strange to you tonight?"

Throb. 

Immediately- no, she forces her composure back; she can't turn off the microphone. Instead, she sharpens her ears.

"Dude, don't let her overhear that!"

"Why? She's not gonna snark at us on-stage."

"Yeah, I think she's kinda out of it. Don't her glares feel like they're just for show lately?"

"Even trash-talk's dangerous, y'know. You really wanna get in trouble with the corp's daughter? Haven't you heard the stories of students crying in the hallways?"

"They're probably just wimps. Look, I'm not hearing anything recent about people getting their rankings lowered, or being forced into humiliation by dueling her, or all that wack stuff. So all I'm saying is-"

"Keep it down! She'll give all of us remedials later if you keep talking!"

There's no further response.

She manages to breathe. It's not a good sign if people other than her siblings are noticing changes... at the very least, it seems her presence is still threatening enough to prevent anything extreme.

...But for some reason, it shakes her. No, this won't do. Why is her sweat turning cold? A few naysayers' whispers don't so much as dent her on any other day.

Another pair of students are looking at her, and she quickly glares them off- then, no, she realises; she did that instinctually, she made a mistake. That's not what she's supposed to do on-stage!

...R-remain calm. Don't be distracted by such trivialities when duty demands an answer.

Think, think. She lets her vacant expression settle upon two clashing avians. Just think about Aya. Without protection against the accusations of thievery, her reputation will plummet, and the world will stop caring for her. At this rate, nobody will notice if she is sent to the abyss in a few days' time; that's exactly how the Council always deals with dissent. Here and now, Chisato must convincingly send the message that Aya is not a thief; knowing the Dueling Idol's neverending resolve and embarrassing honesty, changing the audience's overall perception could easily keep her safe in the spotlight. 

But that challenge will come with the same problem Chisato's always had; if The Dragon's arguments are too out-of-character, the spotlight-starved students will pounce. Only an aura of royalty stops them from posing a threat to her reputation. 

She tries not to grit. Every type of spectator here must be convinced by her performance... so, will they truly believe her if she plays the hero? Has the media not already forcefully shut their eyes? If she does not balance her compassion with the Shirasagi charisma, she could be torn apart from all sides. And if that happens... neither Aya nor her will be safe.

<strike>Is the abyss not appealing enough to you?</strike>

...C-calm, stay calm.

Remain. Calm.

She smiles, and smiles, and smiles. Not to an extreme extent, remember; if skin becomes too plastic, it will be obvious for all to see. Natural, natural; she has spent her life imitating nature. So stay calm and rehearse.

11:29pm. Her time is already approaching.

She stands. The Dragon takes the stage. She descends from her throne atop the rocky hill, step after step down. There's a few glances from the others she elects to ignore. Floating platforms of dirt travel hundreds of metres from the sides of the Skyscraper's plateau, flying in to bridge a river and tug her forward.

The second she walks upon the arena, the roars from beneath return.

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

Nary a limb loose. She thrusts her arm out, and one of her four wings, a cape coloured like the earth, flares onto the world.

There's screams.

An assistant brings a tray of duel disks to The Dragon's side, each with their own colours and decks. She takes one and wraps it around her left hand. Every single deck in that tray, she'll showcase. 

As she draws a simple sword, her first opponent walks onto the stage. Like all the rest, this student hasn't been ordered to lose. But that hardly matters. Because nobody wins against The Dragon, no matter what deck she uses. 

"Dueling is one of the finest and most well-constructed sports in these districts. It encompasses every facet of the world, from fire, to ice, to lightning. Truly, there is no better way to understand the stronger side in a battle." The wind blows through her hair. "Now, allow me to show you the next innovation in our Academy's generation of Duel Monsters!"

And so her inspiring performance begins.

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

A victory, **4000LP** to **0LP.** One student falls, and the crowd is bedazzled. Chisato's stomach winces at the thought of Aya.

**4000**-to-**0.** The Dragon. The Shirasagi Corporation's claim to fame, she who sits at the top when excluding the shooting star.

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

**4000**-to-**0.** No matter the deck, no matter the playstyle, and no matter the rank of her opponent, she wins without a care in the world. Even as her teeth grind at the thought of midnight.

**4000**-to-**0.**

And in a timespan one pair would take to finish a duel, she's ended several in clean sweeps. The audience roars with every move she takes. On the surface, The Dragon has made the perfect performance of personality; only a few whispering students have any inkling of the lowered bite beneath.

...She bows, as the clock strikes 11:55pm. Her torched lungs throb.

A short interval. 2 minutes will pass; then she will make an announcement regarding her next duel. It's been planned by the Council... deliberately set up to cut into her next opponent.

Aya Maruyama.

Chisato's come up a fine script. She's rehearsed double for where her voice might crack, and woven the words with all the right symbols. But will it truly be enough?

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

"...!" 

She blinks.

...And she smiles. Relief. Perhaps the emotion is showing on her mask, even.

Listen to their cheers.

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

...Stardust sneaks into her torched veins. In an inferno swallowing her soul, a piece of light pumps through her circulation. No, she knows; if she takes every step with complete confidence, her professionalism will carry her through, and reach the audience.

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

It will work.

"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"  
"Dra-gon!"

It will work. Without a doubt, she will emerge victorious against the Council. 

"DRA-GON!"

Her plan is set. No matter how many eyes are watching her, no matter how many flames are lashing at her, she will, undoubtedly, see this night through with the futures of Chisato Shirasagi and Aya Maruyama intact!

11:57pm. She turns to face the music.

Every screen is staring upon her. With confidence in her cracked heels, she returns to the ring, eyeing the dishevelled idol who readies for the camera's gaze. And with every ounce of confidence on her breaking back, she faces the eyes who watch from above. "I hope you've enjoyed the festivities so far, everyone. Now, the curtain will close with tonight's climax." She strengthens her gaze. "A duel I imagine you've all been anticipating."

Cheers. Excitement.

Aya takes a deep breath, and walks to the opposite side of the arena. The next, and final, challenger.

"Strange, is it not? Normally it would be rather unusual for The Dragon to face the lowest-ranked duelist in the academy. It's an intriguing contrast to be presenting you this year. And we have one particular group of students to thank for that."

She can see people jump, squealing in excitement, grinning and pumping their fists. The corporation has them hooked on ante and drama. They've been staged a moral conflict upon skill, one whose conclusion feeds the sensation they crave. But all she needs to do is steer them a little off course.

The Dueling Idol gives a meek little wave. "H-hi, everyone..."

Chisato swallows her anguish for just this moment, and faces Aya with all her regality. "The Shirasagi Duel Academy is the exemplar of modern Duel Monsters. In the heart of the Haneoka-Hanasakigawa dual-district, people train tirelessly for their place in this industry, no matter what field they pursue. Every student is expected to uphold the academy's values and become the best exemplar to their peers they can be. And that means to become strong, inspiring and righteous." A siphoned, daphne glare. "THEFT is not tolerated in our academy."

There's cheers. Aya trembles, but she keeps a smile pointed Chisato's way. Likely, she was expecting the beginning of her requiem here and now. Likely, her disk carries nothing but a blade of endless effort, no matter what outcome is set in stone. She deserves better.

The senses take a backseat. Beneath the mask, Chisato breathes, and sets her secret rebellion in motion, fueled by a stardust the eyes cannot know. Beneath a horde of encroaching clouds, in the one spot where the lights of above shine down below, Chisato gathers it all.

Truly, the audience loves and admires The Dragon. Even after all these years, her fame remains. That's exactly why she has an opening.

"Indeed, for a student to be stealing not only from their peers, but also from the general populace... it is the lowest and most unsightly form of competition. A desperation that comes from those who have no power without being a parasite. The members of the Dueling Idol's fan club are the lowest of the low."

Now. Strike.

The next set of words will change Aya's course.

"How rotten for them to suck away at our beloved followers, while pinning the blame on their Aya Maruyama."

...

The volume lowers.

She stands tall with her opener. Acknowledging the audience's rage, but steering it away from Aya, towards a broader and less punishable target... it's the honest truth, and the safest option for everyone. She'll take whatever yelling she needs to from the agents later; after all, the crowd still loves her far too much for the Council to consider abandoning her. That's what she should have realised to begin with; if it's The Dragon's words, the crowd will certainly belie-

"What the hell was that meant to be?"  
.

Chisato stops.

She looks back to the other students. They're confused, murmuring amongst themselves... but maybe that's just to be expected. After all, she's made quite the surprising claim. She still has more to say, too...

...But instead of continuing, she instead pauses, and searches. W-what about the audience? Her vision rushes through a sea of people, searching the countless heads for their expressions; but what's normally a uniform devotion is now something she can't decipher. But maybe she can tell if she looks at the individuals: One is chaos. Another is confusion. Another is conformity, and another is confusion again-

Her heart throbs.

She spots a face of anger.

"Hey, I don't get it. Is she saying Aya isn't behind the thefts?"

"I mean, sounds reasonable. Look at her. She can't even do her tie properly."

"But all of the thieves were members of her fanclub. They can definitely handle the dirty work for her. It's just another style of the ol' wolf in sheep's clothing."

...A-ah, maybe she should've given the explanation first. Hardly a surprise that an isolated sentence would cause confusion; that's a recipe for controversy, isn't it? Let's clear this up, so everyone understands her position. She's paused for too long, she's paused for too long. She needs to provide her explanation-

""

...

...What?

S-speak.

""

No. W... why?

It burns. A fire is blazing. No matter how much she wills it, her voice can't form a single word.

...No, no, no... s-she wasn't supposed to be done. She had more to say! 

But she can't move. Something has choked her act.

It burns.

"...W-" why? She fails to speak. Why... is the audience so upset? There's a whirlpool of differing reactions among them... they evidently feel betrayed. What is she missing?

"I dunno. I mean, what if Chisato's telling the truth about her?"

"Bullshit. You're telling me the Shirasagi heir says she's innocent, while the Shirasagi media says she's guilty?"

ccrk

Chisato's face warps.

The upheaval in the gets louder and louder.

So that's it. 

No.

N-no.

...No, no, no, no, how?! How on earth did she miss it? On any other day, she would've easily noticed such a glaring contradiction. She's betrayed the very conclusion her family has set up for her. There's nothing to support her side. What reaction could there be but indignation?!

This... this is no trivial mistake. This is no laughing matter anymore!

"Hey, is it me, or does Chisato look kinda freaked out?"

"You think The Dragon's starting to crack? Wow, maybe you were right."

The mask, the mask is slipping. She can't have that. Let's recover and act, just like always...

She tries to put it back on-

and remembers.

"N-no..."

That day in the Dragon's Maw, 3 years ago. That day, when the crowd saw a side of The Dragon they weren't meant to see; a side who was fallible, a side who wasn't worth rooting for.

The day when everything felt like it was dying.

No,

no, no, no, no no no no nonono no

STOP IT! Stop, stop it, keep it together NOW! She looks at the screens and- no, it's already too late. Her face... it already showed the panic, her body, it was already shuddering. Everything is finally starting to show- 

Her heart shrivels at the thought of the agents. The Council... h-ha, how reckless of her! The second she disobeyed their orders, she was relying exclusively on her fame and image to remain useful to them. And that... that image, it's now...

if it... shatters here, then...

There's shouts. Sneers, from the students. She whips her head left and right.

"Hey, hey! Does that mean she's not gonna duel Aya? Lemme do it instead! I'll bring what the crowd wants!"

"Are you insane?! Get back here!"

"Out of the way! Don't try and stop me!"

She's failing. Everything her image holds together, it's "B-be quiet!" Chisato orders.

But nobody listens.

"You're out of control!" 

"What the hell's your problem?!"

"Don't get on stage while The Dragon's there! You're going to get punished by the staff if you do!"

There's a minor altercation on camera now. Her blurred eyes can see gasps from the crowd.

"Chisato doesn't mean anything! The audience doesn't want her now, anyway! This is my chance!"

Some laugh at her mistake, while others war, and- N-no, hold it together. Don't fail, not on the camera...

Don't fail.

Think, t-think. She ignores whatever her face expresses right now, and thinks. She needs an emergency solution, now. No, the walkie-talkie, that's it... she could contact the Technology Department, and ask them to close the livestream- no, what will the public think if the Exhibition is ended in such a way? From such an abrupt spurt of drama, the Council could easily send both Aya and her into the abyss at once, and start from a clean slate!

Don't fail.

Don't fail.

Don't fail.

She's lost all the grip she had in one go. No matter what grace she fakes now, her life is about to...

about to...

"I've never seen The Dragon look like this."

...She can't fail. If she looks vulnerable, then people might dig for more, and her crimes could be exposed, and her rebellion will fall apart, and then... then... then...!

The mask crumbles. She can already hear it; the murmurs of the students increasing, the dismay of the audience increasing... she's failing, she's failing

A solution. Think of something, anything!

Please, help...

"Chisato..." Aya says.

Anything,

Anything to end this nightmare,

ANYTHING-

S-stop it. 

Stop... wallowing in grief and self-pity... stop being so pathetic! She grinds her teeth; she's the only one who can save herself. Nobody else will help Chisato Shirasagi. So think, and rehearse, and devise and;

It burns. She can't think of anything that would convince the audience.

Search, anything, for anything and anything;

No, she can't. It's useless. The noise is overwhelming. There's nothing she could say that would silence the students now. B-but she keeps searching. Please, she must find a solution! She's the only one who can now! 

Her heart wails; "P-please... help...!"

...

ccrk

No...

There's nothing.

...She grits her teeth.

T-that's all she can do...

Recklessness has already cost her too much. She's going to be thrown away.

All she can do is wait for her end to come.

This is it.

Turn the livestreams off. Turn everything off. Wait for the flames to settle and leave the charred hands behind.

...

...

"Um. So what do we do now?"

...Right... it won't just be the livestream. She also has to cut the camera feeds, if she wants to disable all broadcasting. Where... are the staff? She needs... to talk to them, now... so where are they...?

Through black, she searches.

...Found him. There's the person she's looking for. Right near one of the rocky hills, there's a cameraman lying on the-

.

.

.

ccrk

"What the hell's The Dragon doing? The Exhibition's still on, isn't it?"

"Not sure. Some of the screens are glitching out. Are we leaving?"

"Dunno. Fun to watch her be on the receiving end for once, though."

...

"Hey, why's she look so surprised?"

"I think she's just scared. Hey, Dragon! Wake up!"

Chisato blinks. Suddenly, she's very much aware she's alive. "...Why?"

"Huh? Why 'what'?"

"Why...

...is the cameraman unconscious?"

"Huh? What kind of excuse is that? Where're you looking, even-"

The student faces her direction. 

"Wha-" Everyone freezes. 

Chisato's eyes narrow. "What happened?"

He's not the only one, either; every member of the staff lies passed out on the ground, put right to sleep. In fact, not just that; the cameras in her view appear to be torn, too. She can see a gaping scar running right through one's lens. 

A blur.

She hears yells. The students beside her swear. The screens displaying the audience disappear.

And all of a sudden, the entirety of the plateau is shadowed.

"What?!" Chisato shouts. "Who's responsible for this?" She searches the quaking students. "Who knocked the staff out?!"

"That would be... me."

!

Every single head turns towards the dark unknown. From one side of the arena, Chisato bores her gaze as far as she humanely can towards the sound of the voice. She doesn't find anything.

"O-over there!"

But then she turns, and immediately

Something rushes past.

"What?!"

A leap. From the one spot in the sky the clouds don't cover, there's a blot of shadow. Bathed in the light, she sees a rider, wrapped in black,

descend to the stage.

There's an uproar beneath the Skyscraper. The students are whispering, but none dare approach.

The intruder stands,

ccrk

and visions flood back. Chisato nearly collapses. "B-black cape..."

But no. Somewhere in her state, she knows; it can't be the Watcher. That cape, it's nothing like an undefinable entity. It's smooth, clean-cut, right-angled at the corners like it was ironed before the show. The way it flows in the wind, cutting a curled line with those unseen eyes.... it strikes the hearts of all who see it with fear and awe.

And that hair. The Moonlit Rider has a mane of locks flowing from the back of their hood. Liquorice-black dye, like the world's deepest vortex, streaked in hues of grey across each and every length.

There's a smile.

Chisato instinctively retreats a step. "Who? Who are you?!" 

"Her. Your endbringer."

SLAP!

...

...

On the floor of the arena lies a white glove.

ccrk... cccrkkk

"Wait, hang on. Is that stranger challenging The Dragon to a duel?!"

The Rider smirks. "That's right." She throws a hand out, and black devours from her back. "People of the world, hear my words! Before this Exhibition ends, you'll feel the truth of this corporation's feeding hand. Chisato Shirasagi; tonight's the night everyone you've deceived is exposed to your fangs!"

"And what on earth do you mean by that?" Chisato croaks. "What is the meaning of this challenge? A duel won't obscure your illegal intrusion onto this ground!"

"Don't speak to me of illegality, hypocrite. You're always content for the spotlight, no matter how many sins you birth from your back."

"...You..."

"I'm one among many who know you for who you are. We're here to return this spotlight to its rightful owners!" She booms. "A student of the Shirasagi Duel Academy never runs from a challenge. So take the glove, Disaster. That is, unless you're afraid to reveal yourself as the fake you are."

"!" She balks. "T-that title... you would dare call me a fake, knowing it?"

"Of course I would. Your wretched elders mock the sport they claim their namesake." 

A duel disk; a commonplace model, the kind most use, with a completely standard blade. The second it's unsheathed from the intruder's left arm, the world goes wild.

"Through our clash, I'll show you what a true duelist looks like!"

...

That blade has captured every member of the audience.

Now, the eyes of the world watch the Moonlit Rider.

...

...It's...

ccrkccrkkkrkkk

Murmurs and whispers abound. Beasts to her left and right.

"Well? Is she gonna accept it?"

"There's no reason not to, is there? We don't even know if this person's any good."

"Is The Dragon actually any good either, though? I've never fought her before."

"Shit, you're right. When was the last time I saw her duel?"

...

The Rider raises her volume. "Well? What's wrong, Chisato? Scared to show the livestream your true face? I bet they'd love to see it!"

She lowers her head. Nobody can see her eyes.

"True face? Is that person talking about a corruption scandal?"

"There's a lot of rumours. Maybe she's talking about THAT, though..."

"If you truly have nothing to hide, then draw your blade and face me. Come and meet your end; there's nothing you have I can't endure!"

ccr kkkrk

It's perfect, isn't it?

cccrrkkkkrk rkkkkKK

The eyes have been moved away from Aya. Nobody is pondering a mere tabloid thief anymore. This intruder is a fantastic spectacle, and a perfect opportunity. It should be simple enough; all she needs to do is defeat the Moonlit Rider onstage. Distract the livestream audience with a display, and re-establish her skill to the students, making them forget about any temporary controversy.

If she does that, they could be saved. So that's her new strategy. That's her next performance. That's all there is to it. 

That's all there is to it. 

That's all there should be to it.

...

...

...

...

...

...But she wants more.

It burns.

CCCRKKKKRRRRKKK

It burns, it burns, it burns.

It's been burning for so long. She can't recall the last waking second it hasn't. It's always been masks, masks, masks... mask after mask after wretched, wretched MASK...

IT'S BEEN BURNING FOR SO LONG.

**CRACK!**

Something pours into Chisato's blood.

...

Release.

I want release.

Years of knowing it could end at any moment. The fear, the anguish, the despair. It's all been stuck in here, for as long as I can remember.

Wouldn't it feel amazing, to let it swallow me whole?

I'd do anything to have that joy right now.

...

...

Chisato's breathing stabilizes.

...

...

You. You'll do perfectly.

After all...

...you said there's nothing I have you can't endure.

...

...

...She doesn't know what everyone is saying. She doesn't listen. All she does is take a certain walkie-talkie, press a button, and hold it to her ear.

....bzzrrrt....

"H-hello?"

Ah. Wonderful. "Hello, Maya." She says. "Does a higher-up happen to be present?"

"Um. Y-yes, but-"

"Good. Make sure they're listening to what I'm about to say."

She lets a second pass.

"This is an order to the entire Technology Department. Shut off the TV broadcasts and livestreams, now."

"What?" She hears another voice. "But, what about the cameras on-site? They're still displaying everything to the audience!"

"The intruder just destroyed them. She's saved you the effort. So finish the job."

"Even if that's true, there's no way we're allow-"

"Now."

She ends the call.

...

A few seconds later, the world feels quieter.

...

Every obstacle has been removed.

The clouds fully devour the sky. The stars aren't visible anymore. And there's nobody but the students who can see what she's doing now.

Chisato's eyes are hidden in the dark.

...

...

"Hey... do you think she's scared?"

They're whispering. Then, they're giggling. With nobody to watch them, they erupt into carnivorous laughter.

"The Dragon really is scared! She's afraid to lose on-screen!"

"Oooooo, maybe she's rusty!"

"Hey, hey, Chisato. Lemme duel this idiot instead, yeah? I'll clean up your mess!"

...

The Rider, no doubt, stands tall.

"You scared of her, Dragon? That's funny." A student nearly twice Chisato's height approaches. "But don't you worry. I'll wipe the floor with her, just for you. Aren't I nice?"

Snickering, jeering.

"C'mon. Step aside and lemme take the stage. I could crush this wannabe Batman in an instant."

...

"Ohhhh, I get it. Don't worry, I get the heebie-jeebies too, honest. Sometimes I get so scared that I'm just frozen on the spot, and can't say a thing." A whistle. "Buuuuut, I guess The Dragon wouldn't know what that feels like, right?"

...

The student is bolstered by the raucous laughter, and walks ever-so-closer to Chisato.

Closer, and closer.

"Apparently, The Dragon's invincible. She's fearless. She's got 14 years of victory under her belt. Everyone says she's one of the strongest duelists in the dual-district."

Closer.

"Even though, outside of the Exhibition, barely anybody sees her duel the students at all."

Closer.

"But that doesn't mean a thing, does it? You're probably just hiding your power or something. You can eaaaaasily beat this person."

The footsteps end a meter away.

"Right, Dragon?"

...

"Or should I say... right, little Chisato?"

And nine thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-nine voices say one thing:

Burn.

"...less... ..."

"Hm? What was that? Can't hear you." The student leans around. "Could you repeat it again for-"

Chisato has raised her head.

"I said."

Venomous magenta bleeds.

"**_Worthless garbage._**"

She slaughters the showcase disk, shattering it to pieces. Her left arm, unburdened, cuts into the student's collar and grips. A pathetic animal is held up to the air. "A-ah! W-wait!"

The student flails, struggles. The others gasp. But Chisato's arm doesn't budge.

Your infection awaits.

"Oh, my." The Dragon smiles. "What ever happened to that bravado of yours? Just a second ago, you were roaring like a little tiger."

"Ha... h-haha! I was just joking-"

"I have no tolerance for people who don't know their place."

She effortlessly tosses the student away, into the wretched dirt. The others take a step back.

"Why, there's no need to look so scared. What's the matter? Aren't you supposed to be performers?" She runs a needle into their eyes. "Oh. I see now. You've remembered, haven't you? The thought that this being holds your futures in her hand has irrevocably returned to your head."

There's shudders. They step further back.

"Personally, I feel a little deprived. I would have loved to tear one of your havens to shreds. It'd serve as a reminder to the students of the Academy, that with just a snap of my fingers..." She leans her head. "...the abyss would be delighted to meet you."

Complete and utter silence.

"But it's a shame. Unfortunately, ripping into a student would take too much time for my appetite. I suppose I'll need a more vulnerable animal to delight in... _won't I?_"

The target.

"An. Animal. Like. You."

She breaches the boundary of the arena's established distance, striding closer and closer. Her tied tail of sickened blonde poses every strand as a sword. The black on The Dragon's uniform is a burst vessel.

"It must've been difficult infiltrating this place, little ferret. You're adorably brave... I rather admire such brazenness in my opposers."

"I know I have nothing to fear from you."

"Is that so? How charming. But your words have lost their voice. If you were intending to inspire the audience with a desire for rebellion, you have no channel to do it with now."

"That's not entirely true. We still have the students watching, don't we? They'll be enough to make my victory over you known globally!"

"...Hmmhmhm. A rather pleasant fantasy."

The Dragon's smile leers.

"_But you made your mistake the second your mind formed the word victory._"

And it grows.

When Chisato rolls up her sleeve and raises her left arm, there's no disk. No location for a deck to seemingly reside. Yet somehow, from the very flesh of the rippled persona, that which drowns in bloodied black flames screams from her skin. The Dragon's true blade, adorned with stains of manic azure lava, eats at the world around it until the very air is gone.

"_Wail all you want, Rider. I hardly mind. Because no matter what move you try and make, I'll be merrily picking you apart. I'm afraid your only outcome..._

A fang jeers from the side of her mouth.

_...is to be crushed!_"

She swings. 5 cards are drawn.

And so the devil's dirge wreaks.

"**<---DUEL!--->**"  
"**<---DUEL!--->**"

"_This duel is over._" Chisato's cards shriek. The second she raises two above her head, countless voices draw their last breath. "_Wretched stakes of Gluttony and Lechery... bring me the body of my prey!_"

Two molting seals tasted in blood form in lines around her sides, a sword stabbing into each. 

And she smiles. She smiles, smiles with a smile she hasn't felt in over 5 years, something so indulgent, something so delightful-

SHRRRRRRK!

-as two convulsing rots of flesh pierce her opponent's shoulders.

"Ah!" 

The Rider jumps. She looks to her left, and sees the hilt of a virus entrenched in fractured, monochrome scales and squealing appendages, gleefully devouring her arm. She slowly turns to her right, and sees the hilt of a virus whose core runs the meat of a festering corpse. Chisato can see the wince she makes when the sounds of nerve and bone breaking apart tear at her ears.

Eyes. Clusters of eyes are embedded in the draconic stakes, staring right back at the Rider. "What... what is this?"

Such a shame, that hood; the Rider's expression undoubtedly looks delicious. "My, my, there's no need to worry. They're just holographs, after all. Though with how realistically they've been designed, I can't blame your reaction."

A hand runs and phases through one. "You call this a holograph? Th-that's quite the streak you've got there."

"I'm flattered," she sings, "but I wouldn't recommend looking at it for too long!"

Three cards. A continuous spell. A field spell. And a summoned monster.

"A-ah!" 

Chisato drives the gouge in, and the Rider's rationality fails her. Lightning delights in torturing her arms, seeping in scales of grey and red from the points of her infection.

There's a roar from Chisato's side. Once the ground grew scales, the fool's victim became a frenzy. Atop the festering mold of the darkness, the remnants of an animal wail out in pain from the body of a silver-plated dragon. Scales, horns and wings; what an exemplar this persona is. Those admired traits are making the **2450ATK** wolf attached scream with its eschewed lungs, thrash and leave marks in the ground, tear everything apart until it stops, and bleed at every orifice... until it submits to the _Amorphage Infection._

"You." A shame. Her opponent's seen through the illusion, standing up straight; "What did you do?"

"You wish to know why you've lost? Very well."

_Amorphage Wrath_ makes a guttural roar.

"It's simple. With the presence of an Amorphage monster on my field, the effects of _Amorphages Gluttony_ and _Lechery_ in my Pendulum Zones became active." The Dragon's visage carries the wind. "While I control an Amorphage monster..."

She opens her eyes.

"...non-Amorphage Monster effects and Spells... cannot be activated!"

"..."

"I end my turn. Go on. Do you have any complaints?"

...

...

"...No. _My turn._" One more card from a plain disk. "I set a _monster face-down in defense position._ Then I set two other cards face-down, and end my turn."

Her movements are blunt. The students are murmuring.

"Oh? Is that really all?"

"Yeah."

The air shivers,

and it whispers, it coaxes, it roars in delight, ringing into her ears; 

'Tear her apart.'

Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline, 

Chisato smiles. "Good. You understand your situation, don't you? Your fingers don't decide the plays you make... mine do. Your left arm belongs to me, Rider." The Dragon draws. "_Kneel._"

Her black blade burns. The seal of Gluttony glows, dragging _Amorphage Wrath_ into hell.

"During my Standby Phase, each Amorphage in the Pendulum Zones requires a tribute if it wishes to remain. I tribute Wrath to sustain Gluttony... and let Lechery be destroyed." Chisato lunges, her hand strangling the scaled dirt with the grace of a germ-infested beast. "The effects of my Spells activate with the tribute of an Amorphage monster. Wrath shall give in!"

RIP! A fist unveils its spoils. Her new mask is sustained.

"_Amorphous Persona._ Through Wrath's tribute, I draw 1 card. _Amorphage Infection._ Through Wrath's sacrifice, I add _Amorphage Greed_ to my hand." Chisato buries another into the lava. "_Wretched stake of Greed, bring me the body of my prey!_"

The Rider grits her teeth. For when the rancid flesh departs, the blood of a bronze seal signals pain anew.

SHRRRRRRK!

The hilt of a virus, drowned in spikes; nothing but a cacophony of scales and eyes, digging and fighting for the biggest prize. "While I control an Amorphage monster, Greed bans the activation of all non-Amorphage Traps!" She smiles. "With these stakes, my scale is set from **3**-to-**5.** Level 4 monsters can be Pendulum Summoned from my hand or face-up Extra Deck. _The time has come for your Infection; Wrath, and Pride!_"

A cold wolf and a gleaming eagle form onto the field, meeting a pit of blackened spikes. Blades tear and tear at their skin, until a hilt buries itself inside. With deafening screeches, their dragons, feckless grey and rancid green, rip apart their bodies and become their masters, hordes of shrivelling eyes eroding at their skin.

...That first one. What a blemish. "_Amorphage Wrath_ shall be sacrificed for _Amorphage Sloth._"

Perfect. When her arm commands the animal to be torn, a new one takes its place. A proud, protective bear, its muscles and nerves severed again and again until it finally gives in, sharing its neck with the head of a disgusting dragon. "_Amorphous Persona_ allows me to draw a card from tributing twice per turn." The poison spreads. "Persona grants a 300-point boost to Amorphage monsters. With 6 Amorphage cards on the field, they also gain another 600 from _Amorphage Infection._"

Pride, at **2650ATK.** Sloth, at **3150ATK.**

Dragons are powerful. Dragons are regal. Dragons are deadly. Dragons are solitary. Their striking, inspiring visages invigorate everyone with the energy to shine. That is the very image created by her family. And here, they kill nature to lay their endless claim. Through their fire, innocent animals are condemned to crave slaughter... for all eternity.

Join me. Join me in this endless hell of adrenaline-bloated bloodshed! "Well, Rider? Do you have any dazzling response?"

Silence.

"...Hmph. Of course not. Your monster and trap effects are locked away. And I'm afraid that's hardly the worst of it," she declares. "Level 4 or lower Pendulum-Summoned Amorphages ban the Extra Deck summoning of non-Amorphages! And Level 6 or higher Amorphages impose the same restriction, regardless of how they are summoned!" Sloth roars. "You have nothing to activate, nothing to summon. You have nothing to bring out your voice with... and you have no way in which you can express yourself."

The Dragon throws her arm out.

"What a fool you were, believing you could ever shine upon this stage!" Magenta blares its poison, and the entire ground dies. "_Amorphage Pride_, attack her face-down monster!"

SWIPE! The abomination's draconic half rips the holographic card in two. Its trembling limbs pin the broken pieces, and incinerate them at slobbering point-blank.

"Scream for me, my little Rider." She smiles. "_Amorphage Sloth_, attack my opponent directly!"

Behemoth, breathing, leaping, crushing. The hands strangle the soil, and the victim stumbles on the cracks,

as a gigantic claw eviscerates the rock she stands upon.

SMASH!

And scream the Rider does.

...

...

Chisato's boiling, melting blood pounds through her heart as the winds of darkness blow her way. The dust chokes at her opponent's life. For the first time in years, she feels the pleasure of pushing her hand to tear someone to shreds.

The adrenaline feels intoxicating.

...

She grins.

**850LP.**

There's snickers from around the arena.

"Ggh..." The Rider clutches a hand over her face. The other is gripping the orb on her disk. As it slowly lets go, the life she's lost is visible to all.

Snickers turn to laughter.

Laughter, heaving laughter. Vultures tear a soul apart.

And Chisato keeps smiling in hell. "I'm hardly surprised. A dramatic superhero, claiming to inspire rebellion? To save the day, by ending my reign through a mere round of sport? How utterly pathetic."

"..."

"Heroes like that only exist in the land of fantasy. No; even humans are only a myth in this land," she spews. "You cannot inspire those with no hearts, Rider. Under the Shirasagi sky, none in any audience will share your desire for rebellion, no matter what reasoning you make. The mistake of thinking your opponent was human... that is exactly why you've lost."

"I haven't lost yet."

"...!"

Or perhaps Chisato only thought the winds blew for her.

Her opponent hasn't kneeled at all. Not this entire time. Perhaps that's why the students have ceased their laughter, watching her with anticipation.

"Well?" A step forward. "Are your illusions over, Chisato?"

She stops smiling. "...The spell card _Pendulum Halt_. The presence of 2 distinct Amorphages in my Extra Deck draws me 2 new cards." It's practically slapped onto the blade. "I set one card face-down. The lack of a floor is yours."

"_Then it's my turn._"

A card is drawn.

Chisato frowns, and watches.

"You claim I made the mistake of thinking my opponent was human. But I never said it was."

"...What do you mean?"

"Typical." The word spits with the dignity of a sword. "The rich and powerful are fully aware of the damage they cause, yet they always run away. Your sins, Chisato... how long will you run from them?"

"..."

"Of course we're not human. None of us are. We all carry human in us, but it's always shattered and disfigured by you. The way we live under your environment... deep down, every single one of us knows the Shirasagis are killing us."

She plays it up. "And none of us care. Why should we? No matter who created it, the world we live in is forever one of suffering. Pain is the life we must accept."

"I'll never accept such cowardly lies."

"If I am a liar, then your 'truth' is a laugh. Is this pathetic performance meant to inspire the populace against me?" Magenta oozes. "Then know that even if they were watching, they wouldn't do a thing. My fangs are the culmination of their complacency. The Dragon is the emblem of a resigned humanity; the least human of them all. Battling such an invincible, internal enemy will only meet you with endless loss."

"And yet I'll win."

"...What?"

A blot of shadow, in a dark, dark world; like its secret master, the Rider's cloak cuts at the air. "Mark my words. Your image of a broken, bootlicking world has come to an end... because I'll break that image, by defeating you!"

"..."

"You said you're the least human of them all."

The Rider throws out her left arm.

"But that's fine by me..."

Luminescence.

"...because I'm hardly human either!"

Chisato watches a hundred students gasp. Shine. Brilliant, beautiful shine. So pitifully deep, so pitifully genuine... it's a kaleidoscopic luster shining from every surface around the stake. The light nearly burns her eyes.

sssssssSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

In a clean motion, glistening shards sing off the duelist's skin, thickening the air with their colour. The arm has revealed its 'inanimate' form; each spotless plane of its surface glimmers and sheens. The material it's made of... not encased in, not lying beneath, no, completely made of... goes deeper than the flesh, deeper than the bone. That is the impression the holograph strikes with.

It's an entire limb of pure, shining crystals.

"This isn't just my arm. And as good as you are at pinning it, I can't let it be yours either. It belongs to this beautiful world. I'll happily fight for anyone who says they need it!" She slams the blade; "_Let's go!_ I activate the quick play spell card _Twin Twisters_; I discard _Crystron Sulfefnir_ from my hand to destroy your Pendulum Zone Amorphages!"

...

Glitters of murky yellow are fluttered through the field. A flourish, and two ferocious storms break apart the draconic seals. 

With that incantation, the stakes disappear from the Rider's shoulders. The students are whispering. "Some barrier that was; I'm already free to activate effects again. And I've got a lot of cards here for you, so I hope you're ready!"

Chisato doesn't respond.

"I activate my face-downs! Two copies of the trap card _Breakthrough Skill!_" Swipes of golden shards break at the breath of time itself, and the minds of the Amorphages crack. "This card allows me to target and negate the effects of one of your monsters until the end of the turn; _Pride_ and _Sloth_ no longer ban my Extra Deck summoning!"

The wind howls, a stage is set. Curls of liquorice black billow in the air above an imposing cape, seeking the path in spite of their leaking fuel. Chisato can pick some of the emerging colours out; Violet, Amber... Emerald, Pearl... and an extraordinarily dishonesty-banishing Crimson. The Moonlit Rider is blaring Crimson in her heart. It's such a powerful light that it almost distracts Chisato from the chaos of the colours' clash, like they were all drawn from different rainbows. 

"Don't assume you can grip me so easily, Chisato. Now's where I start making my move!" Between the hand and the blade, cards dance. "I activate the continuous spell _Supply Squad_; then, I banish _Crystron Thystvern_ from my graveyard to add a Crystron monster from my deck to my hand!"

Violet leads upon the fingertips. "I see. The beast I destroyed by battle last turn."

"It's still helping me out, isn't it?" Amber comes next. "Now, I activate the effect of _Crystron Sulfefnir_ in my Graveyard; I discard my newly added _Crystron Rosenix_ to special summon it!"

Like the eyes of an awoken deity. The gleam of a regally prowling replica, a dragon glorious in its crystallic identity; it slams its glithering tail upon the field, spraying amber-coated spikes. "When summoned by its own effect, Sulfefnir must destroy 1 card I control... so I choose to destroy Sulfefnir itself!"

A whirr of mirror reflections sounds in Chisato's ears, as its shattering light turns from Amber to Emerald.

"By our sulfuric symbol's identity, be born with our sorrowful resilience." A heaving crystal pointing north flies from the Rider's disk into her hand. "Once per turn, when Sulfefnir's destroyed, I can special summon any kind of Crystronic vehicle or pilot from my deck; come, _Crystron Prasiortle!_"

A heaving, **2000DEF** stalwart half her height cracks its knuckles into the ground. "_Supply Squad's_ effect activates; once per turn, when a monster I control is destroyed, I can draw 1 card!" The backside of her blade, immediately. "I activate a 2nd _Supply Squad._ Then, I banish _Crystron Rosenix_ from my Graveyard to summon a _Crystron Token_ onto my field." A hand to the ground. "Oh, rider another rose all her own, lend me even a fraction of your strength!"

It comes as merely a glittering emblem with **0ATK.** A miniature tire with a heart at its center, one which immediately breaks from Prasiortle's tail and dances around its admirer: "I activate the effect possessed by all Crystronic vehicles except Sulfefnir; once per turn, I can destroy a face-up card I control, and special summon a Crystronic pilot from my deck in exchange... a Crystron Tuner!" 

Three points in the air, before the Rider throws her arms out. Her figure thumps a silhouette that flies to her front; its intense glow is almost murder on the eyes, but Chisato growls and focuses where others would hide.

"Come, my tired facet; _Crystron Rion!_"

And in the aftermath of that burning, desperate glow... is a mere **500ATK** pilot. One could mix it with a scene of potted plants were it not for its faded radiance; a morion morosity falling apart at the seams from its back of spikes, a barely hidden seeth of rebellion. 

"_Supply Squad's_ effect is once-per-turn for each copy. From the destruction of the token, my 2nd copy draws me another card. Now..." The Rider takes a step forward. "...It's time for an Entry! I tune my Level 3 _Crystron Rion_ with my Level 2 _Crystron Prasiortle!_"

Gravity makes itself unknown to gems.

The students gasp in awe as specks of crystals, verdant in green, spiral around the stage. The tortoise of the north hovers into the sky, and the insignificant figure of rust flies up beneath its chest. When the latter throws its arms out, so does the former. 3 stars dance... and the pilot becomes one inside its vessel.

A burst of light. "Icons convey clearer meaning than any individual. But when we combine with them, we both become larger than life! Oh seemingly meaningless silver quartz, lock the veins of a vermarine gem between your joints, and command an identity whose every stalwart cell deserves better!"

Deconstruction, reconstruction. A new network of bonds within, the tortoise's body dances in pieces around the pilot, and forms a different life anew. "_Synchro Summon! Level 5_; break free of our market value, _Crystron Vermrion!_"

**3000DEF.** A humanoid figure, its very flesh rock and its very plating stone, an effervescent, reflective green. Honeycomb-shaped pauldrons shroud its shoulders, standing an imposing 3 feet above the duelists' heads.

Chisato smiles as the mecha's open palm hits the earth.

"Vermrion's effect," her opponent declares. "When this card is Synchro Summoned, I'm granted a shield. The Vermarine Barrier negates the next 2000 points of damage I take from my opponent!"

Blocks of green suggest an alight in the air. Vermrion's visor pulses with its colour, ready to solidify the wall-

"_Shatter._"

And the monster freezes in place. Its colour is greyed. Its very gale of life is snuffed out.

A step back. "It didn't work?" 

"I will not allow you to slight me." Life has been drawn in rich streams, snatched in an instant and absorbed into Chisato's hand. "Congratulations on playing utterly as I predicted. By destroying the stake of _Greed_, you allowed me to activate non-Amorphage traps too. That is why _Lost Wind_ negated your Vermrion's effect, and halved its ATK." Venom circulates in her irises. "Give in to the fire. I will not allow you any blockade!"

"That so? Sorry, but I'm not a fan of one-Dragon-shows." A card is held to the air. "Besides, I haven't even used my Normal Summon yet!"

"...!"

"I summon _Crystron Smiger in attack position!_" At her behest, the circling plates of a **1000ATK** wire-smoked beast. "Then I activate Smiger's effect; this time, I'm going to bring out a Crystronic pilot from my deck... by destroying Vermrion!"

Chisato's eyes narrow. "Excuse me?"

The faded vermarine mecha has its veins filled with quartz, until it bursts. "Come, my toxic facet; _Crystron Citree!_" Two points in the air, before the Rider throws her arms out. Her figure thumps a silhouette that flies to her front, coalescing into the murky breath of a tiny **500DEF** pilot whose golden ears bleed amber tears. The Rider swipes; "_Lost Wind_ only negates the effects a monster has when it's on the field; which is why I can now activate the 2nd effect of _Crystron Vermrion._ When this card is destroyed, I can target 1 non-Synchro Crystron monster in my Graveyard and special summon it; return, Prasiortle!"

The **2000DEF** stalwart refuses to leave. Chisato grits her teeth; with Citree and Smiger, a Level 5 Synchro can be made again... that means-

"Entry! I tune my Level 2 _Crystron Citree_ with my Level 2 _Crystron Prasiortle!_"

"What?!"

Specks of crystals, verdant in green, spiral around the stage until they turn a clouded white. Once the tortoise of the north points west, the insignificant figure of rust flies up beneath its chest, 2 stars dancing. "Oh seemingly condemnable golden quartz, lock the veins of vermarine turned pearl between your joints, and command an identity whose every loving cell deserves better!"

The Rider puts a hand to her chest, and grips her heart.

"_Synchro Summon,_ Level 4; break free of our market value, _Crystron Quandax!_"

"...So that's your decision."

**1800ATK.** An evolution of the mind, a pilot who's become exactly her size; when the jet-propelled, mineral-jutted flier sails through the sky and hovers by its beloved, people show awe.

Awe misplaced.

"I set one card face-down and end my turn. Throw whatever you can at me, Chisato."

"...Hmhmhm."

The students quieten. 

The burning of fuel from Quandax is the only sound now.

"Fffh....fffhmhmhmhmhmhm!" 

Chisato's giggling pulses through everyone's limbs.

The fang returns. "I see. You truly are foolish, Rider. Did you not have a 2nd copy of Vermrion in your Extra Deck?"

"..."

"I see no reason for you to have shunned it. You've missed the last opportunity you had to protect your life points," she drawls. "You're either foolish enough not to run multiple copies of your cards... or truly, truly reckless."

"And why's that?"

"_Crystron Quandax._ A _Tuner Synchro_ with the ability to instantly conduct a Synchro Summon during the opponent's turn. Perhaps you're hoping to bring out something stronger with it."

The Dragon places two fingers on her left wrist.

"But that's a futile wish. Because now, Quandax won't be able to bring forth anything. _It's my turn!_"

The second she says that and draws a card, the draconic poison spreads back across the earth. _Amorphages Wrath_ and _Sloth_ bellow, their melting, heaving forms cutting everyone apart with fear. 

"The effect of _Breakthrough Skill_ has expired. Now my monsters once again restrict the Extra Deck summoning of non-Amorphages! Your end has come!" Winds, howling, streaming in at all sides from the darkness; Chisato's low ponytail frays in different directions. She takes her drawn card, unsheathes it diagonally in front... "_...Wretched stake of the Goliath, the most complete experiment of all... bring me the body of my prey!_"

And places it upon her burning blade.

The horrific seal of nightmares is created to her right; a pedestal of draconic corpses, upon which one survivor will stand... a towering, apocalyptic blade that runs through every last morsel of its kind and becomes the monster of all monsters. The Rider bends her knees the slightest bit, as an equally horrific virus-infested stake, measured perfectly with black scales and eyes across its entire length,

STAB!

impales itself into her back. "..."

Chisato shivers in her spiking heart rate, letting the joy overflow, "The effect of the stake of Goliath-"

"...I chain the quick-play spell _Crystron Discharge!_"

. . . . .. . 

And flatlines.

Chisato becomes more aware she's alive.

A rain of emerald spikes, crashing down upon the world. "The condition of my opponent activating a Spell or Trap card was met; I banish Prasiortle from my Graveyard to destroy all monsters on the field!"

"...!" 

Her gasp breaks out. She steps back as a crackling bolt of crystal mutates at her right, and several others engulf the field. Sparks and shards come apart in millions and millions of pieces, colours from crystals, dragons and animals alike all across. It's all been torn asunder.

The second it settles, everything goes straight to hell.

"I activate the effects of my 2 _Supply Squads!_ Each lets me draw 1 card!"

"I activate the effect of _Amorphage Infection!_ I add a 2nd _Amorphage Greed_ from my deck to my hand!"

"I activate the effect of _Crystron Quandax!_ When this card is destroyed, I can special summon a non-Synchro Crystron from my Graveyard; return, _Crystron Rion!_"

Resistance... resistance dares show a defiant face. **500DEF;** that tiny, insignificant speck, that infernal nuisance, returns. Chisato grits her teeth. "What on earth are you playing at?"

"You no longer control an Amorphage monster, Chisato; that means the effect of _Goliath_ in your Pendulum Zone isn't active!" She points. "And more importantly, the lack of Amorphages on the field means I can Synchro Summon again!"

Insolent animal! "_Wretched stake of Greed, bring me the body of my prey!_"

"I chain the effect of _Crystron Rion!_"

No, no... The Dragon will be too slow at this rate!

"During my opponent's Main Phase or Battle Phase, Rion can conduct a Synchro Summon by reviving a banished non-Tuner monster, and shuffling itself and that monster into the deck!" Emerald roars back in full course. "I tune my Level 3 _Crystron Rion_ with my Level 2 _Crystron Prasiortle!_"

The air drowns in a dimension of sundered monotone walls, left to be neglected by the weary Rion. Lethargy and incapability tear at the soul, until the pilot somehow takes back the symbol that should have been gone, and becomes its vessel of 3 dancing stars once more.

"Icons convey clearer meaning than any individual. But when we combine with them, we both become larger than life, no matter how butchered we are! Oh seemingly meaningless silver quartz, rise from the depths of hell and lock the veins of a vermarine gem between your joints, commanding an identity whose every stalwart cell deserves better!" Beneath the gale, the cloaked fighter throws her hand out; "_Synchro Summon! Level 5_; break free of our market value, _Crystron Vermrion!_"

"...You pest!"

**3000DEF;** the image of a thick, pauldroned mecha, effervescent emerald from its abdomen to its heels, slams back down upon the earth. "Vermarine Barrier, deploy!" A wall of verdant beehive chokes in the shape of a sphere between the duelists, reaching beyond the clouds. The Rider throws her hand out. "Thanks to this Synchro Summon, I have a shield that blocks 2000 points of damage, even if Vermrion itself leaves the field; my life points are as good as **2850!**"

"...The effect of _Lost Wind_ in my Graveyard activates," Chisato spits. "When my opponent summons a monster from the Extra Deck, I can set this card back to the field one more time."

"Fine by me. Traps and quick-play Spells can't be activated on the turn they're set; my Synchro Monsters are safe for a while yet!"

"Vermrion is the last Synchro Monster you'll ever have!" Flames accursed in blackened azure spew from Chisato's back. "My stakes set my scale from **3**-to-**5.** _The time has come for your Infection; Greed, Wrath, and Pride!_"

3 innocent beings, run right through with a blade; a rodent, a wolf and an eagle, their minds discarded like trash for the sake of a draconic wildfire. It spreads, it spreads; their cells die, and eyes tear away at their melting flesh for scale after scale. **1000ATK, 2650ATK, 2750ATK;** one creature is so drowned in pain and anguish, it can't even stand.

Chisato shoots daggers. The hilt of the virus in her prey's back shudders with lightning. "Non-Amorphages can no longer be summoned from the Extra Deck. The stake of _Greed_ prohibits the activation of non-Amorphage Traps... and the stake of _Goliath_ causes non-Amorphages sent to the Graveyard to be banished!"

"Hah. Not bad," the Rider mutters. "But you've made an oversight. None of your monsters surpass Vermrion's DEF!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." A second copy of the self-slaughtering monster meets the field. "_Greed_ and _Wrath_ shall be sacrificed for _Amorphage Goliath!_"

Bolt after bolt tortures in a slow, deliberately prolonged ritual. From the screams of the condemned half-dragons, those who could not reach the top, rises the closest to kingship an animal can attain... one who has discarded any humanity it ever had. No fur remains.

The true face of a Shirasagi-made dragon. The hilt of the virus embedded in its chest is the cause of it all; the horns, the scales, the wings, the claws and the abyssal flames. This is the world's icon.

"_Amorphous Persona._ This tribute lets me draw 1 card." It flies over her blade. "I activate the spell _Pendulum Halt_; with the requirement fulfilled, I draw 2 more cards..." Her fury is nearing its peak. "...Spread, spread, spread. I activate a 2nd copy of _Amorphage Infection!_"

The earth is dying.

All across this ground, viruses pierce and make nature cry. Burying, tearing it all apart; the cells of each and every plant, each and every rock, every single grain of stone, they all begin to succumb. It spreads, and spreads, and spreads, the destruction shall spread, until The Dragon's scales have drowned the world in anguish.

"Each copy of _Amorphage Infection_ grants a 100-point boost per Amorphage card on the field. Combined with the 300 from Persona, all that are infected gain 1700 ATK."

Pride, at **3450.** Goliath, at **4450.**

Blood, blood, blood. "_Amorphage Pride_, strike down _Crystron Vermrion!_"

In an uncontrollable frenzy, the last remnants of the wolf scream as its dragon thrashes through the barrier, lunging directly at what should have been an impenetrable mecha. Vermrion fires bolt after bolt of emerald barricade, but none are effective; some are torn aside, and others are ignored through the sheer agony of assimilation. Ultimately, nothing stops the helpless pilot's extension from being pinned to the ground and having its heart crushed.

...But the adrenaline of this scene doesn't kick in. Attacking a monster in defense position won't reduce the Rider's life points...

"_Crystron Vermrion's_ effect! I revive _Crystron Sulfefnir_ from my Graveyard!"

"...!"

Ridiculous.

Another obnoxious, infuriating **1500DEF** barricade. That shining, arrogant being. "Crystals, minerals, mucked with the germs of the earth... you call that a dragon?" Chisato nearly growls. "_Amorphage Goliath_, destroy this worthless imposter!"

The finest roar of them all, borne from endless years of pain. It retches back and unleashes a vile, lung-scorching fire, melting the light-drenched shadowbane until it is no more.

But now, she's out of attacks... she can't finish off the Rider this turn!

There's mutters.

"By your sulfuric symbol's identity, be reborn!"

"...!" Ridiculous. The earth is dying, yet this person keeps fighting! "You're using Sulfefnir's effect to summon another Sulfefnir from your deck?"

"That's right."

**2000ATK.** Nothing she destroys remains torn. They're all reconstructing themselves...

"End your turn, Chisato."

It throbs. "Your defiance is pointless!" Chisato abuses her blade. "I set one card face-down and end my turn. Struggle all you wish until you fall!"

"Isn't it about time people stopped falling?" The Rider puts one foot forward and stares at her. "Why hang everyone on a ladder? What's so wrong about wanting to simply exist?"

"...What drama are you making out of this sport?"

"That's my line." A swipe. "You strangle people's lives, their careers, and even their futures using something they should be enjoying instead. Doesn't the Shirasagi Corporation feel shame, turning our pastime into a war?"

"You fool," she mutters. "How many times do I have to say it to you? The people don't bat an eye to our reign; we've enslaved them all into consumers. They've lost the ability to care!"

"I heard you the first time, Chisato. And I know, because I'm the same way."

"What?"

"I've watched your tournaments before. I've bought tickets. I buy cards and clothes at the stores you sponsor all the time. Sometimes I'll look at the back of my drink, and see the Corporation's logo there. I'm as much your family's consumer as anyone else is."

Her cape billows.

"But it doesn't have to be this way. If we took your corporation out, none of us would have to live our lives chained to it; be it for a wage, or for anything else. And I know countless others like me share that feeling!" The Rider readies to draw. "I'm going to inspire them. I'm going to validate their desire for rebellion, the one we all carry deep down in our hearts... and I'll do that by fighting you!"

It throbs.

No, the adrenaline must keep burning. Chisato howls. "Ridiculous! How on earth will you accomplish such a feat through a duel?"

"Why don't I just show you?"

She draws.

"_It's my turn!_"

It keeps throbbing, throbbing, throbbing.

It's not possible. The adrenaline screams, her desire for release howls to maintain itself. What can one lone person do to change the world?! She's fought her wretched company from the shadows for years on end, using power and privilege no living being should have, and yet she's barely done more than act in defense! What right does this performer have to believe she can do any better?! "Go on then, Rider." Chisato blares. "Show me your futile resistance. Show me your pathetic rebellion, so I can discard it into the flames of hell!"

"If you throw me into hell, I'll crawl right back out. I activate the effect of _Crystron Discharge_, banishing it and Vermrion from my Graveyard to revive _Crystron Smiger!_"

So be it. Run towards your demise at The Dragon's hand!

**1800DEF.** Up rises a colourless crystal meteorite, transforming into a mechanised animal. "I look forward to seeing how you fare, Rider," Chisato says, "when your Extra Deck is sealed, and the stakes of _Greed_ and _Goliath_ pierce your body!"

"You don't control my actions as much as you think. I activate _Crystron Smiger's_ effect, destroying my 2nd Sulfefnir to summon _Crystron Rion_ back from my deck."

A tornado of pearl spits, spurring a glorious stream of amber into the **500DEF** whispers of silver. The silhouette of a blade runs into the Rider's disk; "That Sulfefnir is now banished by the stake of Goliath. It will never return!"

But the stream of amber is not fully sealed. "You think that'll stop me? Sulfefnir's effect activates upon its destruction, allowing me to summon _Prasiortle_ back from my deck... and the effects of my _Supply Squads_ activate, drawing me 2 more cards!"

"Whoa," a student says. "Look how many more cards she has than The Dragon!"

"By our sulfuric symbol's identity, be born with our sorrowful resilience!"

**2000DEF.** Pest, after pest, after pest... "Meaningless. What good will 3 pathetic crystals do you?"

"3? Maybe you've miscounted. I activate the spell card _Machine Duplication_, targeting Rion!"

"...!" What an annoyance!

The Rider's hand paints the ground in monochrome water, and one whisper becomes 3. **500DEF, 500DEF...** what is the purpose of all these Tuners, when the Rider cannot Synchro Summon?

...Wait, no.

Something clicks. There's a way.

"I activate Prasiortle's effect, destroying the 3rd Rion to summon _Crystron Quan_ from my deck; come, my lonely facet!"

No, no... "Stake of Goliath, banish Rion!"

She drives the blade through her opponent's disk. But it doesn't stop what comes next. From one point on the Rider's chest, a 3rd kind of pilot appears. **500DEF** again, now from the tiny, pathetic body of a translucent mythril, one that would completely push the world away were it not for its wings of ice. 

An odd choice. Suddenly, Chisato feels... strangely on edge. What could this Level 1 Tuner even be used for? Another measly Quandax-

Something else clicks.

No, no, she should have realised; there's a reason this duelist has 3 Tuners on the field. She's not planning on summoning 3 Synchros, no; she's going to...

"You've figured it out, haven't you?"

"...I have." Fire streams back forth. "Come, then. I vow your flag-bearer won't even scratch me!"

She holds up a card; "Vow? I'd warn against that. You've got to pick the vows you make very carefully!"

"Take your own advice, Rider. My stakes scream no image other than victory. I'll make sure you fall!"

"Sounds pretty exhilarating. But I'm afraid I can't humour you; because my _Supply Squads_ gave me just the thing I needed!" She slams it onto her blade. "I activate a second copy of _Twin Twisters_, destroying the draconic stakes!"

"I chain the trap card _Amorphage Lysis!_"

Suddenly, the bodies of the Crystron monsters begin to erode. But the Rider holds a blade of scarlet gale in each hand, spins, and swipes in an X to tear the seals apart. The stakes remove themselves from her body. The Rider has unshackled herself again!

No, it's as far as she'll go. "At this moment, the effect of _Amorphage Lysis_ activates; once per turn, when Amorphages in my Pendulum Zone are destroyed, I can set a new one in their place." Curses. She looks at her deck... it's running out of them. What can she use? "_...Wretched stake of Lechery, bring me the body of my prey!_" 

"So you're going to restrict my Spells again, huh?"

"You won't be using any more effects as powerful as Duplication or Twisters!"

A confident smile. "You're already too late! To the activation of Lysis, I chain," she slams another card, "the quick-play spell _Burial from a Different Dimension!_"

"What?!" No... by chaining it, she's able to resolve it before Lechery is set!

The Rider yanks Goliath's stake from her back and breaks it upon the ground, spitting on it and wiping her mouth. "In fact, this was the only chance I had. I'm using Burial to return 3 of my Crystrons from my Banished Zone to the Graveyard... which Goliath would have simply sent on a return path if it was here!" She grins. "Now that I've destroyed Goliath, Burial's effect can properly occur!"

"Ridiculous!"

"And that's not all!" A swipe the other way. That blade; she hadn't even realised it, but it's changed from a basic blue to a shimmering yellow. "During my turn, I can reuse _Breakthrough Skills_ in my Graveyard by banishing them! I banish both of mine, and negate the effects of _Amorphages Pride_ and _Goliath_ on the field!"

Time is shattered by the winds of darkness. To such glittering golden shards, even the aura of the most intimidating beast there is breaks. "...Pathetic. Do you think destroying the stakes and negating my monsters will save you? I have a entire legion of dragons at my command!" Chisato stamps the ground. "With 7 Amorphage cards on the field, _Lysis_ is reducing your monsters' ATK by 700 points, and the _Infections_ are giving a 1400-point boost to mine. Your Crystrons will never reach me!"

"Not like this, they won't. But with the restrictions lifted, it's time for my next Entry!"

"...!"

"I tune one of my Level 3 _Crystron Rions_ with my Level 2 _Crystron Prasiortle!_"

Gravity makes itself unknown to gems. The tortoise breaks apart, and its crystals turn from verdant green to silently veracious violet, concentrating at one overflowing spiral on the field; the insignificant figure of rust flies up beneath its chest, 3 stars dancing, and the pilot becomes one inside its vessel. "When icons combine with individuals, we both become larger than life! Oh seemingly meaningless silver quartz, lock the veins of vermarine turned amethyst between your joints, and command an identity whose every inspiring cell deserves better!"

Reconstruction. A new network of bonds within, the converted's body dances in pieces around the pilot, and forms a different life anew. "_Synchro Summon! Level 5_; break free of our market value, _Crystron Ametrix!_"

A wyvern's tail sits below a spine of gold. Atop it all is a clear, rounded visor and a sheen of eye-caressing wings whose violet crystolic capacities dazzle with each centimetre of their ends. Even as the Lysis kills its cells and makes gems bleed, its wrists silently load quartz launchers with **1800ATK.** Chisato's adrenaline struggles to maintain, as the mecha points those wrists her way.

"_Crystron Ametrix's_ effect! When this card is Synchro Summoned, all special summoned monsters my opponent controls are changed to defense position! Deploy, Amethyst Satellite!"

Two thick bolts are fired to the air, painting the clouds with two spots of light. They fire as beams that drown Pride and Goliath, freezing them in place.

"...Merely a step towards an unscalable cliff," Chisato mutters. "**1400DEF** is indeed easier to overcome. But Ametrix is the only monster you have whose ATK surpasses it!"

"Then it's about time I changed that!"

"...Is it, now?"

"Yeah. It's time I brought out the strongest Crystron there is!"

A powering surge of amber dominates the center of the stage. Every student's jaw drops in awe.

"I discard _Crystron Release_ from my hand to revive _Crystron Sulfefnir_, destroying _Smiger_ in exchange!"

The Rider sacrifices Pearl for the sake of her Amber pursuit.

...

...You. You dare think you stand a chance, all on your own? To defeat an empire? To tear down an entire corporation with nothing but this holographic performance?

Arrogance!

Ametrix steps aside. As the symbol that inspires all with its faded glory, a light in the darkest forest, captures the world's attention, Rion and Quan look at each other.

They nod, and 4 stars dance.

The Rider's glorious, shining yellow blade is lifted to the air. "It's time for a twin Entry! I _Double-Tune_ my Level 1 _Crystron Quan_ and my Level 3 _Crystron Rion_ with my Level 5 _Crystron Sulfefnir!_"

Gravity is expelled for gems. The silhouette of a mechanical dragon radiates in the sky, and the insignificant figures of rust and ice join hands beneath it, a twin spiral of bolts shooting up inside. The pilots become one, with each other, and with their vessel; the sulfuric symbol of rebellion.

The impurities become one with the pure, and the crystals give off the biggest shine they have. "Icons convey clearer meaning than any individual..."

A visor is jutted with spikes of amber.

"But when we combine with them, we all become larger than life!"

Torso, abdomen, forearms of sheened blue. Gauntlets, plates and pauldrons of gold.

"Even the smallest cogs in the machine, no matter their shackles to negativity, are allowed the chance to form a ray that paves the way."

Crystal-spiked knees, beneath rotating plates. From a burst of minerals at the back emerges a fluid tail.

"Which is why, oh quartzes of seemingly meaningless silver and seemingly heartless mythril... you, too, can command an identity that deserves better!"

Wings erupt from its back, layers and layers of resplendence. Quartz pierces out through the wingspan, one form by one, from inside to out towards the end of their lengths. With a dragon-shaped ballista placed over its head, there's one final CLANG!

"Lock the veins of a sulfuric gem between your joints and soar to the star-choked skies; _Synchro Summon!_ The future is yours, Level 9, _Crystron Quariongandrax!_"

And so the symbol of rebellion... this so-called bringer of a future without a conglomerate's callous grasp, emerges. 

Every pair of eyes watches the mecha in reverence. The new shining star, the brightest of them all, here to expunge every false virus-infested light.

The Rider swipes, and declares; "Quariongandrax's effect! When this card is Synchro Summoned, I can banish up to 3 monsters from my opponent's field or Graveyard! Your Amorphages... are finished!"

The ultimate, dual-piloted flag-bearer raises its hands and shines the ballista above its head. The time has come for the world to have their hearts fueled by the might of the Stratospheric Sulfur Skyst-

"_Shatter._"

.

She can hear gasps beside her.

The flag-bearer is frozen in place. In a very instant, The Dragon has snatched out its shine, and drawn it into her hand, sucking away its power. Quariongandrax greys.

"Nothing but arrogance." The last clusters of light are snuffed out. "With the activation of my re-set _Lost Wind_, your magnum opus has its original ATK halved, and its effects negated."

The Rider watches. Between the erosion of its being and the slaughter of its heart, the biggest creature in her deck has been reduced from 3000 to a mere **800ATK.**

"Such a fate befits a fool who tries to change the world with a card game. You are nothing more than a disappointment, Rider. Quit this farce. Quit your struggle, and I'll give you the end you deserve."

...There's an eye of opal fire beneath that hood. "Changing the world with a card game is exactly what your family's done. Who says we can't either?"

"We changed the world through greed, manipulation and blackmail. Duel Monsters was but the method."

"There's a core that let it be your method to begin with."

"A core you've evidently failed to seize!" Chisato bites. "If that pathetic, negated Quariongandrax was your biggest play, you were a fool to think you could win, let alone land even the slightest scratch on me!"

"That's what you said before." One step. "You vowed it, even." Another. "But I'm going to make you break that vow now, Chisato!"

And it throbs. "...Arrogance!"

"It's not arrogance. It's the world landing the strike it deserves on you!" Her duel disk shines. "I banish _Crystron Thystvern_ from my Graveyard to add my 3rd Sulfefnir from my deck to my hand!"

No. It can't be. "The monsters you moved with _Different Dimension Burial_..."

"Exactly. Each Crystronic vehicle has an effect it can activate by banishing itself from the Graveyard. That's why I returned them there!" Another shine. "I banish _Crystron Rosenix_ from my Graveyard to summon another _Crystron Token!_ I tribute this token to summon the 3rd Sulfefnir from my hand!"

It can't be. "A tribute summon? For Sulfefnir?!"

The Rider sacrifices Crimson for the sake of her Amber pursuit. A glorious, eroding dragon, left with just **1300ATK,** somehow shines brighter now than the very mecha it made. Such a seemingly insignificant maneuver... why does it intimidate her?!

"Are you ready, Chisato?"

It. Can't. Be.

"Arrogance!" Chisato roars. "Your attacks are destined to fail... with the **1400DEF** of my Amorphages, Ametrix is still the only monster you have who can destroy one!"

"We'll see about that! For the sake of everyone watching, I'll uphold my bonds and overcome any setback! It's time for the Battle Phase!"

"Your efforts will be for naught!"

"_Crystron Ametrix_, attack _Amorphage Goliath!_"

Even in its satellite bindings, the monster of all monsters lets out a guttural roar, and breathes black flames at the mecha. Ametrix fires out jets from its ankles, and swerves to the side before flying across the arena. Then it raises its wrists, and fires an endless storm of bolts.

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

Crack after crack after crack; the exemplar of a dragon is being broken apart by the storm. "What right have you to play the hero through Duel Monsters?!"

"What right have you to play the villain?!"

She balks; it's true. Mask, after mask, after wretched, wretched mask... but no; "I am not the villain in a fairytale... I'm an eternal punishment! As long as I exist, your life will be pain!"

"Quit running from your sins!"

Goliath breaks from its freeze and tries to tear Ametrix asunder, but it finds nothing. A rain of citrine bolts from above finishes the ambitious monarch.

With that, the Battle Phase should end! "That's all you have, Rider. Your other Crystrons are too weak."

"Are you sure? Why not take a look at our monsters' stats?!"

"...What?"

She looks down.

And it throbs. "You!"

"With Goliath destroyed, that's 1 less Amorphage on the field for Infection and Lysis. Pride's DEF has fallen to **1300**... and Sulfefnir's ATK is now **1400!** _Crystron Sulfefnir_, attack _Amorphage Pride!_"

The road to rebellion is being blazed. 

The glorious mechanical drake ascends, exposing a crystal in its mouth that creates a devastating laser at its tip. The eagle-turned-dragon shrieks upon seeing it-

BOOM!

It fires instantly. Pride has already raised a claw, trying to move from the constricting satellite, it's already rushing forward; but it's already shattered.

"This..."

Throb, throb, it keeps throbbing and throbbing. Not with adrenaline, no; her heart thunders with an epiphany she feels like she's been waiting for her whole life. This person... could she be able to...?

The 3rd monster; the Rider's imposing, flag-bearing mecha stands. The spots of cell death begin to secede, reducing its amber spurts. **1000ATK.**

Chisato's eyes open in shock.

"_Crystron Quariongandrax_, attack my opponent directly!"

To the skies. In the midst of a never-ending army of clouds, there's a shine that signals itself to the entire dual-district. People from every area see the blinding ray, their eyes transfixed, in the darkest sky of the month. They mutter, they bring commotion, they ask; what is that Amber? Why is it there? Who could have caused it?

Higher, higher, even higher than the tip of the Skyscraper; it stands atop a radio pole near the edge of the plateau. 10 stalagmites of shining, dirt-ridden minerals spread into a thousand from the flag-bearer's wings,

and rain,

rain, rain, rain,

they pour upon The Dragon.

CRSHCRSHCRSHCRSHCRSHCRSHCRSHCRSHCRSHCRSH CRSH CRSH CRSH CRSH CRSH CRSH CRSH CRSH CRSH CRS CRS CRS CRS CRS CR CR CR CRCRCRCRCRCR CR CR CR C C C C C C...

The world turns alight.

...

...

It settles.

The band that was tying Chisato's mane into a ponytail has flown off.

Her long, blonde hair falls back down upon her body.

"..."

...

**............3000LP.**

"I end my turn."

...

The wind.

...

"Somebody... landed a hit on The Dragon."

...

...Magenta tries to process what it's seen. The capes on her back flutter, caught by the breeze.

...

...

...3 years.

I didn't spend the past 3 years running. The coward's path of complacency may have been theirs to take, but it was not mine. I chose fire instead. I chose fire, and everything changed.

Now, the next turning point begins. The dark unknown heralds.

Through a duel, someone other than Hina... dares to declare herself my saviour.

...

...

...

"...ha...!"

"...!" The Rider grits her teeth.

"...mhmhm-hahahaha... 

...ahaha... mwHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAha-ha-ha-HHA!"

Chisato shoots up her head. Everyone jumps back. Fangs bare fully from the grin on her face.

Magenta poisons all.

"**Fantastic!**" She carves. "What a delight; something's running through my chest! This adrenaline, this feeling... I haven't felt something like this in YEARS! This new burning, these flames on my skin... they're because of YOU, Rider~!"

A gulp.

"Don't look so scared!" She stamps the ground with the force of a train. "That only means you're not the whimpering fool I thought you were... you're the most reckless and dangerous fool of them all, instead!"

"H-hmph. Y-you're not as invincible as you look, are you? One wound, and you're already distressed. With the Vermarine Barrier, we're almost on equal footing!"

".....mmhhmmmhm. M-hhmhmhmhmhm~!"

She can't restrain it. She only wants blood.

"**An advantage?**"

Her opponent steps back.

"**How utterly precious. You're adorable, aren't you?**"

"I-I... I'm not scared of you."

"That's what makes it interesting. You point a challenge at me, Rider. I can feel your daring blade trying to approach my neck." She switches to a subtle smile in a blink. "Why, didn't you say you wanted to expose my fangs? Don't tell me you're regretting your decision now."

There's sweat. "...No... of course not. In fact, I'm far from done either. This isn't the only wound you'll take!"

"This? A wound?" Chisato brushes the dust off her arm. "I suppose it does send shivers down my spine. You're strong enough to place at a tournament, I dare say."

Venom.

The Dragon's capes howl.

The air is so stuck with tension, it feels the entire world will fall apart.

"BUT IT'S THE ONLY WOUND YOU'LL EVER LAND," she stabs. "Your dream will never come true. If you're deluded into believing you have a chance of winning, then I'll save the pleasantries..."

The earth rumbles.

"_**...AND GO STRAIGHT TO DEVOURING YOU!**_"

Chisato's arm changes.

It looks so obedient, normally. So acquiescent, so complacent in its seemingly spotless skin.

But this could hardly even be called 'skin'. No... what it truly is, is the epitome of 'monster'.

This fool dares to claim herself Chisato's saviour? What an utter joke. Those crystals can shine as bright as they want, if they so please. But if they cannot face The Dragon's legacy... the power she has been honing her entire life, the power she now uses to fight the largest enemy one could know... then they'll never stand a chance at rebellion theirselves.

It changes.

The guise of human flesh is gone. Chisato keeps her smile, as her raised arm shows lines. There are pieces.

They shift. They turn, they thrash, like a tortured machine. They're shaped like spiked scales, turning themselves inside out. The entire limb...

...is now the deadly, choking deep-blue of a dragon.

The Rider murmurs. "...You've got a monstrous left arm of your own, huh? Those noises... how long did it take to make a holograph like that?"

...

Chisato tilts her head.

"Holograph?"

Her opponent stops.

"This mechanical arm isn't a holograph, my little Rider..."

Her free hand places its fingers on a deck. There's a slot for up to 40 cards, tucked beneath a scale near the black blade.

"_...it's real._"

And it draws.

"_IT'S MY TURN._"

The rumbling grows louder. "W... what's going on?!"

"The stake of Lechery has no tribute. It is destroyed." Two cards. "_Envy and Wrath, bring me my prey._"

SCCCCCCCCCCCCCHRKKKKK! Two blades. One digs itself into the side and spawns a festering, curling line of serpentine skin, binding the Rider and strangling her body. The other stabs her in the chest, piercing her heart with merciless silver and iron. "Ggh...!"

Shock. A holograph only, but it shakes her, making her Chisato's captive. She falls to one knee.

"Good. Stay down." A hand. "**3**-to-**5**. _Be infected; Wrath, Pride, and the victims of Greed._" The wailing two halves of each return. 4 monsters. "The first Greed shall be tributed for Sloth."

4 again. There's hints of gigantic, glowing right-angle lines, whispering across the entire ground of Earth's Skyscraper. 

"What's... going on?"

"_Amorphous Persona._ I draw 1 card." From her arm. "...The stage is set."

The lines roar in full force. Deep, horrific, glowing azure eats across the stage. It's the true form of this altar.

"I activate the field spell _Dragonic Diagram._"

A mask trembles. The rumbling strengthens.

"_Dragonic Diagram's_ effect. I destroy _Amorphage Lysis_ to add _Heritage_ to my hand."

"W-what?"

The cell death ceases. The Crystrons dig their feet into the ground. Their eyes blare, blatantly warning their pilots.

"_Heritage._ An Amorphage monster, spell and trap have been sacrificed; I draw 3 cards."

And the second she adds them,

Silence. 

Chisato's voice is the only thing reaching the ears. 

"It shall all be ended."

The world's colour shatters. One who would dare call herself a hero gasps.

...

Chisato snaps her fingers. The forms of the monsters Wrath and Greed are instantly broken.

She lets a confident smile wear on her face, keeping her eyes on her prey. People are frozen in place as she walks forward.

"..." 

The Rider can't form more than a single sound.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Step.

They're 3 meters apart. The Rider manages to stand, despite the stakes, "Y-" and her Extra Deck flies out from her disk. "Wh... what?! How? What's going on?"

"I see. So these are your blade's armaments."

Their images lay themselves out, frozen in the air. Chisato looks across them all. She can see every detail of these cards; their ATK, their DEF, their effects... everything. 

"_**...Crystron Phoenix.**_"

"Ah!"

"This is your true ace, is it not? A monster that could slay the Amorphages with ease. I must say, it's rather troublesome that you have 3 copies of it. After all, the cards I choose cannot have the same name as each other."

"...Choose? What are you talking abou-"

"But there are other routes."

3 cards gleam.

"Phoenix cannot be summoned without using _Crystron Quandax._ It is the only pilot you have capable of forming such a powerful monster. With your 1st Quandax destroyed, that leaves 2 in this Extra Deck... so, I will pick 1 of them."

"H-hang on!"

She doesn't listen. Instead, she watches as the cards coalesce into their respective crystals: "The gem of the 3rd and final Vermrion, wielder of the Vermarine Barrier. The gem of the 2nd and final Quariongandrax, the almighty flag-bearer. And the gem of the 2nd of 3 Quandaxes... so seemingly flighty, yet so evidently glowing..." She smiles. "You seem attached to Sulfefnir. But I wager that Rosenix and Smiger are your favorites, no? Why else would Phoenix and Quandax have such marvelously constructed details in these holographs? I can only imagine the effort you put... into imagining them."

"I don't understand. Why can you even-" The Rider's mouth stops. "N-no. I know what this is."

Chisato closes her eyes. At her hand's command, the crystals hover above a strait of empty air. 

Exposed. Isolated. Vulnerable. 

"Such beautiful crystals."

Chisato controls their fate.

"Nature truly does have a most extraordinary shine. One that does not blare, but rather rests in the embrace of the earth. It is the opposite of the stars; warm, welcoming, and enduring. Those who put in effort, it will reward with the equity a just world deserves. A world where none are left shattered."

Her captive can only watch.

"But I have already said it before, my little Rider. At the start of this duel, I told you what your only outcome was. Do you remember it?"

"..."

"For these lovely, incandescent crystals, it is the same. The fate of any who dares to give off a genuine shine is the exact same. That is The Dragon's very purpose." 

Chisato opens her eyes. Wind comes back, colour is about to return. The diagram has completed its sacrifice. The correction is about to run its course.

"The fate of the crystals... the dazzling gems who fuel your life..."

Even in the depths of hell, human beings fear loss.

"...

That is why Chisato must grin.

_...IS TO BE CRUSHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

_CRASH!_

.

.

"Li... th..." 

The Rider is agape.

Her figure is the height of just one claw.

The hand that annihilated her crystals with the intent to kill, wrecking the earth beneath. A gigantic, malformed fusion of thickened blades covers its outer side. It lies in a forest of blood-streaking thistles, covering the entire titan of an ankle, and the other legs too. Look higher, and find death; the body of the earth's forgery, 'grey mountain' a begrudged moniker. Between rows of spikes like shackles lies the scar of the virus, crawling out at the back into a tail of endless agony.

Look higher. Rows upon rows of gnashing teeth, never wishing to have been sated, yet designed to chew anything that breathes. They come from what can only be described as a beast of a dragon, a wyrm shocked into the statue of a planetary wolf. Its neck is a gigantic, thick train bored with spikes, two blunting above the murderous azure eyes as horns buildings of their own. On the top settles an endlessly growing forest of time-stopped impalers.

Look higher. Two kinds of wings; a dual-pair of brutely carved monochrome obelisks, lacking any elegance or sharpened point in their furious frames. And above them, a claim to connection; a beautiful, thick pair of feathers and clouds, completely pure-white. Wings that claim themselves to be angels, soaring into the stars. Wings so false, so blatantly untrue, so unabashedly fake, so blatantly contradicting the abomination's form, that they could be nothing but insults in how they blot out the Sun.

Its mouth opens.

** _'RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'_ **

"Ah...!"

The True King. A form no Amorphage could reach in merely a few years. It is truly one of the most terrifying dragons of them all.

Her irredeemable sins.

The students scatter from the holograph's gigantic edges, cowering at the sides of the Skyscraper. "Do you know what I find interesting, Rider?" Chisato stands on the other end. "If an Extra Deck card, such as a Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Monster, isn't first summoned from the Extra Deck itself... then they cannot be summoned from anywhere else. Not from the Graveyard, nor from the Banished Zone. Every card of that kind must initially be summoned from the Extra Deck, first and foremost, or else they're as good as nothing. In other words..."

In the festering infection, **4600ATK.** Full power is revealed.

"...The 3 Crystrons that **_True King Lithosagym, The Disaster,_** banished from your Extra Deck... WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN!"

A beast screams the devil's cantata. The captive grits her teeth above the curling stake of Envy.

"I destroy _Amorphage Sloth_ on the field and _Amorphage Pride_ in my hand to summon **_True King Bahrastos, The Fathomer!_**"

"...! You're kidding me!"

Chisato's hand wreaks, and the whimpering miniatures are broken. "It shall all be comprehended."

The lakes, rivers and seas on Earth's Skyscraper hurl. Whirlpools, tsunamis, floods and catastrophes, the water cannot be contained. Holograph extensions of its hate roar up from the edges and slam onto the ground, frightening the surrounding students as they perceive themselves to be drowned. The Crystrons balk in fear as the wrath of a wounded lifeline wails, the pressure and anguish it feels pushing it into the desire for vengeance.

The air is a glass window, and a crack spanning buildings has come. It takes a mere few seconds; even from so far away, the figure inside already seems massive. But as it nears, the world can see just how terrifyingly huge it is. Beneath a pair of beautiful, glorious angelic wings lies the opposite of what could ever be called heaven. A festering, horrific body, fleshed in draconic armaments turned wet and slithering by the sea. The pair of wings in its own colour throb from running toxins through their bulging muscles and veins, fearful of the gigantic eyes plastered to its skin. 

A terror that should never have met water lets out a ear-shredding roar from its gullet of tooth-pierced mouths, ready to devour be it whole or naught. In a few seconds, lightning surges from its throat to meet a critical point, and fires itself as a devastating stream at the Rider.

"Oh, crap!"

Suffering.

Explosions chilling the other side make Chisato laugh. "Upon descent by its own effect, _True King Bahrastos_ banishes 2 Spell or Trap cards from my opponent's field or Graveyard; your _Supply Squads_ have forever perished. Your resources are now cut off!"

"Khh..." 

Her captive fails to pull Wrath's stake from the heart. "Struggling like that suits you, my little Rider. But are you sure you wouldn't rather give up?"

"H-hah. No way. I'll look pretty cool if I'm standing with a blade in my chest, right?"

"Then I suppose you won't mind if I drive it in further!" She cannons out her scaled arm. "_Dragonic Diagram_ and all True King cards are treated as Amorphage cards while in the hand, field or Graveyard, bolstering _Infection._ Combined with the 300-point boost from Diagram, the total ATK all my monsters gain is 2100!"

That which slaughters stands at **4600ATK.** That which perceives stands at **3900.** "Oh, great." A chuckle. "So... you're saying this is your true face, then?"

"Precisely~."

Chisato doesn't let a hint of subtlety show. Her grin only blares its toxic fangs. Lithosagym and Bahrastos tower far above any height, yet they lower their heads to the ground and shake the world with their roar for The Dragon.

"Allow me to make that request once more, Rider... SCREAM FOR ME!"

The arena drowns.

"_True King Bahrastos, The Fathomer_, wipe _Crystron Ametrix_ off the face of the earth!"

"I banish _Crystron Release_ from my Graveyard; by returning Quariongandrax to my Extra Deck, I can change all special summoned monsters I control to defense position!"

Catastrophe Of Comprehension. Just a roar from Bahrastos is enough to grip the sea by its choking waves, and drag them into the sky. The intricacies of the shading in the clouds are replaced entirely by blue, driving in despair. The flag-bearer that should inspire the world has disappeared; Ametrix is left behind, and can only hunker down in its pathetic **1500DEF.** The mere mecha faces a force mocking nature; before such a tidal wave, one that could level a city on its own... what can it do, but let the rapids break every part until nothing is left?

CRASH!

Not even a glimmer of amethyst remains. "Hold it right there; I activate Ametrix's effect, and revive _Crystron Rion_ from my graveyard!"

"Naive! _Amorphage Pride_, attack _Crystron Rion!_"

The speck of a **500DEF** pilot has a second to live, before the chimera pins it to the ground and rips it in two. "That thing's still here?!"

"I'm afraid your offense last turn has left you wide open," Chisato grins. "The Sulfefnir you tribute summoned has not been changed to defense position by Release's effect. You're wide open!"

Her prey can only step back, as the pathetic symbol faces death.

"**_True King Lithosagym, The Disaster..._**

Unleash it!

...ANNIHILATE _CRYSTRON SULFEFNIR!_"

There is no beauty in this attack.

No name. 

No flourish, no pride.

It is the opposite of what any duelist loves making their monster do.

Enraged with trampling intent, Lithosagym's eyes turn red. It thinks only of destruction. It loses all thought, bullets into the air with its entire hulking frame, and raises a hand.

In a split second, bloodlust rockets The Disaster straight down onto Planet Earth.

_CRASH!_

...

...

...

...

...

The Vermarine Barrier is gone.

"..."

After the boulders fly,

when the dust clears, the feeble duelist can only find herself intact.

**250LP.**

"This is all that awaits you when you meet Chisato Shirasagi." She breathes. "You should never have come here!"

"..."

"Do you have any last words, Rider?" The True Kings tower. "Since you were fortunate enough to survive this turn, you may see what pointless swings you can make."

"...isn't... your true face..."

"...What?"

Louder. "...You're still running away."

And again, the adrenaline is held at knifepoint.

But she's done assuming there's hope. Give in. Her blood keeps pumping, singing the dirge of despair. "Quit this farce," Chisato mutters. "You've lost."

"Didn't I... tell you?" She wipes her mouth, and stands tall. Liquorice black billows in the unending wind. "No matter how many times I'm sent to hell, I'll keep crawling back out. I've already proven you're not invincible... so I'll just take it one step further."

"...ha. Hahaha... mhahahahahaha! Try if you wish!"

"_Crystron Sulfefnir's_ effect! By our sulfuric symbol's identity, be born with our sorrowful mastery; _Crystron Thystvern!_"

Captivating **1500ATK.** For the first time, the subtly glimmering drake watches upon the field, staring at titans far bigger than it will ever be.

"_It's my turn._" The Rider keeps drawing.

Chisato swipes her arm. "Show me what little you can muster. The stakes of _Envy_ and _Wrath's_ effects; neither player can activate cards or effects as Chain Link 2 or higher, and non-Amorphage monsters cannot be tributed!"

"Chain Link 2..." She pulls on the binding scales. "So that's what this rope's meant to be."

"Precisely. We are bound. When one player activates a card or effect, neither can activate anything else in response!"

"Hah. You're really driving me up the wall here." The Rider sizes up her crystal hand. "You've been blocking every resource I have. With _Amorphage Pride_ on the field, I can't even Synchro Summon right now. In a way, it's pretty exciting."

"I'm glad you've freely enjoyed it. Not many would say such a thing about the Amorphage True King deck... a playstyle designed personally for The Dragon to wield." A glare. "To fascinate the audience with the image of regality, luring them into giving us tribute. That is the indomitable method of the enemy you face. You have no hope of winning against cards given to me by such financial and political authority!"

"Wrong. I can win, and I will."

"Then prove it!"

"I banish _Crystron Smiger_ from my Graveyard to add a Crystron Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand; I choose _Crystron Impact!_"

This person keeps moving, no matter the size of her enemy.

"Then, I activate Thystvern's effect; I'll destroy it to summon another _Crystron Citree_ from my deck. Come, my toxic facet!"

**500DEF.** Such decaying, negative machines want to become pilots.

"I set 2 cards face-down, and end my turn."

And-

Chisato blinks.

That's all, is it? "...I should have expected as much."

"..."

The True Kings bellow. "What's the matter? Do you lack a _Twin Twisters_ to save you this time? Or perhaps a 3rd _Supply Squad_, to give you more of the cards you need?"

The Rider is no longer speaking. She merely stares solemnly at the waves.

"Or perhaps you've truly done as much as you can. The extent of the effort anyone trying to revive their humanity can make, against a societal enemy!"

Chisato draws her last card.

"_This duel is mine._ I'll put an end to your illusion of rebellion, and send these students back to sleep! Farewell, Rider!"

A card flips up. "I've never been one for goodbyes! At the end of your Draw Phase, I activate the trap card _Dimensional Barrier!_" Layers of the world split apart amidst the seas. "I choose to declare; Pendulum Monsters cannot be special summoned for the rest of the turn, and their effects on the field are negated!"

The ant of a chimera between the titans is paralysed. "You fool. It's far too late to be using such a trick. The True Kings are not Pendulum Monsters; they hardly care!"

"Fine by me. After all, _Amorphage Pride_ is no longer restricting my Extra Deck, and you can't summon the other Amorphages to do that either! That's an effect the True Kings don't have!" The Rider points at her only monster. "Now _Crystron Citree_ can use its effect to Synchro Summon during your turn!"

"And what of it? Have you forgotten the stake of Envy binding you?" She sighs. "I tribute Pride to sustain Envy, and let the stake of Wrath be destroyed; with Envy disabling Chain Link 2 and beyond, the only times _Crystron Citree_ can activate its effect are at the end of the Main Phase and Battle Phase! You won't be pulling off what you did with Rion!"

Yes, that's right. Now the Rider's opportunity to summon her last Quandax has been shut off. And before the Main Phase ends... it'll be shut off for good!

She swears it now; _Crystron Phoenix_ will never be summoned! "The effect of _Amorphage Infection_ triggers upon the sacrifice of Pride; I choose to add my 3rd _Infection_ to my hand... and activate it!"

The final stage. The world nears its nature's end, as monochrome scales drown what's left of the ground beneath the True Kings.

"I activate the effect of _True King's Heritage._ An Amorphage monster and spell have been sacrificed this turn, allowing me to draw 2 cards." Chisato places her palm on the ground. "Then I activate the effect of _Dragonic Diagram_; I destroy _True King Bahrastos_ to add another _**True King Lithosagym**_ from my deck to my hand!"

The Rider balks. "Another Lithosagym?! You sacrificed Bahrastos for it?!"

A gigantic, cosmic pyre easily piercing the clouds erupts from Bahrastos's being; an endless bed upon which the willfully ignorant must lay. "You think I'm only using 2? How naive." She grins. "The effect of _True King Bahrastos_ activates! When this card is destroyed, I can special summon a non-WATER True King from the deck; I CHOOSE A 3RD _**TRUE KING LITHOSAGYM!**_"

The world shakes. A gigantic, cosmic pyre erupts from the 2nd Lithosagym's being; an endless bed upon which the driven-to-the-brink must lay. Colour threatens to break once more. "You're kidding me! Why?"

"Isn't it obvious to you? Or did you really think your final Quandax was safe?!"

"...!"

"Precisely!" Chisato ruthlessly cuts with her draconic arm, spewing blood from the air in front. "I shall have The Disaster tear itself apart to unleash its rage! It shall all be ended; I destroy the 2nd Lithosagym on my field and _Amorphage Wrath_ in my hand to summon my 3rd _**True King Lithosagym, The Disaster!**_"

And break it does. Chisato pulls back her hand, and her opponent's armaments are hauled across the field. "This is the end of your road, Moonlit Rider. When Lithosagym is special summoned through its own effect, I can banish and permanently remove 3 cards with different names from my opponent's Extra Deck!"

The victims are chosen. 3 crystals shine, in their beautiful radiance. Two of Chisato's worst nightmares roar in neverending rage and eye them with nigh-instant bloodlust. 

"The gem of the 1st Quariongandrax, the flag-bearer you thought you saved. The gem of the 2nd out of 3 Ametrixes, wielder of the Amethyst Satellite. And finally... the gem of your last red-rider's pilot... the final _Crystron Quandax!_" Chisato chokes them in place in the air. "NOW,"

The other Lithosagym swings its underground tunnel of a tail, shattering their every last particle deader than dead.

_SLAM!_

"THEY'RE GONE!"

"..."

"Mmhahahaha... ahahahahahaha! Both of your Quariongandraxes have been annihilated. And with all of your Quandaxes disposed of, you have nothing left to summon _Crystron Phoenix!_ Both of your most powerful monsters are, for all intents and purposes, irrelevant to the duel from this point on!"

"..."

"That Citree on your field is as insignificant a speck as it looks now. And I'm afraid that's hardly the worst of it!" She smiles. "The effect of my destroyed Lithosagym activates, allowing me to special summon a non-EARTH True King from the Graveyard; return, _True King Bahrastos, The Fathomer!_" 

The pyre of ignorance ends its blaze, returning to its agonised form of the sea-sinking abomination. 3 True Kings tower like mountains strangling a wooden village. Bahrastos screams in its spirit-crushing greed between the Lithosagyms, frightening the tiny Citree into a panic amidst an endless spiralling tsunami.

"With 3 _Amorphage Infections_ and the power from _Dragonic Diagram_, all True Kings gain 3000 points of ATK!"

**5500ATK 4800ATK 5500ATK**

Give up.

"Not yet," her opponent says. "I won't fall yet!"

"Falling is the destiny of every person in this place. Join them, and let the light of rebellion be snuffed!"

"Never! Until you stop running away, I won't do any such thing!"

...! "You..." she whispers, "you know nothing...!" 

Adrenaline, adrenaline... surge, more and more! It's the only feeling left in these flames now!

"..._True King Bahrastos_, tear apart _Crystron Citree!_"

Catastrophe of Comprehension. The monster's near-pitiful rage creates a ravaging whirlpool far too much for a pilot on its own. Citree's toxic, faded gold is exposed to the elements it never wanted to face, alone without a light to cling towards.

CRASH!

And so it shatters.

The twin Lithosagyms crush the ground on either side, tearing down entire hills without care in their frenzy. "You no longer have anything to defend you. It's long past time I devoured you...!"

"You're fierce, no doubt. But I dare you to see if you can, Disaster!"

"Fitting. Your last words are of defiance."

She breathes fire.

"_**True King Lithosagym,**_ ATTACK THE MOONLIT RIDER DIRECTLY!"

It takes merely a second for one to barrel across miles and miles, let the feeling fester, let the destruction tear everything-

"I activate the trap card _Crystron Impact!_"

"No!" Damn it all! "Quit your futile crusade!"

"When this trap card is activated, I can target a Crystron monster in my Banished Zone and special summon it! You may not have realised, Chisato," she points, "but there's a copy of _Crystron Vermrion_ in there Lithosagym didn't banish! That means I can revive it!"

"Futile..."

**3000DEF.** The sight of a returned vermarine mecha brings remorse to the eyes. The Rider is staring at her with a look she can't comprehend.

"...Futile, futile, futile!" She shouts. "Disaster on my left, tear that insolent fighter to PIECES!"

_CRASH!_

Nothing of it remains. The Rider has no gems on her side, no beloved crystals to cling to; she's all alone, with nobody to help her in sight-

"_Crystron Vermrion's_ effect! I revive _Crystron Sulfefnir_ from my Graveyard!"

It throbs.

**1500DEF.** That dazzling mane of amber never leaves!

It throbs.

"...YOUR CRUSADE IS FUTILE! DISASTER ON MY RIGHT, WIPE THAT STAIN OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH!"

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

Flames, flames, flames. It really is futile, this crusade, isn't it? She's swung again and again through make-believe holographs at a target, yet even that doesn't satiate these flames!

No... will anything ever satisfy them...?

...Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline... it must be the only way...

"The effect of _Crystron Sulfefnir_ activates! By our sulfuric symbol's identity, be born with our sorrowful radiance!"

What? No... she's already out of attacks! She can't let the Rider gain anything more...!

**1800ATK.**

The shapes of murky, dirt-cherishing red. 

They glitter on every wing, a radiance so subtly resplendent and so lovingly warm that they shine like a true angel. "_Crystron Rosenix..._" Chisato mutters.

"Your Battle Phase has ended. It's about time I took the spotlight back!"

This can't happen... this can't. Chisato takes a deep breath, and concentrates. "...I activate the quick play spell _Mystical Space Typhoon_... targeting my stake of Envy."

A howling tornado, and the seals are all gone. There is nothing piercing the Rider's heart, nothing strangling her body. She is unencumbered.

...Chisato wondered, back when Goliath was destroyed. Whether this person could really fight the Corporation. And now, she kno-

No. It's not true. Mock the illusion, listen to the plaguing adrenaline, look at the scales on your left arm, look at the black blade stained with blood, "...!" She grits her teeth. "You will not win. I swear it upon my name as The Dragon that I will toss you away," she says. "I set one card face-down and end my turn. Do your worst."

"_Gladly._"

The Rider draws. All she has to her side is Rosenix; there is nothing else on her field, and only 1 card in her hand.

Of course, Chisato knows; this person has come back from worse. And the Amorphages are gone, leaving only the True Kings. The Extra Deck can be used, the stakes aren't blocking anything... 

...but that shouldn't matter. Her Synchro Monsters have either perished or become trapped for eternity. She's as powerless as that Rosenix is! "Well? Do you have anything left to accomplish with the nothing you have?"

"Of course I do."

"...!" 

No, she's bluffing.

Chisato laughs. "You're rather desperate. 'Reckless' was a fitting moniker. Thanks to the effects of Lithosagym, I've already sealed your fate in advance!"

"Have you? Or is it the reverse?"

After an eternity of darkness, the Rider has spat light. The Dragon growls. "What?"

"It took you an age to cut me off. Until you did that, my _Supply Squads_ were drawing me card after card, giving me resource after resource... by the time Bahrastos banished them, I'd already thinned over half my deck. In this war of armaments, I've come out the victor."

She bites. "What good does postulating theory do you now?! Regardless of what those cards gave you, the fact remains that my Lithosagyms have eliminated all routes to your boss monsters!"

"Have they?"

"Are you shutting your eyes out of ignorance?" The True Kings breathe. "Take a look at your disk, if it helps you. Both Quariongandraxes have been removed, and the routes to Phoenix are gone too!"

"Why not look at YOUR disk? Then you'll know if it's true!"

What is she playing at? "I hardly need to; of course it's true! 2 of the 3 Quandaxes have been removed by Lithosagym, and the 3rd rests in the Graveyard!"

"Exactly!"

"Exactly? Wh-"

.

It throbs, louder than anything. "...No..."

"And the other material I need is still in my Extra Deck, too!"

No. No...

...How could she have not seen it? Was she shutting her eyes out of ignorance? Or was she too berserk to realise?

"You get it now, don't you?" The Rider takes a step forward. "Do you really think I came to this duel without researching you beforehand? I know all about Lithosagym, and how terrifying it is. I know that anything it banishes from the Extra Deck is essentially removed from the duel. That's exactly why I destroyed one of the Quandaxes earlier this game; so Lithosagym COULDN'T banish it!"

"" 

Chisato's jaw drops.

True light lies in the opposer's key, unknown to the pitiful stars. "_Let's go!_ I banish _Thystvern_ from my Graveyard to add _Crystron Smiger_ from my deck to my hand..." Crystals carry nature's rebellious grace. "...Then I activate the continuous spell _Different Dimension Deepsea Trench_, targeting _Crystron Quandax_ in my Graveyard!"

The Rider's blade cuts to another world, turning a deep, glorious, crimson red.

Chisato shakes her head. "What on earth is that card?" She's never seen anything like it... what kind of research has this duelist done for the sake of this one game?

"Quandax has been placed in a pocket dimension inside my Banished Zone. Now I'll activate the effect of _Crystron Rosenix_... and destroy the Dimensional Trench in order to summon my last _Crystron Citree!_"

"You're... destroying the spell?!"

"Come, my toxic facet!"

As the soaring vehicle's symbol unleashes a horde of flying red shards into the trench, the Rider's body creates a miniature **500ATK** pilot one last time.

The portal changes colour. It's all changing colour; in fact, she gasps, as she realises; the breaking of the dimensional barrier has hued the entire cloudy sky with the faintest, quietest shade possible of sunset red. "With the destruction of the Trench, the monster it originally banished... is special summoned to the field!"

"Impossible. That's impossible... I thought..."

"You can only be so thorough, Chisato. People will always find a way to strike back!" She raises her hand to the air. "_Crystron Quandax_... my resolute facet, come!"

A beautiful, spiralling pearl, distant yet oh-so-close. It's merely the size of a human, in comparison to its other mecha brethren, yet the burning fuel from its back is loving in its smoke. It amounts only to **1800ATK,** lacking any Vermarine Barrier or Amethyst Satellite... but that's because it's hardly meant to fight at all. 

This mecha is a pilot; one that is both a Synchro Monster... and a Tuner.

Chisato can barely emote. "It can't be."

"I summon _Crystron Smiger in attack position;_ then I tune my Level 2 _Crystron Citree_ with my Level 3 _Crystron Smiger!_"

"It can't be."

Rosenix starts glowing. Beside it, the original form of pearl emerges, and lets the toxic facet enter. "Oh seemingly condemnable golden quartz, lock the veins of pearl turned amethyst between your joints, and command an identity whose every inspiring cell deserves better! _I Synchro Summon my final Crystron Ametrix to the field!_"

Rosenix's glow intensifies, heralded by the emergence of the **2500ATK** mecha. Between Quandax and Ametrix forged both of pearl, a deep red shines; one that cannot match the Sun or any star, but truly lets you travel upon the earth.

And afar from that fiery machine, stands the Moonlit Rider.

"It can't be!"

"...It's time for Quandax's Entry! I _Clear-Mind Tune_ my Level 4 _Crystron Quandax_ with my Level 5 _Crystron Ametrix!_"

But it can be.

The clouds disappear. For just one moment, night grants a respite. Above the empire of wretched stone beasts and the tormentor of the seas, the entire sky is painted in the Rider's colours. It's the faint hue of the morning daylight, the opposite time from sunset; bathed at the very bottom in the subtlety of peach, emerging into a plain, unpainted blur of ambiguous blue. A few stars twinkle in the majesty of the day's grace.

"Oh, rider another rose all her own, lend me even a modicum of your strength."

Rosenix yells in authority through its mechanical lungs. The red glow turns back time, seeking to rush through the night and return to the previous day's sunset. Ultimately, all it manages is bringing daybreak back to its cusp, the deepest hue of morning orange possible before the night would return.

But that's enough.

Gravity makes itself unknown to gems. Fueled by the glow, the lifesize pilot throws its arms out, and it rises up into its fellow mecha. The students gasp in awe as specks of crystals, blazing in red, spiral around the beautiful stage, making the True Kings snarl with how seemingly non-existent they are.

The pilot becomes one inside its vessel.

A burst of light. "Icons convey clearer meaning than any individual... and when we combine with them, we both become larger than life. But the true captivation of any symbol can be sourced to the emotion beneath!"

She who is titled The Dragon grits her teeth. 

Ametrix bursts into pieces, with what was violet now lending its splendor to crimson. An entire stonehenge of crystals, that of a fully forged mecha, breaking apart and turning into something even bigger with the honesty of its life-sized pilot. 

Its core, a spine of intricate luminescent Garnet, smooth in some places and spiked in others. The plates of armor attached to its shoulders and chest bear the crest of a Lapis moon.

"Oh seemingly fraudulent crystal pearl, whose truth in radiance shines the brightest in my heart... lend me the visage of the burning metal machine!"

Segments, brunts of bronze, adamantite and steel, they clang, they chain, all plating and encasing to create its limbs.

"Lock the veins of my beloved crimson gem between your joints... and allow me to command an identity whose every beautiful part I treasure deserves better!"

Two prismatic pedestals, dwarfing the shoulders. When the visor is set, 4 spans shoot from the back, and an electric kite surges across. Chisato stares inside, and finds a flame she can't possibly comprehend. The visor glows a beautiful inferno of red. 

SHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR "You are the world, and I am your arms. All systems set."

Rebellion is blazed. Not that which can soar like the bird of legend, but rather its legacy instead.

"_Accel Synchro Summon! Level 9_; destroy the core of our marketed value, _**Crystron Phoenix!**_"

A flash of light,

and that which she swore would never see the light of day,

has come.

The sky is an expanse of space, countless stars drawn in above and below, 2 kaleidoscopic pools in the fluid crust of sunrise. In armaments of **2800ATK,** the mecha of the Red Rider has come. Its visor strays from the bloodthirsty twin Lithosagyms, facing the gaping maw of _True King Bahrastos._

And Bahrastos, in return:

** _'SCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'_ **

"No. This is as far as you can go, Rider!" She stomps on the sea-encroached ground, sweating. "There is no point in your holographic stunt threatening pandemonium!"

"She who maintains hell cannot speak of its otherly premonition. What I'm doing, Dragon... is declaring that heaven will be returned from the stars!"

"None have the energy to accomplish such a feat, when the stars have deprived them!"

"That doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed the chance!"

The red rider shines, and 6 tendrils of laser-pointed crystals fly out from its kite.

"_Crystron Phoenix's_ effect! When this card is Synchro Summoned... every single Spell and Trap card on my opponent's field, and every single Spell and Trap card in their Graveyard... _is banished!_"

Red Rhodonite's Salvation. The kite pulses, and the tendrils bury into the mud.

"Irrelevant. The opportunity does not matter. None would take the chance to rebel to begin with!" Chisato howls; "I activate the trap card _Lost Wind!_"

She raises her metal, draconic hand, and points its palm at the Phoenix. One final time, she'll drive it in, and shatter this reckless hope. None who approach this realm will come out in one piece! Not when the abyss awaits!

The energy begins to be drawn. "_Sha-_"

"I chain the effect of _Crystron Impact!_"

And it fails. A rainbow of lights rises from beneath Chisato, and fractures her black blade. "I... Impossible!"

"By banishing this card from my Graveyard, I can negate a card or effect that would target my Crystron monsters. _Lost Wind_ is ineffective!"

"How... how did you do this?!"

"_Crystron Phoenix's_ effect will successfully resolve! Your time has come, Dragon!"

The tendrils emit a radiant glow beneath the ground. With one signal, hundreds upon hundreds of earth-light rays fire out like an inverse rain, hundred upon hundreds upon hundreds. Every bolt fires up to the stars, purifying the dirt from which it gratefully emerged.

Chisato gasps.

Crimson is purifying the planet. The scales on the ground disappear. The True Kings' howls recede, reduce. They take gigantic steps back into the raging seas, as the ground...

...is completely freed from any draconic scale.

Pure, ragged maroon dirt, and nothing else.

The sky's clouds return. Above the raging seas, there's nothing but darkness once more. The winds howl, the sunset has passed. But the Phoenix remains, standing tall.

"..."

...The Infection...

...is... gone...

"With the removal of all your Spells, the True Kings' ATK values revert back to normal."

"!" Chisato's awareness of her life returns more, and more, and more. The adrenaline, the only thing she has left, begins to fade. "That means..."

Without the scourge of the Infection, the True Kings' ATK values... are...

**2500ATK 1800ATK 2500ATK**

...

...ha. Lithosagym, at just 2500? It's been reduced to the level of a mere magician! "...Hahaha." She croaks. "Very impressive... Rider."

"I banish _Crystron Smiger_ to add to my hand, and activate; the field spell _Crystolic Potential._ Now, _Crystron Phoenix..._"

The mecha shines **3100ATK** in the light of the world's gems.

It's been a long, long fight.

But it's still here.

"...Take down _True King Bahrastos, The Fathomer!_"

The abomination of the seas, a blot that could devour Atlantis, glows in ignorant, wretched blue. The water beneath it threatens to drown all. But Phoenix charges forth on crimson propulsion, beginning its final fight.

One of Bahrastos's towering limbs lashes out like a Cthulian atrocity, one that could swipe the Phoenix clean in an instant. But rays of an amethyst satellite freeze a vital point, and the resulting blow becomes endurable by Phoenix's deployed barrier; the faintest green in a beehive of red.

Enraged, the True King readies a devastating stream of lightning from its building-sized mouths, threatening the balking barrier.

It fires.

...But when the world is levelled, Bahrastos finds a disturbing nothing in the aftermath.

Above. Phoenix soars higher than the beast can, and rains red-touched amber in an endless storm upon it. It groans and shrieks as the tiniest of scars multiplies by a thousand, and it lashes limb after limb in retaliation.

Phoenix darts, and stops. Crimson Driver; the 6 tendrils center in one spot at the front, preparing the mecha's own laser of lightning. Bahrastos seizes the opportunity, leaping its entire, horrific body from the seas. 

A cold-blooded mockery of an amphibian, the scar of a virus easily visible below its chest; that should be the last thing the red rider sees. Its captivating attack would complete too slow for Bahrastos's charge not to break it. The air itself would die upon receiving such a blow.

But Phoenix isn't there.

SLASH!

Bahrastos balks. A laser just hit diagonally through its back, no doubt. But-

SLASH!

Another? From the other side? Then-

SLASH!

It cannot comprehend.

SLASH!

SLASH!

SLASH!

No. Those aren't lasers, it thinks, as its limbs are cut down, and wounds are blown open in its abdomen-

SLASH!

SLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASH!

That's... the Phoenix itself!

For the briefest of moments, it finds the red rider, whose spine and body are endowed in lightning, racing. Now it knows how to retaliate! The correct response is-

SLASHSLASHSLASH

That limb is no longer usea-

SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...

...

The afterimages of light fade.

Chisato watches. It was already too late to find the answer. 

Even The Fathomer cannot perceive what is almost as fast as light itself. It reminds her of a theory she once heard; the concept of a particle so fast, you would see two of it travelling in opposite directions. Those red streaks left of the Phoenix's trail make a passable imitation of such a feat.

The students no longer find themselves tormented by holographs of water; Bahrastos remains only in pieces, and the seas die back down. The True King's head howls, unable to maintain its form any longer, and erupts into a cosmic pyre.

Finally, it has been vanquished.

"..."

The pyre fades.

"...That person... she just..."

"..."

Chisato blinks.

**...She's been hit again. Down to 1700LP.**

...

I-it's... not possible.

Everyone watching gets a minute to see it settle. The vacant look of shock on The Dragon's face, her undone hair ignorant of wind. The proud figure of the Moonlit Rider, liquorice black draped in rhodonite red. The awe of every student watching, and the members of the staff who are slowly coming to, looking around in confusion. All the eyes watching get to see what has happened.

It's unfortunate there aren't that many.

"You said none would take the chance to rebel if they were given it."

"...!"

"I don't necessarily think you're wrong. It's hard for any of us to want a revolution, or anything of the sort. Especially when so many of us are worked to exhaustion by corporations like yours. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I knew the future I wanted." That cape billows. "If we were told we had the chance to make a difference, I don't think we'd jump on it."

"...Then why? Why challenge me like this?"

"Because even if we can't immediately take it... we all deserve to keep having that chance."

That...

...that's...

...reckless, isn't it?

"We should always be allowed to keep in mind... that even in our rusted states, we have the power to take our humanity back! That's what I duel to represent!"

"..."

"You're wounded, Chisato. And I can keep going, still." The Rider holds her crimson blade. "Mark my words. If we keep dueling, I can keep turning this around."

"...No. You won't."

She lifts her head. 

What a joke. She can't accept this beauty as anything other than a joke; how could she? If she tosses this adrenaline away, then she's indulged in the mask of the berserker for no reason. All she'll have left is the unsatiated void of flame. It'll never stop being ridiculous; no matter how inspiring the Moonlit Rider is, she's just one person. What can one, lone wolf hope to accomplish against an entire Corporation?!

I-it's pointless! The end they both want will never come! She has to... embrace that despair. There's nothing else left right now...!

The expression of indulgent, momentary joy has shattered, making way for resolute desperation. "Come then, Rider. Let's continue our duel." Her arm shrieks. The twin Lithosagyms roar. "You still know nothing of my true power. You still know nothing of these depths!"

"Then I'll take those down too. Every turn that passes, every move you make, is another chance for me to show you're not unstoppable!"

The winds blow again, the endless clash resumes, the fight continues, her endless hell continues. "Your outcome... will not change! For every titan you fell, I'll bring 3 more!" Chisato readies her blade. "Clash with me, Ri-"

"_STOP THE DUEL, NOW!_"

**.**

It stops.

The holographs disappear.

Her heart freezes over. All of a sudden, the remnants of adrenaline are killed by fear.

Chisato turns around, as does every other student; there lies the exit of the Skyscraper's elevator. At least 15 agents are pouring out in an ebon-donned horde, with a shaggy mess of blonde named Asami Shirasagi leading them. "What the HELL are you doing, Dragon?!"

"S-sister?"

"Apologies for being late." No, there's someone else too. "My... this does not seem to bode well, does it?"

"Kaoru? What's the meaning of this?" She pants. "Where have you been this entire-"

But Asami blares. "SHUT IT! Do you have any idea what you've just done?!"

"N-not that you would know!" She yells. "The Fathomer normally never bothers stepping into somebody else's crisis!"

"You think this only affects you?! Are you insane?!"

"Be quiet and curb your anger! I indulged in the eyes of none but the students! You have no reason to-"

"YOU..." Venomous magenta. "You ABSOLUTE IDIOT! YOU'VE CALLED OUR AUDIENCE SHEEP IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS!"

Chisato's nerves die. She stops moving. "Wh...?"

"People of the world, hear my words!"

She turns back around. The Rider is addressing what appears to be no one. Everything was cut off, after all... so how...?

Her heart skips a beat, and she looks to the cameras positioned across the arena. They're

"Do you see now?!" She hears Asami shriek. "The camera she destroyed in front of you was a flashy ruse! She left the rest on! The live audience has been watching THIS ENTIRE TIME!"

Chisato can't move.

"Oh☆? The cameras're on? That makes this easy!"

...Hina...?

"Sorry, Chisachi. I'll be one moment!"

Beside the Rider, a shooting star appears. "Hey, guys! Me and the rest of Aya's club just returned all the stolen cards! We're gonna give the troublemakers a BIIIIIIIIIIG bwooshin' punishment later, so don't you wor-" She turns, and notices the shadow. "Hm? Who're you?"

The Moonlit Rider takes a step towards the Skyscraper's edge. She removes what appears to be a canister from her cape, and smashes it against the ground.

It surges. From the remnants flies out a gigantic, gleaming holograph; a symbol of black edged in white. It shines; because, despite the void at its centre, the white around it makes that darkness stand out. Shadowbane, drenched in the world's eternal admiration.

"See the symbol of the Black Star as the sign of my words!" She throws a hand out. "My brethren... you've seen the fangs of this family exposed to all. They know their sins, and scoff at them; they run from the people they've crushed with no remorse! None can deny the monsters they are!"

There's a racour from beneath. 'Murmur' becomes maximum volume.

"Don't feel obligated. I'm not here to force anyone into a danger they're scared of facing. But know, that the only reason you can't face it... is because there's only so much we can do on our own."

The students are whispering. "What are you waiting for?!" Asami yells. "All of you, get back to the bottom of the Skyscraper NOW! Line up and leave!"

None of them leave. "Let the Black Star burn into your eyes, as hope. Keep it tucked away in your memories, and share it with me. Our time will not come until enough forces band... but until then, you can always remember the desire for rebellion stoked in your hearts! All of us deserve a better world, no matter how battered we are!"

"These idiots never listen... what are you waiting for?!" Asami stares daggers at the agents. "Arrest her!"

"The Shirasagis can't cling to their spotlight forever. One day, others will try to take it back, even if we don't. So if any of you feel a blaze in your hearts now, wait until that time has come!" 

The figure wrapped in black billows.

"The opportunity for a better world will soon be in our reach! Free from the reign of this corporation!"

There's hordes upon hordes of footsteps. The agents surround the Rider at the edge of the Skyscraper. "Put your hands in the air, now."

"..."

She turns around. That without a face stares into their faceless expressions. 

"Remember this, Shirasagis. I'm hardly the opponent you have to fear. I'm far from the top of my group. I'm just the shockwave that shook The Dragon, not the earthquake that follows. Let the Black Star tell you... that you have more to be worried about than just me."

She takes a step back.

"Whoa, whoa!" Hina yells. "You're gonna fall if you do that! It's a long way down!"

Another.

The abyss beckons to the Rider.

And Chisato and everyone else gasps, as she heeds its call.

"Farewell."

"Wait!"

The Rider falls back over the edge, and disappears.

Everyone who has the chance immediately rushes over,

and finds no one plummeting down beneath.

"W-what?!" Asami mutters. "Where the fuck did she go?!"

"Whoa☆... are you for real?! Oh, I should check on Aya! She's gotta hear about this!"

"Where is that blasted-" There's the sound of a transceiver. "The Tech Department? Why?!" A click. "Yes, yes, Asami here, WHAT is it?! I'm busy cleaning up your atrocious mess-"

There's a muzzled voice.

"...What?! What do you mean, the livestreams were turned BACK ON?! HAVE YOU ALL THROWN YOUR HEADS AWAY?!" The muzzled voice. "You don't know who did it?! Find them, and fire them!"

It hardly even phases her.

Chisato takes a step back from the edge, and looks dead ahead.

"Well, don't keep the stream on, you idiot! TURN IT ALL OFF! The Exhibition's over!" The transceiver cuts. "You! Staff! Now that you're all conscious, cut the cameras, too! This is just the stupidest, most ridiculous thing I've-" It stops. "Chisato?! Are you just going to stand there, or what?!"

"You have more pressing tasks right now, Miss Fathomer." Kaoru's voice. "Don't wear away your beautiful face. Leave each of us to our own duties."

"Fine, then. Just get her down from this Skyscraper as soon as possible."

Footsteps. Asami's gone.

"...Chisato. Chisato!" There's hands gripping her shoulders, and a pair of red eyes in her peripheral view. "Chisato, are you alright? Speak to me, please."

"No way! So THAT'S what's been going on☆?" 

Hina. Hina. Hina's voice. 

"Ahahaha☆, that's so boppin'~! Way more fun than the Corp's plan! Why'd I have to miss i-" Pause. "Wait, hang on, first, first! Chisachi, I'm here, I'm back! I solved it!"

...

"H-Hina," Kaoru stammers, "I'm afraid now m-might be a-"

"I found a way! I disguised myself as members of Aya's fanclub and returned the cards! It was so fun~!" Footsteps. "Chisachi, Chisachi☆!"

She feels another pair of hands. Gold is looking directly into her face.

"Aya's safe now, thanks to us! We pulled it off☆! You're the best, Ch-"

The expression changes.

From enthusiasm, to confusion. To comprehension. In 2 seconds, her faded eyes see Hina frown, and focus.

Silence. 

There's a few isolated breaths, as the grip softens, and moves down her arms. 

"Chisachi." Hina looks worried. "I'm here. Hold my hand." It's grave. "What happened? Are you okay? The Council didn't hurt you, did they?"

...

In the remains of the Rider's chaos, she can't muster a single word.

She tore her world asunder.

"...Chisachi?"


	31. Love Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arc 2 has another 13 chapters to go!

...

...It's cold.

The breeze is chilling. The clouds are clearing. The moon and the stars are showing. 

...

...

"...The time..."

3:00am. Tuesday, the 16th of February.

"...I see."

She continues to look at Earth's Skyscraper.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Clunk! 

...

"Yoohoo."

...

"Heyyyy, over here. I'm your sleep paralysis demon."

...She knows who this is. This person has a propensity for balancing on guard rails with ease.

"Your face really fits in with the 'staring ominously over a rooftop' aesthetic." A wave of the hand. "I feel ya. I dig this kind of mood. City's nice to lose your eyes in, isn't it?"

...

"Oh, wow... you're staring at me so intensely... could this be love?!" Faked shock. "Sorry, babe. I just love being dramatic and keeping the hood on. You remember my face though, don't you?"

With the ragged, billowing black cloak obscuring her, that personality is what makes her distinct.

"Well, you COULD have another peek, if you want. I know it's verrry kissable." Probably a wink. "If you want a taste, we could always go on a date. How about it?"

"...You're in a good mood."

"Well, sort of. Watching that duel just threw me off the shits, so I chugged like 3 Pepsis to keep me awake. Here, have one."

...She catches it. Her companion continues balancing on the railing, standing atop it with one foot and bending the other.

...

...

"Gotta say, I didn't think she had it in her."

"...You know her?"

"Mm? The Moonlit Rider, you mean?" A pause. "Nah. It's just, anyone would get the heebie-jeebies infiltrating a whole-ass skyscraper and making that bombastic performance. I'm surprised someone other than me's running around in a cloak causing mayhem." A lean. "But what do YOU think? That's what I'm curious about."

...

"Heh. Figures."

"I... didn't say anything," she responds.

"Can't I be the perceptive one for a change?" The Watcher hops off the fence, and leans their backs together. The Watcher's body; it's comforting, caring, and ephemeral. She can feel this person's fluctuating breaths run through her. "You and I know it's all about group effort. Her little squad isn't gonna fell the Corp on its own."

"...So you do know her."

An exaggerated gasp. "Whoa. How'd you guess?"

"You mentioned the size of her group."

"Sharp as always! Guess the jig's up. They're all my girlfriends, actually."

"In other words, you're acquainted with some of them."

"Damn. Saw right through it," she says. "You know me so well, don't you?"

...

"Sure you don't wanna go on that date?"

...

"Okay, I'll stop that," she walks around and holds her hands out. "I'm not a simp, I promise. You DO have my number, though."

"...What did you come here to talk about?"

"Well, I didn't hop over buildings just to ask you out again. Bet you're glad to hear that."

Then the Watcher starts shifting. The smile tries to maintain, but it fails.

"You, uh. Might not... be so glad to hear the next part, though."

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

"Well..."

The Watcher comes closer again, and leans her arms over the rail.

...

...

"I'm thinking of quitting this gig."

...

"Snatching cards, I mean."

She turns, and stares her companion head-on.

"Don't get me wrong," the Watcher says. "It's been a blast, in a way. But... well..."

"...Do you miss them?"

Silence, for a second. "I'd punch myself in the face if I admitted that. Good thing I've got other reasons too; this whole thing feels kind of empty, y'know?" A sigh. "I'm just one person screwing around, stealing from the cogs in the machine. That's not the same thing as a revolution. As fun as it is to make a bunch of babies cry over trading cards, it's not really doing anything."

"You're right."

"And yet you helped me out." There's a grin. "You gave me the entire layout of the Academy. You told me all the hotspots and all the arenas the students go to... you even gave me grub sometimes. I've got the moves, but you're the one who lets me take them in the right direction."

"You would've infiltrated the Academy even if I ignored you. I was just trying to keep you safe."

"Awww, no need to hide it. We've both got that crave for change, don't we? We wanna do something, even if it's small. That's why we made our dream team; we wanted to stop feeling powerless."

The wind blows. Her padded jacket flails next to the Watcher.

"Honestly, I'm still surprised you decided to help me. You're way better than me at, like... everything," her companion says, and shrugs. "When I look at you, I always feel like I'm in over my head. All the support you risk your hide to give me, and here I am stealing a few meaningless cards. Some use of your skills that is."

...

"O-oh. Uhhhh." 

...So, her frown was visible.

"Um, my bad. Not my most sensitive moment. M-me and my landmine problems... would it help if I went back to teasi-"

She pats the Watcher on the head, ruffling the hair beneath the hood. "It's okay."

...There's a smile. "Thanks."

"Your lifestyle's been weighing on your mental state, hasn't it?"

The vivacity comes back. "What can I say? It's tough being the cool, untouchable anti-hero. Crime sprees and life-risking parkour weigh a cutie like me down."

"You still have the chance to go back."

"...Think I might, honestly. Well, to some extent." Contemplative. "I know it's pretty pathetic of me. Saying 'I'm done with this whole revolution thing' and going back to life as normal, when I'm the one who wanted to cause trouble in the first place. But..."

"It's fine."

She hums. "Wow. Didn't think you'd say that."

"You're tired, aren't you?"

...A nod.

"We're always exhausted. All of us are. There's nothing wrong with focusing on your own life."

A wagged finger. "Trying to unravel my deep-seated issues with responsibility? You've gotta be a Level 7 friend if you wanna get that far with me. Although, if it helps, reaching that level also unlocks you my lips, which I hear are great for making out with-"

...

"...Thanks. Appreciate all you've done, honestly. Mind if I get some of that sweet hug serotonin?"

...She walks close, and puts her arms around the Watcher. "If it helps you."

"Heh." A soft smile. "Guess I'm not the only one who feels like crying lately."

The Watcher wraps back around, burying a hooded head into her shoulder. The grip tightens, ever so slightly. 

...

...

...It's warm. She can feel her companion's breaths, pouring into her coat.

...

...

"Hope my comfy bod's giving you a lil' de-stressing."

"...Thank you."

"Any time." The Watcher lets go, and steps back. "So, yeah. I doubt I'll be asking you about Academy intel in the future. Gimme a call if you ever feel like you need a friend though, okay? One of the only things I'm good for."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you called me first. Or spam-texted me with reaction images."

"Okay, maybe I am a bit of a simp. But I mean it. I don't want to drag you down much longer, anyway. Your life's hard enough without me around."

...

The Watcher hops backwards onto the railing. "Aw, c'mon. I'm not gonna call you again THAT quickly. I might not even call you again at all!"

"You have a habit of going back on your words."

"Hah."

The wind blows.

"Well, just you watch. I'm gonna commit to being a lazy, ordinary everyday girl, and I'll get an A+ on it, mark my words. I'm done with the mysterious, black-robed thieving life for now, so I don't think I'll be messing around with SDA students again. I'd have to be real desperate for that to happen."

"...Then, I hope your life goes well."

"Yeah." A wave. "You too. Nice knowing you while it lasted. Ask that girl out, okay? She's probably worried about you. The way you keep describing her's killing me, so I'm gonna haunt you in like a year's time and see whether you two're dating or not."

...

"S-see ya, babe!"

With that, the Watcher imitates the disappearance of the Moonlit Rider, and jumps off the railing. 

...

...

...She's left, alone on the rooftop. 

For a moment, she reaches a hand out to the person no longer there. All it can do, eventually, is lower.

Then she looks back to the cold of the night.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"...Hina. I wonder. Where are you, right now?"

...

"Please. Forget about me. Forget about me... and keep smiling."

\---

_"We're home."_

_3 heads turn. Yukina sees a dishevelled mythril wolf standing at the doorway, ruggedly carrying a knight on her back. _

_Ako immediately shoots up from her chair. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my GOD! Lisa, that was THE COOLEST THING EV-"_

_"U-um. Ako... I think she's asleep..."_

_"Oh!" The volume switch flips. "U-uh, my bad."_

_Sayo pants, and lays her down. "It's extremely late. If you don't mind, I'd like to go to sleep immediately. I'll leave Lisa in your care."_

_Yukina nods. "Get as much rest as you can. You are permitted to excuse yourself from training, if necessary."_

_"It isn't. I'm still far from where I need to be. Expect me up by lunch."_

_Sayo closes the door to her room. "Hey, hey, Rinrin!" Ako chatters. "Let's make cookies for Lisa tomorrow! We can design them like bats, or magic circles, or something fiery, maybe? It'll be a celebration for her!"_

_Rinko smiles. "Yeah. Maybe we could... make them look like gems. It'd resemble the Gem-Knights and Crystrons..."_

_"Wow... Rinrin, you're a genius!"_

_Yukina turns to them. "I will make sure Lisa is sleeping comfortably. For now, you should rest too. It won't be long before our schedule falls back into place."_

_"The Dark Lord hears and obeys! Hey, Rinrin, let's devise our cookie, uh... cookie chaos in my room! You can sleep over if you want!"_

_"Yeah... that sounds good. I'll be there in a minute..." She waves. "Um... good night, Yukina... and..."_

_"What is it?"_

_"...Thank you... for not picking Ako."_

_"I will not have her do anything dangerous. You have my promise." She sharpens. "However, you must make your own decision regarding participation as soon as possible. I am only making an exemption for her because of her mental state. Remember that."_

_"..." Rinko nods, and turns away._

_With that, all doors are shut. It happens quickly and efficiently. Truly, these people have accepted illegality and isolation into their lives now. _

_That needs only last a little while longer._

_..._

...

...

One's sleeping breaths have never been so beautiful.

In Roselia's base, the dimmed lights and heating remain on, even at this time. There's hardly a sound around; occasionally, gusts will blow at the windows, and leave nothing but more silence in their wake. It gives Yukina plenty of time to hear her companion's content exhales.

"..."

Lisa Imai lies on a sofa next to the dining table. She's sprawled out over its length, a black cloak and a blanket serving as her duvet.

"..." For a moment, there's an orchid impulse. Yukina reaches to Lisa's hair without processing, and strokes a curl. "...That tired smile. You normally only wear it when you're awake. Why do you now look strained when you sleep...?"

"..."

She pulls her hand back, keeping her distance on her wooden chair. Every day, she asks why Lisa stays here with her. No matter how much she knows the answer. 

The wounds she creates. Even if she minimises their damage with her paltry emotional knowledge, they will still threaten to tear her companions apart. That's the other reason why time is of the essence.

"...I wonder... if you reconnected with them... would you forget about me?"

She says it quietly enough so nobody can hear, staring at Lisa's face.

...

...

"...?" There's something in Lisa's hands. She's holding it to her chest. "What is that contraption?"

Yukina takes it. Lisa's fingers clutch on nothing as she does so.

"A plushie?" 

She recognises the monster instantly. It's a picture-perfect miniature of _Frightfur Bear._

"...They've given you so much, Lisa. Haven't they?"

She holds the plushie and looks to the window, watching the moon shine through. A few craters from afar mimic the appearance of eyes, as if a lunar colony watches the world. 

Yukina has this silent, zombie-esque view all to her own. Tune everyone's snores out, and she has a graveyard that fits her perfectly. The tombstones, wretched and cracked, like their crafter was a complete farce of a person. The flowers placed beneath each, wilted and thematically dissonant, for the bouquet's maker was always incompetent, useless, unable to form the right message. Weeds and thistles, growing in disgusting clumps at the side, blotting the path, all because the supposed gardener did not know gardening. So cold, lifeless and solitary; the sky has plenty of blue behind the clouds, yet not even the stars keep her company. Even the corpses, unable to see her from deep underground, turn away and close their eyes in disgust. The moon will reflect her Amber eyes, and leave her nothing more.

...

...By all means, it went perfectly. 

"Chisato Shirasagi fell right into my trap."

A powerful image, is it not? You bleed, you find yourself on the brink. The enemy before you appears invincible, ruthless, ruling; the emblem of a multi-billion profit corporation, a true arch-villain. But slowly, bit by bit, you stand back up, taking blow after blow, never faltering, charging ever forward; and even when The Disaster descends, and you meet your darkest hour, you keep striding forth, forever blazing your path of radiant dissent.

Such a captivating rebellion, to strike the audience's hearts with. A mantle more powerful than simply winning. When Lisa took that mantle, she became a figure the world could identify with. One who validated their everyday struggles, and made them believe that they, too, could take down dragons. With that shattering blow, the first attack against the Shirasagi Corporation is complete. 

"...You find yourself tormented, do you not, Chisato? Ever since that day." She contemplates. "That is exactly why you are such a perfect enemy. The internal conflict you face makes it rather easy to break you."

"To... mo... e..."

"...!"

Lisa's stirring. 

A movement, two.

"Tomo... e... mm?" Lisa finds her hands clutching on nothing. "E-eh? Where'd... it..."

"Are you looking for this?"

The plushie is held out. "...Oh? Were you... nngh... curious?" Lisa stretches, and sits up with weary eyes. "It's cute, isn't it?"

"...Did Tomoe make it for you?"

There's a chuckle. 

"I see I'm wrong again."

"If it was Tomoe, this thing'd have even more stitches than it already does!" She takes the plushie back, and smiles. "Himari made this little fella. Helps me sleep better now."

"...So, you've talked to her lately?"

"Yeah. But a couple meetings with friends hasn't stopped me from helping you, has it?"

Lisa is difficult to control. "It hasn't. It was only a matter of time before you started socialising again, anyway."

"You know me so well~," she says. "What's the time? Everything after the Exhibition felt like a blur..."

"5am. Apparently, you fell asleep on Sayo's back following your escape."

"Aw, she carried me here? I'll have to thank her later~... do you think she'd want to make cookies together?"

"I would not know. You'd be better off asking her."

She giggles. "Might be hard while she's asleep. I'll wait a bit. Say, if you wanted, you could make them with us."

"There's a good reason I don't step foot into cooking."

"Guess some things never change, huh~?"

"They never will."

Quiet breaths. Her constant companion looks at her solemnly. It's a gaze she's seen many times, over the past 5 years.

...

...

"...You should go back to sleep, Lisa."

"Mmm... maybe in a bit." She gets out her phone. "But first, I wanna know; what's happened since?"

"Your disguise is already on the front page of several news outlets and online publications. I imagine by dawn, you'll even have a large column in national newspapers."

Her eyes lighten. "Wow~... shame I couldn't dress up for the occasion. Big success, then?"

"Bigger than I had anticipated," Yukina responds. "The throwaway symbol known as the Black Star has been spread all over the consciousness of the populace. Even if there is little resultant action, such a spirit-lifting spectacle will definitely stay in their memories."

"Hehe. Glad to see you can count on me, Yukina."

"...Indeed. You performed very well."

In fact, the scale of Roselia's success has been unprecedented. A shockwave before the earthquake it was, but it wore magnitude like a trampling mane. And she can attribute that to one factor in particular. One factor has turned the spark into a storm that may alter Yukina's future plans:

The Academy's livestreams.

It's all been the same story. A Moonlit Rider has exposed the callous nature of Chisato Shirasagi to the entire dual-district. Several of the pieces she's read have mentioned people watching through streaming services... which she didn't anticipate at all. After all, Roselia did not have any power over those. All they could do was infiltrate the Skyscraper, seize the cameras and make sure the live audience below was watching and recording the duel, which then would have been spread through word-of-mouth. If the duel remained visible online despite The Dragon's command, it would be the fault of the Corporation, rather than Roselia.

Which means there's a mole, either inside or around the Corporation.

...She can only wonder who left the livestreams on. Perhaps it's not a surprise; after all, the false angels have many enemies, from many different places. Even self-directed, in Chisato's case. In a way, Lisa's declaration that other forces also desire rebellion was very accurate.

No matter. All this means is that she will have to adjust her plans before the Cup begins.

"You look pretty tired~."

She blinks. "Merely deep in thought. I'm hardly a stranger to sleepless nights."

"I seem to know a lot of people like that. Chisato now, too." Lisa leans back. "I snuck into her dinner party and talked with her before the Exhibition. Hope you don't mind."

"...I do. But I'm hardly surprised," she responds.

Lisa scratches her hair. "A-ahaha... sorry about that. I just couldn't help myself. She looked so exhausted, y'know? And I had fun fighting her. I hope she's doing okay."

"...You had fun?"

"Yeah! She's powerful, imposing, flirty... she really knows how to make a girl's heart race~," Lisa sings. "We weren't in the best set of circumstances, but I figure the duel gave her some stress relief."

"I see. So you were trying to help her, too."

Silence.

"Refrain from that in the future. Remember that for the sake of our image-"

"-'she must be seen as an enemy', right? Don't worry~. I still remember my promise. I didn't tell the others anything 'unnecessary' about her, and I stuck by your M.O. the whole time. I just... figured that if I was going to harm her in one way, I could always help her in another."

"What reason do you have to do such a thing?"

"I don't need a reason to help someone, do I~?" She smiles. "Besides, I saw a bit of myself in her. We both mutter the names of the people we miss when we're tired, for one."

"...There are people she misses?"

"I overheard her yearning for Hina. Call it my instinct, but I think she cares about her a lot."

"...I see."

So, that is why such a carefree and sociable person remains in the callous Academy. Until this point, Hina did not appear to be a notable piece on the board. But it seems she may play a closer part than-

_"How rotten for them to pin the blame on their Aya Maruyama."_

_"Hey, guys! Me and the rest of Aya's club just returned all the stolen cards!"_

"...!" 

Yukina blinks.

Plausible. There was a piece in the news, 3 years back, when the Supernova was born, and The Dragon was dethroned from Rank 1...

...'lowered bite'... 'sheathed sword'... and according to Lisa of all people, 'yearning'...

...so that's it.

No, in fact; it's possible nobody understands her true importance. That connection... it may be an opportunity. If Roselia makes a target of Hina Hikawa, then the firewood for revolution could be stacked. Some research into the public's perception will be required, but it's possible she could devise a maneuver that would further compose the requiem of the Haneoka Qualifier Cup.

And she will need Roselia's most demonic and fearsome member to accomplish it.

"So... what's next, Yukina?"

"For now, we wait." Amber gleams. "Our battlefield is a more complicated landscape than it seems."

"Got it! Guess that means we're back to training, huh?"

"Indeed."

Yukina stands up.

The image of a wolf is a powerful one. It strikes fear, awe and respect into the hearts of those that watch it, and carries a myth and mystery that makes them want more. These images... these illusions, these ephemeral emblems of charisma... they are what define the Yukina Minato everyone knows. Everyone, that is, except for Lisa.

But no matter how Roselia sees her, her overall plans remain the same. And so far, those plans have proceeded rather smoothly. In fact... Hina may make them even smoother. The Supernova may be just the key she needs.

It is with that thought in mind, that she holds her disk like a dagger and cuts her next blade, moonlight at her back. "Let us strive for a peak none can reach."

\---

You know, some people really do feel 'larger than life'. 

A lot of them, actually. There's so many individuals she's met and thought 'wow, you're amazing'. Not just people like the Moonlit Rider, who want some kind of bigger change, but also... people who make others feel happy, and secure. People who care about their friends a lot, or people everyone always comes to for help, or people you can't not smile around, or... well, the list could go on. She's just picking a few of her closest friends as examples.

And there's... one friend in particular, she thinks, who definitely has all those traits. One of the most larger-than-life people she knows. Someone you think's only a ball of comedy at first, until she snowballs into a jaw-dropping rollercoaster.

Moca.

Moca, Moca, Moca. Hehe. Just saying her name makes you feel a bit happier, doesn't it? When you say those two syllables, there's her lethargic, goofy grin resting in your head, maybe even with a little blush. She fits all of the things above, doesn't she? She makes others feel happy and safe, knowing they'll always have her by their side. She cares a lot, and it shows, even if she tries to hide it; which is kind of cute, honestly. She's a bit of a dork deep down. And anyone who gets to know her always ends up relying on her; they feel like Moca'd never judge them for screwing up. She's always got that casual and laid-back aura that makes you think 'stop making me laugh! I'm being serious', but even then, you feel like you're being validated, so you can't help but smile. Oh, and most people don't know this, but Moca can be serious if she wants to be, too; she'll push aside the jokes if she knows something's really wrong, focusing on singing with her 'Moca-brand lilt' to soothe your worries. A hug too, if you need it.

She's amazing. Afterglow wouldn't be the same without her, would it? It's so much easier to stick together when there's a gremlin constantly texting the group chat with gluey, gooey images. Where would they even be if they didn't have her? Probably in a place where they'd argue and get into misunderstandings a lot more; nobody knows Afterglow's members like the back of their hand as much as Moca does, and that's no mean feat!

And it's not just her, either. Every other member of Afterglow has so many amazing, beautiful, cherishable qualities. They're all wonderful, kind, friendly, supportive, passionate, dedicated, cute, lovely, and... w-well, even a little bit attractive! That's not something she'd tell them herself (although she does have a bad habit of blurting it out sometimes), but it really does feel true. They're all just the best. 

They all have their own shine.

...

...By her metric, there's a few people who think she has a shine too. What was it Moca once called her? 'Home'. A place people always want to come back to.

She liked that, once. It felt validating. 'It's a big charm point, Tsugu~.' Something to be proud of, Tsugumi, something to perk yourself up with; people always find you comforting to be around! That's what she tells herself when she's feeling a bit sad.

But...

...n-no, it's rude to reject that compliment, isn't it? Her friends mean it when they say they appreciate her. And maybe, just maybe, she could call being a 'home' something that makes her stick out.

...But...

That familiar, endless fate is staring at her with the emptiest eyes. And when she sees people like Ran, Moca and the Rider duel, all she thinks is; how bright does she shine, really? Bright enough for people to go back to, again and again? It doesn't feel like a light that'd last very long. After all, a home...

...is something you can find anywhere. 

Isn't it?

Is it so wrong, to want to be something more? Is that selfish? She knows there's nothing wrong with being 'normal'. It's just... when she looks into those eyes, she's scared that-

...

...

...

...No... there's no point in her thinking that. After all, Moca's still here. She's still meeting up with Moca, at this very moment, even during all this chaos. In a way, she and Himari are bridging all of Afterglow together right now! They're the line connecting Moca with Ran and Tomoe. So she's done enough, hasn't she?

...

A few birds tweet in the light of another bright day. It's slightly cloudier than usual, so the Sun has to settle for blaring its yellow at intervals, through the rifts between the clouds. Blue is a rarer sight, but it's hardly absent either. It's not storming, it's not all blotted up.

And here she stands in front of a table at Satou Cakes. Her friends are sitting right there. She can easily join in.

...It's kinda surreal how Moca's a point of stability right now. She's ostensibly ditching school, sure, but she never skips a meeting; she just pretends to be late sometimes. Everything else today's turned on its head, in comparison... there hasn't been a word from Ran, and Tomoe's staying at home... Lisa and Ako are still gone, too... and the entire world's bustling and whispering after what happened just 16 hours ago. There were a couple of small protests on her way here through Central City, and even a shop having a half-off sale on black cloaks. It's the kind of thing that makes Tsugumi feel insignificant, unimportant; she's just a speck in this vortex right now.

But in the midst of all this chaos, Moca's sending the same message she always does: 

Everything's fine.

"Tsugu, Tsugu! What's wrong?"

Himari's voice wakes her up. "O-oh!" 

"C'mon, sit down with us! I've already had my fill of bullying this insatiable brachiosaurus."

"So mean, Himarine~," Moca sings. "My face isn't as puffy as yours. If you stretch it too much, it'll break."

"That's what you get! It's been 6 days since I last saw you, and that's 6 days too many!"

"You're the one who didn't show up on Saturday, though~."

"Y-you... Moooocaaaa..."

"Oooh, I wonder why THAT could've been. What GEM caught your attention? Did you kiss it-"

"I'll end you with my own two hands, fiend!!!!" Himari shakes her, and Moca lets out a vibrating hum in response. "Don't say stuff like that while Tsugu's around!!!!!!!"

W-well, Himari's not subtle about her crushes at all. But it'd be rude to pressure her! Especially with... everything surrounding Lisa. "Um... sorry, I was just a bit out of it. Coming!" 

It's unusual for her to be late, isn't it? Himari and Moca aren't glaring at her or anything, as she sits down for the 3rd time at Satou Cakes. But for some reason, that doesn't make her feel less nervous.

"Tsugu, your sunflower coat and your hat look great! You're rockin that style', girl!"

Immediately, the warmth comes in. "You really think so? Thanks, Himari," she responds. "Oh! I need to make an order, don't I?"

"Fufufu~. Don't worry, Tsugu; got you covered." Two items are pushed over. "Chocolate carrot cake and a cappuccino, right?"

"Eh?!" Is she really that predictable? "H-how'd you know?"

"Call me a veritable Tsugupedia. Being psychic helps too~."

...Yeah, it makes sense Moca'd know. "Um. Thank you! Again, s-sorry I'm late."

"Anything for our sweet!"

"Don't mention it~. Now, my fellow wondercats," she drawls. "We've got some juuuicy gossip to talk about, haven't we? We've met up on the day after the storm~."

Day of the storm, technically...

"Gay Jesus's weeping wowsers, you're telling me!" Himari nearly squeals. "Who do you think that Crystron user was? People called her the 'Moonlit Rider', right? Right?! Oh my god, that's so dreaaamy, oh my GOD~!!! I felt my heart doing somersaults when I saw her! Who IS she...?!"

"Beats me~. But this is the most excited I've seen folks get 'cause of Duel Monsters. Real glad this place's away from all the bustle~."

"Y-yeah. The entire city feels really intense today, doesn't it? I'm having trouble processing it..."

"Eh? Processing? Seems pretty simple to me!" Himari throws her hands on the table. "That person climbed up the Skyscraper and totally wowed The Dragon in a duel! That's why we're all feeling pumped now!"

"Is it~?"

"C'mon, Moca, you were excited too, right? I wanted to scream..." Himari sighs. "She was so exhilarating to watch... it looked so intense!"

"I think it was intense too!" Tsugumi responds. "But... it's not like we were watching a TV drama. She broke in illegally just to duel someone, when you think about it."

"I know! Doesn't that make your heart race???"

"Tsugu, you're not gonna get through to her like that. Her head's in the clouds again," Moca says. "C'mon Hima, think about it. Why would someone break into an arena just to have a duel? There's more to it than that. I don't think all the commotion and protests happenin' today are coincidences."

"...Geh? There's protests too? What about?"

"Silly ol' you." A poke on the cheek. "Never one for big concepts like social justice, are you~?"

Ah. That explains this weird feeling of anticipation; the duel was a method of communication, wasn't it?

"Says you, you lazy gremlin."

"Wowwww~. Lazy's true, but gremlin? I'm taller than you, y'know~."

"Oh yeah? Well, not for long!"

Himari takes a page from Tomoe's book, and Moca immediately gets her head compressed. "B-be careful not to hurt her on accident!" She can't help but laugh, though... these two silly-billies. "Um. I saw a few workers trying to unionise and go on strike. They're demanding proper sick leave, less overtime, things like that... they're sort of disconnected, and none of them are that big, but I think they got spurred by the Moonlit Rider."

"Ohhhhhhhh! Yeah, she was talking about eating the rich and stuff, right? Like Moca does!"

"Bingo! Now we've got Himari on our page~." Free from the Uehara wrath, Moca takes a sip of her 3rd milkshake. "Honestly, this'll probably blow over in a couple weeks. But yelling that corporations suck while you've got a big ol' mecha next to you is pretty striking, isn't it~? Stirs up some oooos and aaaas."

"I-it's certainly one way to make a political statement," Tsugumi says. "I hope that Rider person's okay, though. She might have the police after her currently..."

"Ohhhh god, cops? That's scary! Why do people do these things?" Himari slumps her head on the table. "Now I hope she's okay too..."

"S-sorry, Himari. I didn't mean to worry you!"

"Oh no~. Himarine's been exposed to the dreadful world of human suffering," the fiend sings like a bard. "Don't worry, puffy wuffy~. Have a squeeze of your disposable half-price Moca whenever you're feelin' scared."

Himari immediately takes the opportunity. "You're just doing this because I'm comfy, aren't you."

"Aren't I comfy, too~?"

"Meanie."

"Hehe. Be careful, Hima... you shouldn't rely on me too often." 

"Oh, trust me. I'll dunk you into Hazawa Coffee's sink one day and never look back."

"That's the spirit~."

Aw. How is it that Moca just... worms her way into everyone's hearts? She's so sweet. No wonder she gets through to Ran so easily.

...Well, got through. Past tense. But... she'll talk to Ran and Tomoe again soon, right? She said she was coming back to school this weekend... "A-ah, speaking of!" Right, don't look worried. There's nothing to fear. "The Moonlit Rider's not the only person who's been angering the police lately, right?"

"Oho~? Give us the goods, Tsugs."

"That's right! There's the card thief too!"

"Yeah, that's who I was thinking of! The one who kept robbing from SDA students. They weren't a headline, but they still had some presence, right?"

The conversation continues. A little circle of fun, just like the ones Afterglow always has.

"God, that already feels like a millenia ago," Himari slumps. "I saw so many stories and conspiracy theories! Stuff like them being a long-lost Shirasagi heir, or working in cahoots with the Dueling Idol. It's funny how quickly they've forgotten about them now."

"You and all your newspapers, Himarine... the gossip could infect you if you're not careful~." Moca grins. "But a card thief who stole from SDA students? Sounds like my secret hero."

"Yeah, they're right up your alley, Robin Hood. Lemme see if I can find something," Himari browses through her phone. "Here we go! Hina showed me this article. The author had a bunch of interviews with pissed-off students who got robbed by them. There's a picture, too; take a look!"

"This one has a picture? Can I see?" Tsugumi leans over. It's, uh... really, really blurry. She can definitely see something moving, but... "...is that a person? Or a cryptid? It kinda just looks like a cloak billowing..."

"They're a person, I promise! You can see a hand sticking out from the left."

"Oh, you're right! I... guess this picture is real, then?"

Moca whistles. "Pretty tacky cloak if that's the case~. Even Tomoe's got better fashion sense than that." Ouch. "Still, gotta respect anyone who pisses off the SDA. Stealing's fun~."

Oh no. "M-Moca..." Tsugumi frets. "Um, please don't start stealing things! We'd be even more worried about you than we are now- I mean, it'd be dangerous!"

"Uh-oh, I've got Mama Tsugu on my case. That's a bad sign..."

The two of them stare VERY intensely at Moca. There's a little grin on her face.

"...buuuuuuuuuuut a few crimes aren't that big a deal, are they? It's the right thing to do~."

"T-that doesn't matter if you get yourself hurt!"

"Yeah, Moca! We care about you, y'know."

"Wow~. Not even Afterglow supports my aspirations," she gives her lazy smile. "Don't worry, don't worry~. I'm not gonna do anything like that." Oh, thank god. No restless nights, then... "Besides, that thief's no Moonlit Rider. And I don't just mean they're less hot."

"Eh? Weren't you just praising them?"

"For the moxie~. They've got that down, at least. But they'd be a better kind of Robin Hood if they were stealing from billionaires, y'know?" Moca rocks back on her chair. "Running from the cops just to rob students doesn't sound like my cup of tea."

"Good! I don't want anyone making you risk your life to steal!"

"Hey, c'mon, Himarine~. I'm not that bad. We've got grades and money to worry about."

...

...Tsugumi blinks. 

Why does she feel tense, all of a sudden?

"This coming from you! You've been absent from school for-"

"Speaking of which," Moca wags her finger. "Ever thought about what you're gonna do after you finish Circle?"

"U-urk!" Himari freezes on the spot. "Why are YOU asking me this, now of all times?!"

"Because you and Tomoe always run away from it when the teachers pester you~."

"A... ahaha." She tries to calm her nerves. "I don't blame her, honestly."

"Yeah, Moca! There's NOTHING more depressing than work. I don't wanna think about it!"

"None of us do! But we gotta if we wanna stay afloat. Them's the brea-"

"Have mercyyyyy!" Himari scoffs the rest of her cake and whines on the table. "I'll just think about it later... urgh, I don't wanna imagine being a working adult right now. There's literally nothing more miserable."

"Fufufu. Poor Himarine, always tormented by life's challenges." Moca turns. "What about you, Tsugs?"

"E-eh? Me? Um..."

"You're so lucky, Tsugu..." Himari moans. "You're probably already set, right? I can't see your parents saying no if you wanna go full-time at Hazawa Coffee."

"Um. Yeah, that's what I'm planning, actually."

"See~? Well-adjusted Tsugu's got it all worked out. Why don't you take a page from her book?"

"Unfair. Comparison. You delight in my torment, don't you?"

"Hm. What if, for every slam dunk I give you, I offer 2 packs of sweets?"

"...Make it 3."

"You drive a hard bargain~. But I'll do it for you, sweet Himarine."

"Woohoooooo... Afterglow's stuck in the hell of capitalism..." There's a mess of pink sobbing on the table. "Yeehaw... we're all in thiiiis tooogeeeether~..."

...All worked out, huh...? Yeah, definitely; this is what she wants. But... isn't that disappointing, to some people? Her life'll probably be a quaint one. It's a rock a bored hiker might look at for a moment or two during a trip, before tossing it back into the pile.

...No, no, get it together, Tsugumi! There's nothing wrong with a future as simple as that.

"Somethin' wrong, Tsugs~? You just slapped your cheeks like 5 times."

"Oh! I-it's nothing."

"Eh? You sure? We're here for you, my sweet!"

"Hmmm..." Moca tilts her head. "...Hm. I see. Hey, Tsugs."

T-that smile. "Y-yeah?"

"Here's my bet. 10 years from now, Afterglow's still gonna be hounding Hazawa Coffee. You'd better be ready~."

...

"I'm on board!" Himari pumps. "I've gotta try everything your menu brings out, Tsugu. I can't live without it!"

...Radiant. That's the one word she thinks of, every time. "Hehe." She can't help but smile a bit. "Thanks, Moca."

"Oh~? What for? ...Well, I'm not gonna reject random praise from my comfy lil' coffee-bean, I'll tell you that much. Can I have more~?"

"Oh, no you don't! I'm revoking your Tsugumi privileges!" Himari jumps in. "No more running; you've got to get your butt back to school already!"

.

Ah. So that's why she felt tense. Because if-

-no, no, no, don't be scared, Tsugumi. It's fine. It's fine, right? Moca promised she'd come back, and there's nothing that proves otherwise. This is just the usual catastrophizing... so don't worry. Soon enough, everyone'll be back together again! And she'll. S-she'll have... p-plenty of more time, to tell Moca about...

...a-about...

"Darn. Can't pull the wool over my perceptive Himarine any longer, can I?"

"Mgrgrgr... you're NEVER telling the truth when you call me that."

"Mean~! I've an honest heart of gold."

S-she can't let her friend run. Not from Afterglow. "U-um, Moca-"

"Don't you guys worry~. I already told you before, didn't I? I'm gonna return to the regular sched' this weekend. Feelin' fully souped up now."

"But it's Tuesday! If you're feeling souped up, why not come back now?"

"Wow... I had no idea you missed me so much, Himarine~!" Moca feigns fainting. "Well, I suppose I could instantly recover all my remaining life points if you suffered through princess carrying me back home-"

"Oh, you think I'm messing around?"

"Well, I'm not being carried yet, am I~?"

G-get it together. This is just a waste of energy. Moca already promised she'd come back; she said soon enough, everything would be back to the same as always. So nothing's wrong. Nothing's-

"Just you watch, then!" Himari practically punches her own hips (and winces a bit). "Come on then; I'll princess carry you all the way back, if that's what it takes!"

"Oh my~. She's finally come out of the closet-"

"Argghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You're incorrigible, Moca Aoba!"

Tsugumi watches as Himari falls right into it again. One of Afterglow's daily routines; Moca teases someone, and gets a pinch or two for her troubles. 

Same as always.

"Mwehehehehehe. Here; have a sweet, if it'd help you." Then her victim gets some recompense, and she's let off the hook. It's a classic. "No need to worry~. I have a whole Epic Gamer Moment planned for my big return on Saturday. Honest!"

"That's not soon enough." Himari pouts. "It's been too long. We're all worried about you, so why don't you let us 'spam Frogchamp' a bit earlier?"

"It's Pogchamp~. And I need some more rehearsal for my apology video. Can't get in another fight with Ran or Tomo."

"Uggghhhhh. Haven't you had long enough to rehearse as is? You've been away since February began!"

"Oof... how insensitive..." Moca clutches at her heart. "Sorry, sorry~. If you want, we could always meet up again on Friday. I'll be at 99% by then."

"You're not getting away that easy," Himari grins. "I'll allow it ONLY if you let Ran and Tomoe come along!"

"My leader's so assertive~. Guess I can't help but agree, can I?"

And so Moca strikes her 'deal'. Again, same as always.

"Good! I'll have you know I'm a busy girl!" Himari shakes her head, and stands up. "Now that I've got that done, I'm leaving her in your care, Tsugu!"

...

"E-earth to Tsugu? You okay?"

"Huh?" She's snapped out of it. "Oh. Um... what's going on?"

"You've gotta whip Moca into shape! Steal her cakes until she promises she'll come back." A slung bag. "If there's one thing I know about this fiend, it's that you've gotta pester her every single hour if you want her to do something!"

"Can't deny that. I'm a real pain to deal with~."

...Right. Moca promised on Saturday. So there's... there's no need to worry. "Uh, right. But Himari, where are you going?"

"I'm gonna check in on Tomoe! She hasn't been hanging with us this weekend, she hasn't been dueling, and she isn't even responding to my texts today; she's usually the first to do so! I need to know what's up." There's a frown. "I-I just... think she could use a little pep, y'know?"

"Hey, hold your horses, Himahima~."

"Make it snappy, Moca. I'm NOT happy with you-"

"Invite Tomoe to your place, rather than going to hers. What's gonna happen if her parents hear about Ako's location?"

"E-eh? What do you mean by that?"

Ah... right. Good point, actually.

"Tomoe knows where Roselia's base is, and WE know she knows that. She's good at keeping silent... but are you~?"

"Hey! Of course I am! We all promised we'd keep that secret, for Ako's sake!"

"Can you really do that if you see her poor ol' papa and mama feelin' down?"

...

"Urgggggh. I'm STILL mad at you, no matter what you say." Himari turns away. "...But you're right, fine, FINE. I'll invite her over instead. Happy?"

"Safe dreams, my sweet nectarine~."

"You owe me 5 free lunches once you're back at school!" A frown goes to a wink. "Take care, Tsugu!"

"...O-oh. Yeah, see you, Himari!"

With that, her friend dashes off.

...

It's just the two of them now. Moca Aoba, a single crumb on her soft cheek, laying back on a metal chair at a cafe pavilion, wrapped in a loose white tee and black undershirt, behind a teal hoodie and randomly-selected pair of shorts, kicking her trainers under the table. Just the two of them.

Or at least, it should be. But... it doesn't really feel like it at all. Even though everything's the same as always.

"She never stops, does she? I'd kill for some of that gup she's got. Good ol' Himari."

"Yeah. That was really perceptive of you, though."

"I get so many surprise compliments from you. What's up now~?"

"...I wouldn't have realised at all. It seems obvious now, but... if she was in Tomoe's house, the jig'd be up instantly, wouldn't it?" She says. "Himari's really kind. She can't help spilling details when she's sad. And if she did, Tomoe'd have to tell her parents Ako's location, and..."

"It'd all go to shit for our gamer girl, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah."

A weary smile. "We've got an emotional minefield to deal with, haven't we? Happens from  
time to time. I used to feel like you and me were the Mums, watching over everyone else."

"A... haha. That's funny," she responds. "Just a month ago, Tomoe told me we're the only two members of Afterglow YOU call Mum."

"Guess these parental jokes run deep~."

Tsugumi can't help but smile. "We've got a lot of jokes that run deep."

"Mm."

The sky feels blue.

...

"...You're amazing, Moca. Sometimes, I feel like we'd all just crack, if you didn't take us in the right direction."

"...You think so?"

"Of course. Everyone does."

A pair of sharpened eyes meet her. "I feel like you're the more perceptive of us two, when you say things like that~."

"Oh, n-no!" She waves her hands. "Of course not. I'd do anything to have even one fifth of you, Moca."

"You mean like, body-wise? You can take all of me, if you want."

"Eh? What do you m-"

-Ah. 

Ahhh. 

A... aaaa-a-a-a-a--awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Mwehehe. You're always so cute when we fluster you~." There's a sultry grin on Moca's lips, hidden between cushions of her hair. "Don't be shy. I'm pretty sure every girl in Afterglow's had a crush on you before. Why not indulge? Sneak a few kisses?"

Do it. Now's your cha-

-...huh? 

Oh, no, nonononononono! Oh gosh, no! Where'd that thought come from?! This was all just bad wording, bad wording! "U-u-um, n-n-no, n-n-n-n-n-not like THAT! I-I d-didn't mean it like that!" 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding~." Oh, thank goodness. "My lips aren't all that tasty, anyway. No need to waste your time." She sits up. "What were you saying~?"

"R-right." She shakes her head; don't be thrown off course! "I meant... I wish I could help Afterglow as much as you do. Notice the little things nobody else does."

"You help us plenty~. Sure, I can notice all this stuff, but you're way better at bringing it up than I am. Pushing us forward, taking us out of our comfort zone."

"...really?" It's so strange to hear that. "That feels more like one of your good traits, than mine."

"Sleepy sass isn't as good as you think~. My tone's fixed at casual. That's why my advice doesn't usually stick." A pointed finger. "Your determination? Your ol' Tsugu grit? Works much better. You always take your stuff seriously, so it's harder for us to shrug it off when you bring a barrier up. You should try and do that more often, I think."

"Do you really think so?" She gulps. "I-I don't want to impose on anyone. I know we have to deal with it sometimes, but I always feel like I'm pushing the envelope too often..."

Moca pumps her fists together; it's surprisingly energetic. "If you're worried about imposing, then take yourself out of the frame of mind, and focus on us. Think of stuff like 'Ran's being a silly-billy again~, so I need to do this for her!' It's like the mantra that makes me feel okay with constantly pestering her. Well~, that, and her adorable blush."

Tsugumi giggles. "Yeah. You're right. We all promised we'd be open about our problems, so a little forwardness wouldn't hurt."

"Bingo~! And it's something only you can do. Me and Himari don't have that grit, and Tomoe and Ran find it harder to initiate. Speaking of, I'd recommend talking to Tomoe at some point yourself. Give her a call, or invite her to the cafe."

"I... I want to, honestly." She nods, thinking of Tomoe's time-worn smile. "I'm glad she feels okay with hanging out again, but it's so clear everything's got her down. I don't know what I could say, or how we could help... but I want her to know we're all still here for her."

"Good idea. Poor monster-truck mom's got a lot of emotions to deal with, still. No thanks to me," Moca sighs. "I always had the feeling the others open up to you the most. So I think you're perfect for the job, y'know?"

...Right. This is something only Tsugumi Hazawa can do. Tsugumi Hazawa's the one who listened to Tomoe's concerns about Ako. Tsugumi Hazawa's the one who reminded Ran of how Duel Monsters keeps them together. 

She has to believe she's important, for Afterglow's sake. "Got it. I'll make sure to do just that!" She says, and-

...wait, why is Moca grinning at her like that? It's like she's fishing for something- 

-oh, for goodness sake. "M-Moca! You're still changing the topic! I'm trying to talk about you here!"

"Hehe."

Moca sits up.

"Well, I knew you'd ask sooner or later. I just felt like having some fun first~." She stretches. "It doesn't take much to convince Himari. But I guess the same doesn't apply to you, does it?"

............ "O... oh." ...She didn't expect Moca to start this. "Um."

"I'm listening~. No more tangents or deflections from me. For REAL real, this time."

"Right. R-right. Um..."

...It's hard. It should be a simple question, really, with a simple answer. It's not like Moca has any visible reason to stay away from Afterglow.

But that's the problem. Moca's always been hard to see through. She's bad at flat-out lying, so she chooses never to talk about the things that ail her. She darts around, she pushes things away when she's the subject of the conversation, and she weaves into people's hearts without ever letting herself be detected. No matter what's going on inside, she'll always toil and bleed to sing a song for someone else, even if she tries to hide it.

In a way, that's a beautiful part of her too.

Moca's... wonderful.

...

"M-Moca... you are coming back, right?"

"Course~."

W-well. That was fast. "Y-you mean it, right?"

"Didn't I promise you guys? Soon enough, Afterglow's going to be back to the same as always. I wasn't lying when I said that."

...

"Don't believe me? Not surprising. It's one of the many curses of being me~."

"M-Moca..."

"Mm?"

Don't... don't melt. Just stay calm... "Um..."

Her friend looks at her with nary a shred of worry; the same charming, dorky, daredevil face as always...

...and it rushes in. The fear, the thought of Afterglow never being able to see that face again... and the thought of her, never being able to see that face again. 

Her heart is set on fire. "M-....Mo-" 

She tries again. 

"M-Mo... c-"

"Hey, Tsugu." Moca gets up, and offers her hand. "Walk with me~."

...

...She can't. She can't take this anymore.

She can't pretend everything is okay. S-she has to face the fire. If she doesn't take the opportunity now, she might never see it again.

...

The noise of the world fades away.

Be brave. "...Okay."

She takes Moca's hand, and stands up, 

clutching it tight.

"Fufufu~. You're pretty daring today, aren't you?"

...

"Let's see the sights a bit~."

...

"How about the Coast? I hear it looks pretty nice at this time-"

Tsugumi steps close, and puts a finger to Moca's lips.

Neither of them say another word.

...

...

...Two sets of steps.

The scattered crumbs and saccharine sweets are left behind. Tsugumi takes the lead and pulls Moca forth, moving aimlessly and turning the corner. The road she comes upon is wide, open... yet empty, quiet. Melting light paints every part of it, even through the mess of clouds; the Sun's in a position where the shadows of the buildings are thin, stretched over the edges of the sides. This road has no place where someone could hide.

That's probably for the better.

Tsugumi doesn't let go. She doesn't let Moca say where they should head. She stops in the middle of the open concrete path, and turns around to face the person she's holding.

There's that same smile. "Pretty quiet here~. Guess that works for us."

...

"Go on, Tsugu. Let it all out. I'm here."

...

...She's shaking.

She can feel it all tremble, feel it begin to flood.

"It's okay... everything's a-okay~," Moca whispers. "No need to hide your feelings around me. Ol' Moca's got the thickest skin around. She's always here to help."

...It's not enough.

Tsugumi takes a deep breath. She doesn't look eye-to-eye; instead, she rolls up the left sleeve of a hoodie and grasps Moca's arm with both hands. Hoping it'll make her feel like Moca's here with her. Like Moca is standing right in front of her.

Tsugumi is shaking.

"...M-Moca," 

she manages to start,

"y-you mean it, don't you? That you'll come back."

"..."

"Please. If you're gone for longer than a month, the school will kick you out. I-I don't want that. And, um. Um..." Her breath hitches. "I... still need... to..."

"...I promised, didn't I?" It's a quiet response. "That's always the key to Moca Aoba~. If you make her promise it, she'll follow through."

...

...I-it's true. There's still no reason to doubt. Moca's even here, right now, telling her it's all okay. Moca's doing everything she can to encourage and reassure her. Moca's being patient, taking as long as it needs. Giving Tsugumi all the time in the world, and more, without leaving. So... be brave, and let it out.

Her breathing stabilises. She smiles, and clutches Moca's arm tighter. "Um... can I...?"

"Go ahead~. You have something else to tell me, right?"

"...Yeah."

Be brave.

Be brave.

...

...

"...You know... I've thought about holding this arm before."

"Oho~. My heart just skipped a beat."

"..." She curls her fingers around Moca's wrist. "I... 

...I think I might be in love with you."

And exhale.

Immediately, air comes back to her. She lets go.

...

...

...Tsugumi looks up.

Moca...

...Moca reacts normally. Moca smiles, and waves her arm around a bit, just so it's made clear; everything's fine.

Oh, thank god. Thank god, thank god, thank god- "T-thank you. Thank you..." Tsugumi manages, her breath back in full. "A... ahaha. You already knew, didn't you?"

"There's nothing I don't know~."

Tsugumi smiles, as much as she can. "I guess my crush was pretty obvious, wasn't it?"

She's the one who has her hand taken this time. Slowly, relaxedly. She can feel it resting lightly on Moca's palm, like the waves on the shore.

"It's fine. I already know... that you probably don't reciprocate it. And even despite that, you still humoured me, and teased me. It... made me feel happy. Y-you're really kind," she says. "It's a bad habit of mine, isn't it? I think this is the 3rd one now."

"Test my memory, Tsugu." Moca's fingers crawl across her knuckles. "1st one, age 10, Ran. 2nd one, age 13, Himari. And now, 3rd one, age 17, on good ol' me~."

"Yeah. You really do remember."

"Of course~. After all, I'm the only one you told about your Himari crushing phase. You had good taste in girls back then."

"A... haha. I tried to confess, but she never realised. Oh, Himari..." she says, closing her eyes. "That's why, though. My crushes on them passed, and I... I don't know whether this one's any different. I'm still trying to figure that out. I'm. Wondering, i-if it's just the same reason as usual." She takes a deep breath. "I don't know. I don't know whether I'm in love with Moca, or the idea of being with her. Whether I'm in love with you... or whether I'm just. In love with the idea, of being a special someone... to..."

"...to someone special. Right~?"

She nods. That's just it; it's such a dazzling idea. The idea that Tsugumi Hazawa could have that depth of meaning to someone. Especially to someone like Moca.

"Take your time~."

She looks up.

"Wasn't the end of the world last time. Won't be this time," Moca says. "You're still friends with Ran and Himari. More so than before, actually. No matter what's happened, you've all gotten closer over the years."

"Don't count yourself out! I definitely feel closer to you than before, too. You've always been there for me." She holds Moca's arm up. "...But thank you. I really mean it. I'll... I'll take some time to work through my thoughts. I promise, I'll always be your friend still!"

"Mwehe. Nothing stopping us from continuing the same as always if the crush passes, eh? And if it doesn't... well, Afterglow's hit a few rocks before. Hasn't stopped you yet."

"Yeah."

...

"...Um, so... Moca-"

"Tsugu."

Moca pulls back, and looks to the skies.

"You really are wonderful, y'know that? You're breathtaking."

She can feel the somersaults immediately. "H-huh?!"

"That's why I hate the idea of you being ignored."

.

"I can't stand it." 

...Moca's smile. It looks the same as always... doesn't it?

"All the cheering crowds, all the celebrity gossip. Everyone wastes their time staring at spotlights. Wishing they could be in them. They're insufferable." 

But it feels different somehow.

"Y'know, Tsugu... there's a reason I don't go out of my way to meet people. It's because I can't tell if anyone else is worth it. I can't stand the idea of befriending someone who'd look at Tsugumi Hazawa and say 'she's nice, but she's boring. I couldn't care less about her.' That'd make me livid."

...

"People like them, they're not looking for friends. They're just looking for someone to project onto. 'Haha, look at how funny this bread gremlin is! Nothing fazes her!'."

...

"What a joke," she spits. "If they're that obsessed with stars, I'll tear their ego to shreds. They're not worth it if they can't appreciate you."

"...Moca."

Suddenly, that expression's gone. "Oh~. Weird. I think I summoned my alter ego Groca there for a sec~."

.

Oh, gosh darn it. 

She can't help but snort. "G-Groca?"

"Yeah, my evil other~. Born from the imagination of someone who writes clickbait for a living."

"I-I see." She shakes her head. "Well, maybe one of these days, you could invite her to our hangouts too. I'd be happy to listen to her!"

Moca smiles. "You really are the loveliest person I know~."

She wants to believe that. "How so?"

"Oh, let me count the ways. You're affirmative, determined, hardworking, supportive of us no matter what kind of shenanigans we're devising, and you're adorable to boot. And excitable. Oh, did I mention you're also smoking hot?" 

She can't help but giggle at that. 

"Seriously. When you're really into something, there's a look on your face that snatches everyone's hearts~."

O-oh. That was a g-g-genuine compliment.

"You bear with us at our pettiest, and encourage us all the same. You never hold anything against us, unless it's really bad. And there's never a time you aren't smiling and pushing us forward~." Moca smiles. "If somebody wants anything more than what I just listed, they're too selfish. I could list tons of things that make you tubular n' radical, but that's missing the point. You're plenty, and more. I'm the luckiest gal' alive to be crushed on by you~."

"...I see."

Feeling like she doesn't live up to those compliments; it's her worst habit. That doubt never really goes away. But when it's coming from Moca, she can't help but want to think them true.

Yeah; the answer was clear, all along. Moca treasures her, and everyone else too. Afterglow isn't Afterglow without its mischievous gargoyle. So there's no way, not in a million years, that Moca'd ever think of leaving them. She makes a habit of clinging to them, even! And if there's any doubt about whether Moca's coming back... well, there's always one way to clear that up, isn't there?

Time to take a page from Ran's book.

"...hehe. Ahaha!"

"See? You've even got a cute laugh."

"Yeah." Tsugumi breathes. "I want to hear yours again someday. Your laughter's cute too."

"Someday? I'm right here, y'know~."

"I know. But you haven't come back home yet, have you?"

Moca stops talking.

"I can't wait. We've all really, really missed you."

...

"...You're still scared, right? Of talking to Ran and Tomoe."

"...Heh. You know me so well, don't you?"

"It's because I'm Tsugurific."

"Guess that makes sense~. Can't spell perception without pep."

She giggles again. "I've heard that one from you before!"

"Ehhhhhhh?" A faked slump. "Oh no... I'm running out of material..."

"Then, let's come up with more."

Moca looks back up.

"Come back, Moca. Then we can evolve the same jokes we're always been making! There's never enough fun to be had when it's Afterglow, right?" She says. "...I want us all to be together again. Both now, and forever. We have so many memories together. And I don't want to leave them behind."

"Aw, sheesh. If you're that worried, I haven't done a good job of reassuring you, have I?"

"That's okay." She shakes her head. "I've never been very confident, after all. But I can change that!"

"Oh~? How're you gonna do that?"

"Simple!" Tsugumi fishes out a chocolate-coloured duel disk and draws a modest beige blade. "I'm going to take us on a trip down memory lane, by showing you just how much I've learnt."

"Oho?"

"Everything I've learnt from you, Moca, and everyone else too." She stands firm. "Everything we've all done together, that's let us be where we are now! I... want to show you just how much I treasure it, and remind you of how much you treasure it. That's okay, right?"

"...Heheh."

Moca heads into the middle of the empty road, beneath the blurry blue sky. It's a casual amble, merely a few seconds; a few steps, before she twirls merrily and gives a little grin. There's a completely standard blade, drawn from a completely standard disk.

"When you put it like that, how could I refuse~?"

5 cards, and 5 cards. **4000LP** displays immediately.

"Ready, Tsugu?"

"Yeah. Ready when you are!"

The Sun peeks through. Atop the cement and the greenery, Afterglow seems the same as always. But there's just one difference; only Tsugumi can get this done. Tsugumi's the only one right now who can make absolutely sure Moca comes back home.

She's the only one who can do this!

"**DUEL!**"  
"**Duel~.**"

"Hey, quick q, Tsugs."

The gales hit the empty road. "Y-yeah?"

"That student who trained you for a bit... Meeve, was it?"

"Um, Eve."

"Yeah~. How good was she?"

"Oh! She was really, really good," she says. "Way better than me. Better than Ran too, I think. She's kinda captivating..."

"Ah, I see. My darling bean's been tempted to the dark side."

Oh. Uhhhhh-ohhhhhhhh. "M-Moca, I can explain-"

"Sorry, Tsugs. You know how petty I am. I've got a no-holds barred policy against SDA associates..."

Th-that smile's pretty intense!

"...which means I'm gonna step up my game a bit~." Moca's voice husks; "Hope you're ready."

"Y-yeah! Fine by me." She holds her blade and digs her feet in. This actually feels more exciting, doesn't it? The adrenaline's amazing. "I won't be intimidated, so give me everything you have!"

"_Get ready for some turbulence, then~._"

Well, no going back now. She said Turbulence... does that mean she's using her Cloudian deck this time?

"I'm gonna summon my pal _Swap Frog in attack position~._"

Oh; apparently not? Maybe? It's never easy to tell with Moca. She greets an intense looking **1000ATK** friend who's just hopped onto the cement. "H-hi, froggy!"

_Swap Frog_ ribbits. I-it's not moving at all. "Fufufu, don't underestimate the frog. Every time it's summoned, I get to mill a slippery water pal of my choice from my deck to my Grave... well, provided they're level 2 or lower. So I'll just leave _Dupe Frog_ in there." Moca twirls. "Now it's time for a lil' froggy dance."

"Huh? Froggy dance?"

"_Swap Frog's_ effect~," she says. "See, Swappy gives me a little bonus effect if I return it from my field to my hand, but I'm not interested in that. What I actually care about is resummoning _Swap Frog._ And it's got a 3rd effect where I can special summon it if I discard a WATER monster, so that works out~." The froggy friend turns into a ball, looping into Moca's palm. Without a care in the world, she sends a different card into her disk, making the ball glow; then she lops the ball right back out. "Here you go~."

"Ohhh, I get it! Hi again, froggy," Tsugumi whispers at the returnee. "You want _Swap Frog_ to send another monster from your deck to the Graveyard!"

"Bingo! This time, I'll have _Ronintoadin_ chuck itself into there." Moca snaps her fingers. "By banishing _Dupe Frog_ from my Graveyard, _Ronintoadin_ can revive itself. C'mon out, bud."

Whoa! There's a puff of smoke, and a wise turquoise frog with **2000DEF** lands in grace. Unlike its yellow swapping compatriot, it's standing on two feet... it's weirdly huggable. "Aw, it even has a little leaf katana! It's a froggy ninja!"

"Hey, Tsugu. You know how I said we were gonna have a bit of turbulence?"

W-wait, don't get distracted by the cute friends! "Yeah? What's up?"

"I meant we're going skydiving. Strap up~."

"...H-huh?"

And the ground beneath her feet disappears-

Wait, WAIT, "M-Moca?!"

"Activatin' the field spell _Lemuria, The Forgotten City~._ Let's go on a ride, Tsugu~."

When the clouds make way, you'd expect them to take up less of the sky. Most of the world should be blue, right?

Well, it is. Deep sky blue, miles and miles above. But when the buildings at your side and the bricks beneath your feet disappear, and you find yourself plummeting with your jacket roaring at the bottom of your limbs, the white and grey of every puff gets MORE presence, not less... there's clouds that could fit a million Tsugumis in them, surrounding every single side both near and afar, yet blue's still the dominant colour, everywhere you look; and there's so many places to look, too, so far to stretch!

They're falling through the air, down, down,

and down, as fast as they can go.

"M-Moca! Why are we in the sky?!"

"Don't worry, it's just a holograph~. You can stand if you wanna. But take a look below first."

"Huh? Wargh!" Her face falls right through a cloud. The second it passes, in comes a world beneath; light-years below, an expansive, emerald sea whose every glisten is too minute from afar to obscure the beautiful reefs of green and the sun-tinted rock placed far below. "W... whoa..."

"Over here~." There's Moca, reclining a few meters away, playing with her hoodie string in her million-mile descent. "How's the city look?"

"It's..." It's a colony of beautiful stone clustered with trees, right below her. It's a sundial engraved into the rock at the central square, a pantheon of jaw-dropping buildings that captivate even from this distance. It's a few temples and towers dotted afar, and it lets her know; all she's seeing, despite the beauty of it all, is just what's on the surface of the sea. "It's amazing..."

"Enjoy your flight~. We'll have a while before we get down there."

"...Right," Tsugumi nods, and turns to her friend. "Give me the details, Moca!"

"Deets comin' up. As you know, Lemuria gives all WATER monsters a 200 ATK boost. But that's not the fun part," she snaps her fingers. "The fun part is how, once per turn, I can boost the Levels of my WATER monsters by the number of them there are~."

"Oh!" There's the frogs, falling above her a bit higher in the sky, nonchalant as ever...

"They're still here~. And now they're both Level 4. Do you know what that means?"

A current of glowing light rages between them. "An Xyz Summon..."

"Yeah~. This is PURELY a hypothetical, Tsugu, but," Moca asks hundreds of metres in the air, "what if you were a Level 4 monster... and I was a Level 4 monster... and we established the Overlay Network together~~~???"

"Um. What would happen?"

"Darn, no reaction~." Moca sings, doing a barrel roll and posing excitedly in the air with her pals. "Well, for these two... they're gonna end up making somethin' a lil bigger. I'm establishing the ol' Network using _Swappy_ n' _Ronin._"

CRRACK!

"Wah!" W-was that a bolt of lightning?!

The frogs get catapulted into the spawn of a spiralling black galaxy. There's gales of wind hurling left and right around the duelists, centering upon the ferocious approach of a maw. "Watch out, my little coffee bean. You don't find piranhas in ponds when it comes to real life... but this is Duel Monsters. Anything goes."

CRRRACKKFSSHFHFCRK! The galaxy collapses in of itself, shaking the very air.

"_Xyz Summon~. Rank 4, Bahamut Shark~._"

There's a roar as the silhouette of a dragon hits a form of azure light, taking on the body of an aquatic beast with its components flying as orbs around it. Riptides of water draw in streams around Moca as she sticks her tongue out and winks, while a monster 5 times her height unleashes two sets of glistening wings and menacingly swipes its tail. "W-whoa there." That thing's huge! Those maws of teeth, the black stripes on its chest, the **2800ATK...** what is this thing?

"Eh~? You ok?" Moca sings. "It's just a giant shark, is all. Nothing special, right?"

Tsugumi giggles. "Are you showing off?"

"Maybe I've got someone I wanna impress. Who knows?" Moca spins through the air again, a ball of unique gesture. "But don't close your eyes just yet~. I'm activating Sharky's effect here; see, this thing can special summon a Rank 3 or lower WATER monster from my Extra Deck, so long as I pop an Xyz Material from it."

Pop it goes- 

A gaping black hole the size of _Bahamut Shark_ howls beside it. 

"Wh-whoa!"

"Watch out, Tsugu. You're not gonna like this pal, trust me. Makes ol' Sharky look like a tadpole~."

...That grin, that's not a good grin... that's the grin Moca makes when she's watching someone squirm! "Wh-what're you summoning?"

"Why not watch and find out?"

Tsugumi squints, looking dead ahead; the new portal's exerting an unfathomable amount of force. It shines, and shines, and warps and envelops more and more; drat, she needs to cover her face with her arms-

SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

...The noise fades. Only billowing gales can be heard.

"D-did it come out?" What did she summon? This's gotta be something big... even bigger than Bahamut! Tsugumi gulps, opens her eyes and looks at what she's expecting to be positively jaw-dropping...

.

"Fufufu~."

She blinks.

"Whaddya think? Terrifying, huh?"

"Um, Moca."

"Yeah~? What's up?"

"...It's just a couple of frogs..." 

Tsugumi blinks, making sure she's not seeing things from the turbulence.

Nope. 

It's a couple of frogs.

They could fit in Moca's hand. One of them's slightly bigger, and it's holding the other in its little padded feet. That's a real pokerface they have, but... that just makes them look silly. They're sorta adorable. "Um. Hi, guys!" They look at her. The smaller frog's balancing an orange on top of its head. It's strangely funny, watching them fall through the sky like this. "Well... t-the **2400ATK's** kinda menacing, I guess?" Tsugumi tilts her head. "But they're not really frightening."

"You sure~? Why not look at their effect?"

Tsugumi moves her gaze from the frogs' vacant stares to her disk display. Let's have a look... yeah, not too bad so far- wait. So, it could be... and it'll negate it, and... wait, it also does WHAT? "...oh, fric-"

"Layin' 2 cards face-down and ending my turn~. Good luck, Tsugu."

Their skyfall hastens. "W-wait! H-hang on, I'm... okay, okay." Tsugumi shakes her head. She's not intimidated so much as she is excited.

"You sure you don't wanna land first? **_Toadally Awesome_** might take some thinking to beat."

"Thanks, but I'm ok! Keep us in the air. We've still got plenty of miles to go, after all!" Tsugumi grins, letting the challenge fuel her; wouldn't this be fun to beat? It's with that sudden fire that she rips out a card; "_It's my turn!_"

"Whoa. I'm feeling your excitement all the way from here~."

"Stay right there, Moca. I'm coming for you. You've seen me use this deck hundreds of times, but I'm still going to surprise you with it today!"

Immediately, she takes a breath, closes her eyes, and opens; here's the field anew. What should she do? Those tiny toads are one of the most terrifying monsters she's ever seen, and it hardly took Moca any effort to summon it. Can she beat it...?

...Yeah, she can, just so long as- wait! First, let's check the rest of Moca's lineup. _Bahamut Shark's_ also on the field, as is Lemuria... then there's Moca's two face-downs. Wait, what about the Graveyard? _Swap Frog_, and... _Slushy?_ That's a cute looking friend; oh, was it the monster _Swap Frog_ discarded to special summon itself?

Right, ignore that for now; there's nothing currently threatening in there. Moca's field is the tough part! ...Can she beat it?

...Yeah. Darn if she isn't going to try! "I've never faced any of your decks more than once, Moca. But I'm more prepared than you think."

"That's my Tsugu." Moca coolly sits in the air across. "You're all hyped up. Show me what you got~."

"You got it!" Tsugumi lets the feeling of the wind through her hair fuel her, and flies forth. "Let's see... first, I'm going to activate the field spell _Madolche Chateau!_ Time to open up shop in the sky!"

Time to get a bit creative; a tornado of chocolate spawns several miles behind her, creating a tower of biscuits and cookies stacking from the sea all the way up above Tsugumi and Moca. Looming over is an entire castle of cake, cocoa and icing in layers all around beneath the candy spire atop.

"Um, Chateau grants all my Madolche monsters an extra 500 ATK and DEF." ...No reaction from Moca yet. That's fine... Tsugumi raises another card; "If I have no monsters in my Graveyard, I can special summon _Madolche Petingcessoeur_ from my hand!" Out pops a jigsaw puzzle piece of sugar tart dessert, atop standing a tiny but competitive little **1900ATK** princess. "Petingcessoeur's effect activates! When I special summon this monster-"

"I chain _Toadally Awesome's_ effect~."

"Huh?! Already?"

The top toad disappears. A snap of Moca's fingers, and Petingcessoeur's card flies from Tsugumi's blade. "When my opponent activates a monster effect, spell card or trap card, I can send an Aqua-Type monster from my hand or field to negate and destroy it~. I'm gonna dump ol' Toad itself to stop you in your tracks."

The bigger toad is about to dissipate; but before it does, its tongue flies out at a horrific speed and snatches the jigsaw piece beneath Tsugumi's monster, swallowing it whole. That's not the terrifying part, though; as the Toad says goodbye, Petingcessoeur flies from Tsugumi's field and falls distressedly onto Moca's, disappearing behind the holograph of a face-down card. "When this lil' buddy negates an opponent's card and destroys it, I can set it to my side of the field~. Hope you don't mind if I borrow your pal, Tsugs. She's just gonna faceplant the air for a while."

"I do mind, but I can't really do anything about that..." Tsugumi sweats. "You used up Toadally really fast, though. Why?"

"Eh, lil' Peting would've summoned another Madolche, right? I basically stopped you from summoning two monsters. Works for me~. Oh, and don't forget," a card comes into her hand, "Toadally lets me add a WATER monster from my Grave to my hand when it bites the dust. Just gonna add _Swap Frog_ back again, so don't mind me~."

"Right..." 

That's clever... detaching _Swap Frog_ from _Bahamut Shark_ allowed her to retrieve it later with Toadally! She really knows how to use that monst-

Wait, no; Tsugumi shakes her head. Don't get thrown off! "Well, now that THAT thing's gone... time for me to charge!" There's an 'oho' from Moca as she slams her next card down. "I activate the continuous spell _Madolche Salon!_" A royally draped dining table pops up beneath her feet; her platform for this chaos. "Then, I'm going to summon _Madolche Magileine in attack position!_"

From the magical 'pop!' of an inverse-coloured wafer, a **1900ATK** magician lifts her pointed hat, before sending a little stream of sweets Tsugumi's way. "When I Normal Summon Magileine; I can add a Madolche monster from my deck to my hand!" Combos feel pretty exciting...! The stream of sweets forms her a new card; "_Madolche Salon_ allows me to Normal Summon twice per turn, so let's go, _Madolche Anjelly in attack position!_"

From a delectable jelly piece, a calm petite angel brushes into the sky. "Hey, Tsugu. Can I eat one of those lil' sweets each Madolche spawns? You never let me-"

"You're not distracting me this time, Moca! I activate Anjelly's effect; it can tribute itself to special summon a Madolche from my deck, so I'm bringing out _Madolche Cruffssant!_" A caramel-glazed pancake, with an idle happy **2000ATK** puppy on it. "Cruffssant's effect; I return _Madolche Salon_ to my hand to increase its ATK and make its Level 4!"

"Ah, I see~." 

...Moca's obviously more interested in the pancake beneath Cruffssant... "Um, Moca. A-are you listening?"

"Mm? Don't worry, don't worry~. You returned Salon because you can just reactivate it, right? Easy way to make Cruffssant Level 4 without any loss. And now you've got 2 Level 4 monsters on the field~."

"O-oh. Yeah, you're right!" Phew; right, Moca's always paying attention. E-even when she doesn't show it. Tsugumi reactivates Salon and pumps herself up. "Hope you're ready, then!"

"Bring her out~."

Hehe. It's time for the owner of the cafe to come... here's where she becomes larger than life. No need to be shy! Let's indulge, let's do something that'll blow her tutor away; smile, channel that excitement and stand without stray! "With my Level 4 _Madolche Magileine_ and _Madolche Cruffssant_, I establish the Overlay Network!"

The portal of black stardust sings through the sky, a galaxy to another world. Two monsters fly in, and moments later, a rush of jam tarts, biscuits, candy canes and countless wonders alike pour out, making a platform staircase from the table to the tower. This is Tsugumi's big moment!

"The lord of the castle, the talk of the land! Her friends call her kind, say she helps them through strife... and her customers say she helps them unwind!" She pumps her fists and lets her fears fade. "She watches over the Madolche Chateau, helping everyone through life; it's the queen of all that's tasty and nice!"

And thus she arrives; the galactic portal becomes a painting atop the gingerbread surface, paving the steps for the queen to ascend! "_Xyz Summon!_ Drum roll, please!" Two orbs dance across the sides of the stardust railing, and shine. "Rise, _Rank 4; Madolche Queen Tiaramisu!_"

**2700ATK.** Regal, graceful, strong, wise... a reliable, shining figure for all; she strides up the steps, twirls her staff and taps it solidly against the paving, with a calm and composed smile on her face. A face that just can't ever escape the memory. 

Seeing her makes Tsugumi smile a little bit brighter, too.

"And there she is~." Moca claps. "Hey, is her throne made of chocolate too-"

"_Madolche Queen Tiaramisu's_ effect!" She's put a foot down before she realises it, hardly hearing Moca; "I detach one Xyz Material from Queen Tiaramisu. My warm Magileine and whimsical Anjelly... be shuffled away from the Graveyard, and let me shuffle _Bahamut Shark_ and _Madolche Petingcessour_ off my opponent's field!"

A mere flick of the wand, from the smiling queen! A cascade of gigantic treats flies forth from the castle; it's a barrelling, rushing glucose filling the sky with its energy. 2 of them drop down from the mix, back into Tsugumi's hand. "Oh, hey there~." Moca watches her duel disk gleam, the orb touched with the sweet taste of icing; it becomes a translucent, glittering vortex, and her aquatic menace is promptly absorbed back into her deck. "Uh-oh~! I'm wide open!"

"No more monsters left on your field, Moca. And that's not all!" Tiaramisu waves her wand, carrying the card of Petingcessoeur back into Tsugumi's disk. "Not only did I take back the monster you kidnapped using Toadally... but I also got to use _Madolche Chateau's_ effect! When Madolche cards in my Graveyard would be shuffled into the deck, I can return them to my hand instead; so I've got Magileine and Anjelly here ready for next turn!"

"Whew. You're still holding 3 cards, huh? Recycling, removing... 'Misu's doing a lot of work~."

"It doesn't stop there!" Tsugumi lets the adrenaline flow. "Hehe. _Madolche Salon_ activates with the return of Magileine and Anjelly to my hand; I can set a Madolche spell or trap directly from my deck now! I'll choose to set _Madolche Promenade!_"

Another card in her blade. She can feel Moca scanning her... has she improved? "Right..." Well, s-she won't disappoint then! No getting in over her head, no backing out... let's just think. What's left? Toadally's gone, and Moca controls no monsters... so that just leaves the back row! ...Should she attack? 

Uhhhh. Not sure, uh-oh. Moca's wide open, but there's no telling what her face-downs are. What if they're-

No. She's gotta be overthinking it, so let's just go... go, go! Take some inspiration from Himari! "Queen Tiaramisu, attack!"

Wait! That might've been a bad decision, actual- 

but it's too late; the Battle Step's already begun. Tiaramisu waves her wand, and a swath of hamsters hop over, bringing treats to their queen. Tsugumi bites her lip as she watches the sweets form a whirlpool of chocolate, dancing into currents. Don't be wrong, don't be a mistake... one tap from Tiaramisu's wand, and the currents surge forth, trying to shock their opponent with their delightful embrace. They rocket closer and closer to Moca, hopefully about to land a hit, land a hit, land a hit...! P-please? Pretty please?

"Waaaaaaaaaah~."

Tsugumi opens her eyes. Moca's put her hands up in fake distress, nonchalantly letting the attack drown her. Once it passes, she licks her lips. T-that means... let's check the display... Moca's at- yes! Oh heck yeah; **1300LP!** She did it!

"That was pretty tasty, Tsugu~."

"Hehe!" Called it! Moca's always exploited her cowardice in their duels; taking a step forward is just what she needs! Mwahaha! ...U-um. "I-I could tell! Those face-downs are bluffs, aren't they?"

"Maybe~."

Knew it! This is the best day ever! "You can't psyche me out like that anymore! I've seen through you!" She jumps, and grins. "Right, I'll set one card face-down and end my turn. U-um, w-what did you think?"

"I was right. You really have improved~." There's a cheeky grin. "Not because of me, or Eve... but because of everyone, right? They all drive you."

"Yeah. They really do." Tsugumi grins too. "Everyone in Afterglow makes me want to keep going! And that includes you, whether you like it or not."

"Hoho. You're bold~."

Moca rests her fingers on her deck.

"Well, I guess I'm not too surprised by that~. I'm not scoring high marks on personality... but I AM pretty swell at this game, aren't I?"

A drop of sweat. "Y-yeah, I know firsthand. But you're not going to beat me by slacking off, Moca!"

There's a glint. "_Maybe that's true~._"

And Moca draws a card. It's a such a clean movement, Tsugumi can't help but gulp.

"Oho. Ohohoho." She adds it nonchalantly to the rest. The sky is her bench. "But I wonder, Tsugu... are you sure you're ready?"

"Yeah. I'm definitely not as good as you, but... I'm always ready to take on whatever you have!" She declares; "At the end of your Draw Phase, I activate the trap card _Madolchepalooza!_"

At the card's will, a rainbow fountain edged in cream pours back Magileine and Anjelly, **1700DEF** and **1500DEF** in their candy platforms. "Bringing them all back from your hand... so, you're coming at me full force~?"

"I won't let you land a hit on me that easily!"

"Fufufu. 'Definitely not as good as you', huh?" Moca straightens her posture, unnervingly, and keeps smiling. "Let's see about that."

...Oh boy, don't get intimidated now. "C-come at me, Moca!"

"Excited to unlock my secrets, aren't you?" Armed. "I'm gonna summon _Swap Frog in attack position~._"

"Hello again!" Ribbit. **1000ATK.** "Oh, I think I know where this is going..."

"Swappy's effect activates~. I'm gonna mill another _Ronintoadin_ to the Grave." There it goes. Yup, she knows what Moca's gonna summon. "Then, I'm gonna have Swap return itself to the hand. Now I'll special summon it through its own effect..." A azure ball of light, back and forth; _Swap Frog_ recedes into it, Moca catches it, and she chucks it out again by discarding a card. "...and this time, I'll mill another _Slushy_ from my deck."

"Hehe. Sometimes, you can't stop yourself from using the same monster, can you?" Tsugumi says. "W-well, even if you bring out another _Toadally Awesome_ pal, I'll be ready!"

"Actually, I'm activating _Slushy's_ effect now~. I've got 3 of them in the void, so I'm gonna banish one."

...Huh?

Ohhh, right... she forgot. "W-what did that thing do again?" Tsugumi looks to her disk's display. "Oh, so you can banish one of them from the Graveyard to summon a... a level 5 or higher..."

Moca's smiling. 

"...Sea-Serpent Type monster, huh..."

Uh-oh.

SNAP!

The sky hits a shade a bit darker. The descent from the sky stops, suspending the monsters in mid-air. Lightning curved in cutting cyan bows before Moca Aoba, her figure shadowed save for her eyes. There's an expression unknown on her.

Moca opens her mouth. "_...Levia-Dragon... Daedalus._"

The world rumbles. Tsugumi stumbles to stay balanced. No; it's not an earthquake. It's more like something is trying to burst out. Something overwhelming is going to burst out from the earth.

And the source is directly below. She looks down at the city of Lemuria, still hundreds of miles beneath her. There's... whole spouts of water, gushing out in unfathomable sizes, reaching far above her position and drowning the dainty blue of the skies in their depths. Between them, there's cracks all across the city, like one gigantic breaking point-

BOOM!

Her heart nearly stops when It rockets past her like a train.

...

...Slowly...

...she looks up,

trying to process what she's looking at. Slowly.

It's...

...

...gigantic.

She processes it in full, as the sound of sky-shooting water and tempestuous wind bellows next to her ears.

Two pairs of eyes. They're not as big as its gem-streaked helm, or its sharpened, callous jaw, but they're what she notices first. One pair gleams in reticent gold, while the other stains in silent emerald. Each of them are probably as tall as she is. As for how far its body goes, an entire underseas tunnel of blue with a ridge of fins dwarfing all bridges... she can 'tell' how huge it is, but she couldn't really ever. All she knows is that it's towering, all the way from the sea below to about a hundred metres above.

Behind a billowing, levitating Moca, Daedalus roars. **2800ATK.**

"_Gotta pay attention, Tsugs~._"

"...!"

She snaps out of it, and sees Moca raise her arm again. "I'm activating Daedalus's effect now. Y'see, it's gonna destroy everything."

Daedalus roars again. "W-what?"

"By sending a field spell associated with the ocean, from the field to the Grave... Daedalus destroys all cards on the field except for itself. So I'm throwing Lemuria out." A snap. "Your stuff's about to go pop~."

"W-wait!" The cataclysm begins before her eyes- oh no, think fast, think fast! She gives herself just a glimpse of what's below, but it's pointless; there's no more blue to see except Daedalus. Only the gushing sounds of broken waterfalls betray the complete grey they're surrounded in; when did they both get swamped by clouds?!

The sky falls, and she's falling again too. What lies below is no longer there; there's no way Lemuria hasn't been devastated and drowned. Tsugumi and Moca resume their downwards trip-

Wait, no, don't get distracted! She looks to the maw of the pulsing, screaming Daedalus, and throws her arm out; "I-I'm chaining my trap card, _Madolche Promenade!_" She declares to... wait, why is Moca's figure fading? "I-I return _Madolche Queen Tiaramisu_ to my Extra Deck to negate the effect of _Levia-Dragon Daedalus!_"

"You really are amazing, Tsugs."

She blinks. "Moca?"

Her friend's voice echoes. "Fufufu. Don't have second thoughts now; you've unleashed my super form~. I didn't want to do this~, but I have to. Because it's you." The silhouette of an arm flies out. "That's how strong you are."

"A-alright, then..." Tsugumi looks ahead. "I'm ready."

"Roger~. I activate the trap card _Metaverse._"

_Metaverse?_ Doesn't that activate a new field spell from the deck? "Why?"

"Well, Lemuria's gone now, isn't it~? Figured we needed a change in scenery."

"B-but-"

"Brace for impact, Tsugu~."

Her friend's form disappears in the clouds.

Moca's voice can no longer be heard.

"M-Moca?" Tsugumi blinks. The clouds are getting darker, and there's nothing but the sound of drowning left. "Where are you going-" no, think, think! She's activating a field spell using _Metaverse_, in response to Tsugumi's _Madolche Promenade_... so is she using something that'll stop Promenade from negating Daedalus?

T-then... just to make sure...!

Tsugumi arms her blade with one last card, before the stormclouds devour her whole. "I chain the effect of _Effect Veiler!_"

With that last gleam of light,

she closes her eyes,

realising she can't see anything but darkness ahead,

and she falls, plummets headfirst at high-speed velocity,

down,

and down,

and down into the unknown.

Down, down and down she goes.

...

The sounds of waterfalls gradually disappear.

...

The sounds of tempests gradually disappear.

...

The sounds of Tsugumi falling through the air, and the sounds of Tsugumi's hair billowing, disappear. 

Nothing is left.

Her senses have all been shut.

...

"............Mm?"

A sensation.

Falling isn't an accurate term anymore. It's more like...

...she's gradually floating down.

"What... happened...?"

Somehow, she can tell the surface is near.

So she opens her eyes.

That's when

she realises every part of the scenery has changed.

She gasps. "What... what is this?"

Her descent is slowed by the warm embrace of time. It gives her plenty of time, to see it all;

A violet sea, in a starless black sky.

There's no sign of a city; only an endless expanse of empty ocean. Somehow, she can tell it's the same waters as before. But it's not as if it was poisoned; rather, it feels like... like what made it a beautiful 'ocean' was drained away. Leaving emptiness behind. Something just... deprived, and unmoving, like a broken soul sitting on a chair.

...Chains. They're so thin from this distance, it takes her a second to realise how tall they are. Scattered across the sea, they reveal how far they reach into the void once the eyes adjust in a particular way. Their deep, deliberately hidden blue feels like an endlessness all its own.

And, there's... "Two... moons?"

No, that's not quite it. It's more like one small luminescence in the sky is a moon, while the other, bigger 'moon' is... the opposite. It's a complete black hole, softened in the edges with purple. She doesn't even know what to make of it.

"A-ah!"

She's landed... it's unnervingly silent. The water reaching her ankles isn't moving; when she lifts a leg, it doesn't splash or splatter... i-it just leaves her. There aren't any waves, or any whirlpools; it's still. A frozen, flat layer of the ocean. It makes 'dead' feel like an understatement.

"..." She gulps, and searches. Moca's nowhere to be seen, and she won't have that, so she swallows her fear, swallows the building tension, and strides forth, slowly picking up her pace. Around her, there's a few scant forms of 'life'; they're... whispering. She can't even tell what they are. Her closest guess would be trees? Shaped a bit like coral, but devoid of any depth; they're wispy, fluctuant. She can't tell what it is they're saying, so she ignores them. Is there nothing left here, o-other than this ocean? It's kind of unnerving. 

"H... h-hello?" 

It doesn't even echo. She keeps moving, hoping she can find even the slightest remnant of the city she wanted to stand on. Moca's thrown it all away for whatever this ominous sight is...

...Oh! "Over there!"

One platform. Just one, single piece that shows a civilisation.

Immediately, she moves. It looks like it'd be far away, but she gets there in no time at all when she runs as fast as she can! It's a more comforting sight than the rest of this place, at least. 

But once she takes a step on it, she feels disappointed. It's plain... boring. Unnotable. It feels pitiful. Like it doesn't really belong. It's a weird mess of smoothened rock and brick, completely even to the ground across its middling length. Pretty sad that this is the only piece of the city left... "Um... hello?" She asks. "Moca? Are you there?"

No answer. Her friend's nowhere to be seen. She searches again, and- "Oh!" No, there is something here! "I-is that... _Toadally Awesome?_"

Ribbit.

It is! Aw, they're still really cute; just a pair of little friends. Their colour's the same as the brick, so they almost blended in with it. Sneaky! "H-how're you guys doing?" She takes a few hesitant steps. Their stares are a little intimidating, but that's just because they look... uh, vacant. Almost like Moca herself, in a way; she chuckles at the comparison. "Um... shake?"

...

...They're just staring at her, in their little stack of toad plus toad plus orange. It's weirdly comforting. W-wait, isn't she just talking to a holograph? Great, just great, you've really lost your marbles, Ts- 

Ribbit. "O-oh!" She's snapped out of it. The smaller toad removes the orange from its head, and holds it out. "Um... is this for me?"

Ribbit.

"Aw..." She takes it. "Hehe. Thank you."

Something gigantic bursts out next to the platform.

"A-ah!" Tsugumi fumbles, and drops the orange. "W-what now?"

But it's not an unfamiliar face, no; she realises. It's something towering and horrifying, easily the size of a skyscraper. It roars, shaking the earth with its misery. Behind the two vacant toads stands a howling monstrosity, a terror of the depths revealed to her. "Daedalus..."

"That was pretty forward of you, Tsugu~."

Immediately, she snaps out of it. "Moca!"

"You thought my new field spell might negate Promenade... so you discarded _Effect Veiler_ to negate Daedalus again, just as insurance."

"..." She realises; Magileine and Anjelly are both standing dauntlessly at the ready. They weren't destroyed. "Moca... where are you?"

"Fufufu. Impressed?" Her voice... where is it coming from? "Can't tell where I am, can you? I'm invisible~. It's one of my secret ninja tricks~."

Those words echo, in some way. It feels like the entire environment, from the stilled ocean to the black sky, is talking to her. "U-um, Moca," she manages, "I-I think it'd be easier for us to duel if I could see you!"

"Hmmm... well......" It's so eerie. Hearing Moca's usual, sing-song tone in this nightmare of a world. "I suppose I can't turn down my darling Tsugu that easily. Okay then~. I'll reveal myself again if you can get past my field spell~."

"Your field spell, huh..." Tsugumi looks down to her disk. "...**_Contaminated Sea?_**"

"You got it. Lemme give you the lowdown," Moca echoes, "Any face-up WATER monster, spell or trap has its effects rewritten to be the same as _Contaminated Sea._ All of them, Sea itself included, do nothing except grant WATER monsters a lil' 100 ATK boost each~. That's why your Chateau and Salon aren't visible right now~."

"Ah! Oh no..." Only now does she notice the absence of any tower or table. She looks at her blade, and Moca's right; the art on those 2 cards has been replaced. Even their names have become _Contaminated Sea._ "So, that means... I can't use my own spell or trap effects?"

"Mhm. And neither can I; same goes for Toadally's effect. That's just the price I gotta pay," Moca continues. "But on the plus side, Daedalus n' Toad're at **3100ATK** and **2700ATK.** Not bad, right~?"

Uh-oh.

"Hey, you guys~. Can you attack Magileine and Anjelly for me? Thanks."

Silence is broken for deafening destruction. The ground rumbles, and Daedalus rears its mighty head level to the stage; seething between each of its teeth is a surge of pulsing water, boiling into hydraulic, crackling armageddon. A gigantic, sky-drowning laser rips right across and ravages absolutely everything in its path.

_Toadally Awesome_ also fires a giant laser.

It's just a passing moment before her monsters are annihilated. "O-oh no!" 

"Drat. They were both in defense position, huh?"

Okay Tsugumi, stay on your feet, it's fine; she holds her disk up as the sparks fade, and the cracked jigsaw pieces of Magileine and Anjelly fly in. "D-destroyed Madolche monsters are shuffled back into my deck instead of being sent to the Graveyard!"

"That's chill. 'Fraid you can't use those shuffles to activate your spells, though." She's right... no adding the Madolches back to the hand, or setting another trap. "Well, I'll just end my turn. You guys can chill now~."

At that echoing voice's casual command, the behemoth and its positively tiny companion sit back, pointing a horde of daggers at their opponent.

"Sea's active for as long as I control a Sea Serpent or Aqua-Type monster. 'Fraid Hazawa Coffee can't open up in a place like this~. So, feel like you can get past it?"

"..." 

...No, it's simple. It doesn't matter how big an obstacle it is. It could be a huge floodgate, an imposing monster or anything in-between; it doesn't matter. She has to take it down if she wants to see her friend again, right? 

Then there's only one answer. "So I have to rely on monster effects for this. That's fine by me!"

"Always the go-getter~."

"Don't blink, Moca; wherever you're watching from. _It's my turn._" She draws a card from her deck. "Before you know it, I'm gonna get right past this, okay?"

...

...A silent voice echoes.

"Mm. I doubt it'll take you that long, even."

"I'm summoning _Madolche Anjelly in attack position!_" A cookie cherub returns briefly with **1000ATK.** "I activate Anjelly's effect, tributing it to special summon _Madolche Petingcessoeur_ from my deck!"

Pop! Returns the haughty ally, wasting not a second in drawing a strawberry star. "When Petingcessoeur is special summoned, I can special summon another Madolche from my deck, as long as I reduce that Madolche's Level by 1." Tsugumi clasps her hands together, and thinks of the brightest colour her world knows; "Bring me a new majesty's grace, _Madolche Puddingcess!_"

Gold.

She's graceful, prideful and confident in spades. Beside her younger sister, she makes a curtsy upon her fruitcake jigsaw piece and stands without a hint of unsightliness. "S-sorry if this is a little boring, Moca..." Tsugumi gulps, and pushes her hands forward, "but I know this is my best option! With my Level 4 _Madolche Petingcessoeur_ and _Madolche Puddingcess_, I establish the Overlay Network!"

A whirl of black stardust descends from somewhere in the empty sky, weaving past chain after chain until it hovers above the violet sea. Two monsters fly in, and moments later, a rush of jam tarts, biscuits, candy canes and countless wonders alike pour out, sprucing the depressing brick with a staircase of treats from above.

...It feels less comforting the 2nd time she does it. "T-the lord of the castle, the talk of the land! Her friends call her kind, say she helps them through strife... and her customers say she helps them unwind!" But she has to let her fears fade. "She watches over the Madolche Chateau, helping everyone through life; it's the queen of all that's tasty and nice!"

Thus she arrives; the queen descends, slowly yet swiftly, from the steps above. Two orbs dance across the sides of the stardust railing and shine, two unmistakable gleams impossible to miss against their backdrop of space. "_Xyz Summon!_ Rise, _Rank 4; Madolche Queen Tiaramisu!_"

**2200ATK.** Regal, graceful, strong, wise... a reliable, shining figure for all. In this empty, drained land, she should be a lifeline for those who need it. A warm cup of coffee against a rainy day, whose face you can't miss.

"Well, I don't blame ya." She hears Moca say. "Misu's real strong, after all~."

"Y-yeah. I know I'm predictable, but... that's fine. After all, you've made an oversight in not preparing for her." Tsugumi smiles. "This place may be big, and ominous, and lonely, but it's not that stable. _Contaminated Sea_ self-destructs if you don't control a Sea-Serpent or Aqua-Type monster. That's why I can take it out easily!" She points. "Let's go, Queen Tiaramisu! Shuffle my precious Petingcessour and whimsical Anjelly away... and with your radiance, shuffle _Levia-Dragon Daedalus_ and _Toadally Awesome_ off my opponent's field!"

From around the queen's gown, a wonder-grappling tornado of treats barrels up and hovers in the sky. A tasty, colourful spectacle in the tired void, it catches the attention of every other monster; even the dual-eyes of the towering Daedalus.

Tsugumi watches as two sweets fly back into her deck... and this is where she should be able to find...

...There!

There's a blue gleam radiating from across the platform; that's Moca's duel disk! She was standing in front of her the whole time! "I've found you," she declares. "Sorry about this, but we've gotta say goodbye to your monsters!"

The delightful grip of icing lurches the monsters in. Daedalus lets out one last, spine-chilling roar, before its entire form is set alight; a tower beyond the heavens, receding into a mantle that drapes back into an invisible deck. Two toads and an orange end up flying back in with it.

The mountains of chocolate and syrup fall back into the platform, and Tiaramisu bows. It's dead silent. Daedalus and Toadally are gone. That means-

The black hole moon in the sky disappears, leaving only its light counterpart behind.

A chemical reaction. Everything starts to shake. "W-wargh!"

"Uh-oh. Attention to special passenger Miss Tsugutsugu; unfortunately, the _Contaminated Sea_ will now self-destruct in 5 seconds~," Moca echoes, as the violet waters suddenly lurch to life and thrash into each other with tortured wails. "Please brace for impact~."

The chains around the sea rush violently into the sky. The ocean rushes at Tsugumi's feet. "Y-yeah. I'm ready to leave this place now!" She holds her blade up. J-just in case. "No more hiding from me, Moca! You've gotta come out!"

The... the sea level's rising. Is it... going to...?

Tsugumi braces. Here goes...!

"Don't worry, all your belongings will be safe~," Moca sings in the earthquake. "See, the _Contaminated Sea_ destroys all cards it infected when it leaves the field, so all WATER monsters, spells and traps're gonna kick the bucket. Oh, and it also-"

That's the last thing she hears, before her entire body is drowned in the rising ocean. She closes her eyes, and lets the currents rush past her,

as she rises back up.

...

...

The sounds of chains moving can no longer be heard.

...

The sounds of the sea rushing can no longer be heard.

...

But the sound of her ordinary breaths can.

"...!" Tsugumi opens her eyes. She's...

...she's back!

There's Moca. She's got _Ronintoadin_ and... _Slushy_, was it? A blobby friend, standing with **2000DEF** and **0DEF.** They're both back on that empty road, in the middle of Central City. "W-whew. I don't think I want to go skydiving again..." Tsugumi shakes her head, just in case she's seeing things.

A clap.

"Ah! Moca!"

She can finally look at her friend again. It's like nothing ever changed; there's that fiendish smile, the same as always. "Gee, you're pretty strong, Tsugs. You more or less kicked my ass. Haven't even taken a hit yet~."

"O-oh! Yeah... you're right..." 

**4000LP.** That's... what her disk is saying. Is she... is she really pulling this off?! 

...No, wait. She's got one more mission, still!

"Sure you don't wanna take a breather real quick~? All that reshuffling and reusing of your Madolches... that's gotta be taxing. I can't be bothered with stuff like that-"

"Oh, no you don't!" Tsugumi stands tall. "T-this is my chance. The 2 WATER monsters you revive when _Contaminated Sea_ self-destructs... they can't activate their effects or be used as materials for the rest of the turn. If I destroy them now, you're going to be defenseless."

"Darn~. I can't get anything past you~."

"I-I've made it this far. I may as well keep going... and see just how far I can climb, right?" Let's go! Enough Tiaramisu already; it's time for something that stands out again. "I'm not putting on the brakes, so bear with me! Using my Rank 4 _Madolche Queen Tiaramisu_, I establish the Quick-Overlay Network!"

Tiaramisu's hair turns from syrupy silver to lightray grey; and that's all she writes, before that light wraps into a portal of inverse stardust.

Shine. Shine, brighter, and brighter, and brighter!

Tsugumi draws a jam biscuit in the shape of the heart, and plunges it into the portal, letting herself smile again. "She's ran through the town, the chocolatier of the crown; with her mean glaze, she captures everyone's gaze! She's no one's scenery, to be draped behind... she's an irreplaceable battery!" Streams of whipped cream pour into the vanilla galaxy. "Standing right in front, alongside her friends... her heart's connected, her hand she wants to lend!"

A supposed topping has never looked so pristine. "_Xyz Summon! Rank 5;_" Tsugumi throws her right arm out, and the emerging figure throws her left arm out. "Let's dare a bit of light, _Madolche Puddingcess Chocolat-a-la-Mode!_" 

SHEEEEEEEN! A flip of her radiant, cream-white locks, and the beautiful hero saunters forth on a platform of cake. In her regal dessert dress, whose colours darken to make blatant her shine, she's standing proud with **2500ATK** at reach. "Chocolat-a-la-Mode's effect! By detaching an Xyz Material, I shuffle _Madolche Salon_ from my Graveyard to my deck... and because _Madolche Puddingcess_ is attached to Chocolat, I can also special summon a Madolche from my deck!"

The princess brings forth a treasured ally; a protector mounted on waffle-horseback, armed with a candy cane worth **1700ATK.** "Whewy~. You always find a way to add more, Tsugs. When'd you get so good?"

"Because of all the time I've spent with my friends. There's nothing else it could be!" 

Just this once, she's allowed to be bold. She's allowed to step forth. She swipes her arm with all her might, and lets the adrenaline peak. Go, Tsugu... go! 

"..._Madolche Puddingcess Chocolat-a-la-Mode_, and _Madolche Chouxvalier_... l-let's go! Attack Moca's monsters!"

The knight rushes forth, and Chocolat's fingers weave massive, interlocking tunnels of brownies and whipped cream. Chouxvalier leaps upon them with his horse and rides upon a wave of sugar, ready to lead the delicious charge upon the hapless aquatic foes.

Sparkle, pop! There's a boulderful of tumbling gingerbread stars, falling out left and right. Glitter dust pours on the other end, the tasty wreckage of a candy carnage. Two holographs shatter, and Chouxvalier returns to his friend's side.

...Once it all clears...

...Moca's standing alone on the other side. No monsters. No field spell.

"I did it... I actually did it." This.... this is amazing! Is she actually w-winning? Against Moca?! Moca's still at **1300LP,** sure, but that doesn't mean much with a frogless field. She'll just have the one card she draws next turn to use against Tsugumi, and that's it. 

She... she really has an advantage over her tutor!

...But Moca isn't moving. Is something wrong? She's just... gazing at Tsugumi. There's something welling in her irises. "U-um, Moca, did I do alri-"

"I knew it."

She blinks. "H-huh?"

There's a little breeze, singing through the sun-smothered sky. Lapping through Moca's hair. 

...Moca smiles.

"You're too good for me, Tsugumi."

...

Beat,

beat,

again, her heart beats. "...Moca." 

That smile. It's.... 

...soft. Serene. Like nothing she's ever seen before on her beloved friend's face. It's breathtaking. It's the exact kind of revealed, subtle affection that reminds her of everything she cherishes about Moca, all over again. It fills her with all the emotions that made her fall in love.

...And strangely, it also fills her with another kind of emotion. There's something else, to the expression on Moca's face. 

Something she can't describe nor decipher.

Moca reverts to her normal grin. "Go, go, Tsugu~. Y'see? Effort never heads nowhere. Everything you've put in really has made you better. You could go head-to-head with Ran if you gave it your all, no doubt about it."

"...Yeah. I'll believe that. Thank you!" Being able to duel someone as captivating as Ran... the idea's exhilarating. She holds her blade up, and declares; "That's my turn! W-what do you think? Did you go down memory lane today?"

"Yeah. Sure did. All the hours we spent in the sunset, juggling all those cards. Just the two of us. Good times, those~."

Tsugumi giggles. "They felt less like tutoring sessions and more like hangouts, sometimes! ...Do you remember? The time you asked me to actually make the jigsaw sweets the Madolches had. I asked Lisa for help and brought them to you, and I didn't even realise it was just an excuse for us to have snacks."

"No Duel Monsters happened that day, that's for sure~. But you'll forgive your clingy, greedy Moca, won't you?"

"Yeah. I-it's better to have you glued to my arm, than to have you... this far away." ...She shakes her head. "It's never a dull moment when Afterglow's around. Ever. I'll never get tired of being with you all. And I know you definitely won't, either!"

"I've never been tired of 'em yet. Who doesn't love em~?" Moca shrugs. "But don't get distracted, Tsugu. Duel isn't over."

Oh! "R-right," Tsugumi nods. "Go ahead!"

"_Drawin'._" 

It's a little windy.

Just one card. "Well, no chance I'm gonna make a comeback~. But I can still be obnoxious, can't I?"

"We've never minded that."

"Then I hope you're ready for a neat little trick, Tsugs~."

"Yeah." Tsugumi stands proud, her shining monsters watching over her... "Let's take an express ticket to an Afterglow finale!"

"I tribute Chocolat and Chouxvalier to summon _Lava Golem~._"

...And her shining monsters disappear. "Huh?"

Engulfed.

**3000ATK.** A pool of hollow lava, bleeding in spots of empty magma. In a second, the Madolches disappear underneath its rising disgust, sweltering into a gaping giant. Tsugumi looks up to the top and sees its empty face. "What... what happened?"

"Oh, you didn't know~? I can special summon this glob of junk to my opponent's field by tributing 2 of their monsters. Easy way to get around some strong opponents~. Well, that is, if they don't just attack you with the Golem next turn."

"R... right." W-well... dont look a gift horse in the mouth, maybe? "That's a surprising last trick of yours, alright."

"Mhm. Tricks're all I'm good at, really."

"Oh." She shakes her head. "N-no need to get down, Moca! Everyone loses some games."

"Boohoo. Guess I'll end my turn~..."

"Alright, then! _Here goes!_"

Last card. I-is she really doing this? Has she really gotten good enough to stand with the rest of Afterglow? Yeah... yeah! She really is shining a bit! Hehe.

"Well, then-"

"Gotta deal with _Lava Golem's_ effect first. Don't forget it~."

"Oh, right!" Tsugumi braces as a few flames flicker on her disk. 1000 points of damage, for each of your Standby Phases where you control this monster; she bears the fire down to **3000LP.** "...I'm still surprised. Th-that that's the only hit you've landed on me this duel. Ah, I mean! Sorry, I-I wasn't trying to be rude-"

Moca just smiles. "Don't worry about it~. You earned this. Go go, Tsugu~."

"Right!"

No more hesitation. She always trips up and frets, even when her friends encourage her. So let's run with the love-glazed bravery that's been pulsing this whole time! 

"Then, _Lava Golem_..."

Tsugumi smiles, aims a finger gun at Moca's heart,

"...attack my opponent directly!"

and fires.

The burning vessel lets out an inaudible sound, firing a spew of flames.

Travelling, 

and travelling,

towards her beloved.

"...I can't believe it... this is it!" She can't help but express her elation. "I really, really did it-"

A holographic arrow runs through Tsugumi's chest.

**0LP.**

"......Huh?"

"Sorry, Tsugu. But no dice today."

She blinks. She... s-she just landed a hit, didn't she? Moca just lost.

...

...Or... was it...

...she looks down to her duel disk.

...

Moca takes a few steps forward, and pats the holograph of a trap card. "The good ol' _Magic Cylinder._ It's a real classic. When a monster attacks you, you can flip this baby up, and convert that monster's ATK into damaging your opponent instead."

The duel shatters. Their blades retract.

"So, yeah. You just took 4000 damage during your turn, and lost~."

...

Moca's smiling. The same smile she always gives. Lazy, mischievous and mysterious. 

It's an expression that gives nothing away.

...

...Huh.

W-wow. She was pretty brainless to think she'd actually won. "...a... ahaha." Tsugumi shakes. "That face-down... y-you never used it, so I just assumed it w-wasn't anything threatening. I t-thought it was just a bluff."

Moca smiles.

"You..." Tsugumi's body goes cold. "You had that card since the beginning of the duel, didn't you? T-this entire time, y-you could have used it and stopped me in my tracks. You didn't need to take any damage at all."

...Moca keeps smiling.

"I-I get why, really. I know why you did it. I-I'm sorry." She wants to move. She can't. "Y-you didn't have to go out of your way to do that for me. I-I know I'm not that great."

"Nah. You're plenty great~."

"Well... not as good as you, at least. This entire time... you've still been holding back, haven't you?"

"That's my Tsugu." The wind hits Moca in solitude. "You know me so well~."

"...Ha. I-if I knew you that well, I would've seen it coming."

"Not your fault. I'm always hiding stuff, 's all."

"...Right."

...

...Moca turns away. "Hey, Tsugu~."

"Y-yeah?"

"I made Ran cry."

.

"I remember it, clear as day. Even though I couldn't look for more than a second. It's another piece of my Afterglow memory lane." She turns her head the slightest bit. "Ran was crying."

"M-Moca-"

"I saw Ran's tears running down her face. I saw her biting her lip. I felt her sobbing on my shoulder. I felt her hands gripping me. I heard her begging me to open up. She was really worried about me."

"..."

"She was crying because of me."

"...M... M-Moca-"

"And I made Tomoe cry, too."

It stops again.

"I remember it, clear as day. I didn't even shut my eyes. There were marks, because she'd been crying all evening. Because of Ako. Because of Lisa. Because of herself." That one glimpse of her face disappears. "I drove that knife further in. I found her in her worst moments, falling apart because she couldn't stop faking a smile. And I gave her advice. Me, the person who always shows a smile. Pretty funny, isn't it?"

She can't see Moca's face.

"I made them cry. I made the friends I love more than anything miserable. And it's got me thinking."

"...Y... yeah." Tsugumi croaks. "I... I noticed. Y-you've been contemplating a lot. T-there's always... a faraway kind of look on your face, lately."

...

"M-Moca, you've changed. Haven't you?"

"..." Moca doesn't move. "...What can I say? I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past 3 or so years. I've thought about lots of things." Silence. "I've thought about how I can get a blush or a smile out of Afterglow's faces. I've thought about my secret techniques for mooching food from them. I've thought about how long we've all spent together. Just how truly, truly long it's been. What it's been like before, how it's staying the same, and how it's changing," she says. "I've thought about other things, too. I've thought about the new friends we've made, and the experiences we've had. I thought about Hina, and how she joined the SDA. I've thought about Lisa, and how she always gave me cookies. I've thought about Ako, and how she's growing up. I've thought about our parents, how they're all trying to take care of us. And I've thought about school, and the lil' hijinks we get into there, during our daily lives."

"..." Tsugumi is shaking. "...M..."

"I've really been thinking a lot~. And I guess down the line, I changed my mind on some things. That's why I've become so mysterious~."

"..."

Don't cry.

Please don't cry.

"But you'll forgive your selfish and lazy Moca, won't you~? You always do, after all."

"Y-yeah..." Don't cry. "...Yeah. O-of... of c-course I will. A-all of us will!" One quaking step forward. "We're not angry at you; we're worried. Everyone in Afterglow loves you... if you came back, they'd be happy. They... th-they really, really would!"

"Yeah. I know."

"Th-then! Y-you can come back!" She dares to take another step. "M-Moca... p-promise. Please promise you'll come back. P-please... I don't want to lose you! Please..."

"Don't worry~. I already promised. I said soon enough, Afterglow would be back to the same as always."

...No.

That's...

Tsugumi tries to breathe, and fails. "T-that's not the same thing."

...

"You... you didn't ever promise..." she wipes a solitary tear, "t-that you'd come back. You said you'd come back, and you promised everything w-would be the same as always, b-but... you... you never promised you'd come back. That's the one thing you didn't promise."

...

"T-that's the key, isn't it?" Tsugumi tries to laugh. "To Moca Aoba. I-if you make her promise it, she'll d-definitely f-follow through!"

...

"S-so please! Please... I'm worried about you. Please, promise you'll come back to us! Please..."

...

"P-please..." 

Tsugumi starts crying.

"...please..."

She tries her best, to hold in her sobs.

"...I'm... I'm scared. Please... don't leave."

...

...

"I really can't get anything past you, can I?"

Tsugumi looks at Moca's back.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"...Goodbye."

"W-WAIT!"

The second she takes another step, and thrusts her hand out in desperation,

There's no one there.

"...! MOCA!"

The middle of the empty road. Sunny, shining. Mockingly bright.

She realises. On the palm of her hand, she can barely make out a card. A piece of their memory lane.

_Lemuria, the Forgotten City._

"...Moca...!" 

It hurts when your knees hit the ground.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry!"

It hurts.

"I'm so sorry! If it's something I didn't notice-" she sobs, "o-or something you felt you couldn't tell me, I-I'm sorry! We can work through it together, I promise!" She buries her face in her hands. "C-come back, Mo... c..."

But there's no point. Slowly, the energy in her limbs fades away.

Because it's pointless. There's nobody here. Her friend is gone. There's nothing left to comfort her anymore. And that won't change, no matter how long she waits.

"Please don't leave..."

She failed. 

"...please..."


	32. 01001110 01111001 01110110 01110010 01100001

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

11:55pm. Tuesday, the 16th of February.

11:56pm...

...11:57pm... 11:58pm...

"Hey. Hey, Aya? You awake?"

Eleventy-twenty-seventy pm... "...Mm?"

"Aya!"

"Weruhghggghaagh!" 

Who, what, where- 

-oh, right. There's something other than a huge digital clock in her line of vision. A student, to be exact. W-where is she again? "H-Hi! I mean, hello there! It's everyone's shining, fuffy pink idol Aya Mayamamura-"

"You okay? I've... never heard that kind of scream before. Did you rehearse it?"

"H-huh? Of course not! That's what I normally sound like." Right; shake that head, Aya, get a grip... "Um, what's going on? I can't tell whether I'm asleep or awake right now..."

"You're awake. In the real world. Gee, no wonder Eve was worried about you. It's a good thing I'm here."

"Y-yeah... thanks..." This person looks real proud of herself- oh, wait! "I remember! You're a member of the Bushido League!"

"Welcome back, sleeping princess!" The League student gives a casual wave. "Guess boring your eyes into the clock was better entertainment than watching the duels, huh?"

"Yeah... iiiit's silly of me, I know. They could be good reference, but I just can't absorb anything..."

"That's the Dueling Idol, alright."

"H-hey!"

She gets a jovial laugh in response. W-well, fine. Be that way. At least it's not as mean-spirited as her fanclub was. Well, ex-fanclub, now. Funny how they disbanded in just one day, huh...?

...W-well, it's not a bad thing! She's grateful to Hina and Chisato for it, she really is. Having 0 actual fans is better than having 20 or so mean ones. A-and she already had it REALLY bad, so being plunged all the way back to square one isn't that much worse, right?

...Phooey. Something tells her it's gonna be a loooooooooooong time before she's making any waves as an idol. Or as a duelist. O-or as anyone relevant, really. It's really hard in this academy... Hina always says it's more about image than skill, but sucking at this game is making it a lot harder.

Well, sure, fine. Let's just embrace the slump. Rock that slump! Make it look like the most glamorous slump ever, and drink 3 Pepsis just to keep yourself awake (and hopefully not puke later). You can't motivate people if you're worn out!

Guess going back to spectating couldn't hurt in the meantime. What was this arena called? It's way past her usual bedtime, and she doesn't remember the names of most of them during her class's excursions; they go to place after place to practice and learn, but it's just... there's too many of them! It's not like this one's anything major, anyway; it's plainly medium-sized in length (although it is pretty tall), and it's as 'gym renovated into an exam room' as you can get, so it's only hosting 100 students or so in the spectator seats as a few pairs take their turns dueling each other.

"Hey, Aya. That person's using the same deck as you, so you should pay attention. You might learn a few neat tricks."

"Oh, that's nice~!" Better use of time than staring at the clock again. "Thank you! ....Wait, if someone else's using the same deck as me, does that make me less distinguishable?"

"Eh, there'll always be people who use the same archetypes. It's how you perform with it that'll make you distinct."

"T-they're probably more distinct than I am right now, then..."

"Helps to lay low after everything you've been through. Think of it like the... uh, calm after the storm!" She seems pretty confident in that phrasing. "ShiraCorp management's probably swamped with damage-controlling the Moonlit Rider, so I doubt they'll bother taking the time to expel you. That is, if you keep busy with us."

"I hope so... w-well!" C'mon Aya, don't give up yet. "Even if it's calm now, and even if I keep messing up... I'll do my best to learn! Sorry to impose on the League like this."

"Helping your fellow students is part of the Bushido code! Besides, you're only a temporary member until you hit your stride again. It's no trouble to us."

"Then I'll make the most of it while I can!" She blinks. "...W-wait, I'm supposed to be focusing on the duel!"

"Oh. Uhhhh, sorry about that. It's already over."

Is it?! She fires up her brain again and looks over to the field:

"HahaHA!" There's a student boldly laughing and grabbing everyone's attention. "That's 10 in a row and running! My rank's gonna shoot up in no time!"

Oh no, and the person using her archetype lost, too! "Yeah, yeah, showoff. Shut up and go to your next match already."

"Cry outside if you're that bothered! You ate shit big time, and that's that!" That's a lot of hubris... "Man, am I sweet today, or WHAT? I'm friggin invincible... Haneoka Qualifier Cup, here I come! I'll grab that superstar status in NO time."

Aya trembles. "S-she seems pretty strong."

"Eh, most of the students love talking hot air. Doesn't mean the person using your deck was weak, either."

"But I couldn't even watch the duel!" Aya sighs. "Nothing's going well for me lately, is it...?"

"S-sorry about that. It's my fault for distracting you. Don't worry, though; there's still plenty of time to spectate duels like these before the Qualifier Cup begins!" 

"Really?"

"Gotta keep up with the schedule, Aya!" The League student gives out a relaxed peace sign. "Plleeeeeeenty of arenas're gonna be booked so everyone can keep training. Some of the biggest ones in the dual-district'll be occupied by SDA students; Memorial's End, Hardened Resolve Arena... even friggin' Starlight Tower."

"Hardened Resolve Arena... that's the huge one that can host 250 duels at once, isn't it-" She blinks. "Wait, S-Starlight Tower, too?! Isn't that the one stuck all the way in the north of Hanasakigawa? That's really far away..."

"If even Aya knows it despite that, that's a pretty good sign it's famous!" A chuckle. "You can bet the top 200 students're gonna be working their socks off in there. They've only got a few timeslots in that place, but they're gonna make the most of it. It'll be the SDA's strongest, honing their skills against each other."

"O-oh, jeez... this is gonna be intense, isn't it?"

"Chin up, Aya! Think of how Eve'd encourage you, and work your way up from that."

"Right!" Super Idol Fist Pump! "...I'm kind of surprised. I thought some of the schedules might shift around thanks to that Moonlit Rider person."

"Nahhhh. The public and the Corp've gone pretty ballistic over it, but we're just ordinary students. It doesn't affect us," she says. "I kinda get how you feel, though. Watching that duel was amazing, but it also felt like... like I was watching something bigger happening."

A whistle blows, and the Horus LV8 class rotates again. Most of the students leave the arena and let someone else have a go, but that one braggart from earlier is hogging the spotlight like an obnoxious torch. The referee can't convince her to leave, so- 

-oh, that's Maya, isn't it?! She makes a good referee! Aya gives a little wave, and it's returned. "Yeah, I felt the same way," she then responds to the student. "All the rumours around me disappeared because of the Rider. It's like some kind of... prembonition? Premonition? Even if things haven't changed much, it gives me the heebie-jeebies."

A new set of duels begin, without her really focusing on them. Life just passes by. The normalcy of the rising stars remains undisturbed, compared to The Dragon's tribulations; an unwavering schedule, demanding their tireless and desperate effort if they want to secure their place in the world.

"I just hope nothing else happens before the Qualifier Cup begins," the League student says. "It's not like everyone's gonna grab a hood and start controversies, but that Black Star group seems like bad news. Having a stable, daily life is important!"

The students are ready to draw their blades once again.

"Oh! Let's talk later, Aya. I won't distract you from spectating this time."

"Right!"

All eyes watch the center stage, and everything is in place. Maya blows a whistle. "Everyone, on your mark! Ready, and-" 

A figure drops into the center of the arena.

...

...

There's a few gasps of realisation. A stranger.

One in a black cloak, at that.

Nobody runs or yells. This person descended so promptly from above, many think it's a dream.

They stand up.

"Hey."

Several jump, Aya included. No; this is very much real. Now someone wrapped in black has entered their lives too. Wrapped in a ragged cloak, ripped with countless holes undefinable.

SLAP!

A white glove hits the center of the arena. It's a challenge against every single student here. Instead of one celebrity being mocked, it's all of them. And the thing spitting on them doesn't even state an intention.

The radiant stars have their lungs viced by a lone, smirking stranger.

...

"Don't look so scared. After all..."

The Watcher draws their blade.

"...I'm only here to play a card game."


	33. Aldebaran Scorned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The Aromage lore in this episode is unfortunately not real. i am sorry :c

It's better if you can't see it.

With your eyes shut, only your memories remain:

Snow.

On that day, the clouds were a dashing blue...

...

...

...It's close to the evening. The blue is deep and dark in colour, but it's still bright outside, and that wows her. She lets herself be distracted for half a second, before diving her small, grubby hands back into the snow. Her parents are sitting on a bench, watching from afar; every so often, she gives them a wave, and they smile in joy.

"Snow, ice... they're so bwoppin'☆!"

Her hands are a bit red, but she molds it, she throws it around, she dances in it, she follows its movement, she digs out shapes, she plays with the texture (and she eats some when nobody's looking!), rocketing round and round. She puts pieces of it in her medium wavy hair, she stuffs her hat with it, and she takes her coat off and dumps toooons of snow into it, so now she has a big snow sack (but it's too heavy, so she dumps it back out again), rocketing round and round.

Then she hears that voice.

"Hina, don't be so reckless."

She stands up, juggling the ice. There's a grumpy child standing next to her in the park, with a similar looking length of teal hair. It took ages to grow out, and once it did, people started saying the two of them looked too similar. But that's silly; her big sis's way grumpier and complains wayyyy more. Her crying sounds angrier, too.

"Are you listening? Don't ignore me."

"-" Oh, let's use the girl title instead of the boy one; this is just a dream, after all! "-Sis, pick up some of the snow! It's so sroochy!"

"Sroochy? What does that even..." Her sis sighs. "Never mind. Just stop it; if you play with the snow using your bare hands, you'll get cold!"

"Blehhhhhhhhh!" Hina sticks out her tongue. "I'm fine! You should play with it too!"

"N-no, stop it! Get up already!"

She hears more complaining as she dives back in, making angels next to her coat, and she keeps singing as she's pulled to her feet again. "Ehehe. Hey Sayo, have some!"

Poke. "Eek!" There's an adorable squeal as her big sis gets a bit of frost on the nose. "H-Hina, cut that out. That's not polite of you!"

"Blehhhhhhhhhh."

"If you- gah, there's no point." She shakes her head, and fishes out something from her pockets. "...Just take these-"

WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

GLOVES! FROM HER SIS!

"Are these for me☆?!" She snatches them in a heartbeat. "Yay! I'll wear them and treasure them forEVER!"

For some reason, her sister always sighs when this happens. "...If it means you don't hurt your hands, fine."

"You look so bwoppin' when you smile☆! Here, make it bigger!"

"What are you gwo-" Her cheeks are pinched. "H-Hnnna! Shtpthat!"

"Ahahaha☆!"

More and more snow; now that these gloves're on, maybe the complaints'll stop. Why does big sis act grumpy all the time? It's so obvious she's being protective again, but she always denies it. Hehe.

Hmm.... what about.... "Hey hey, Sayo, catch~!"

"Wha-"

SPLAT! A ball of snow hits her sister right in the face.

"...You..."

"Ehehehee!"

"Hiiiiinaaaa!" She looks funny, trying to wipe it off like that. Her face's red too now! "Urgh, why are you always like this?! Stop messing around!"

"What's the point of being here if you don't? C'mon, c'mon, let's have a snowball fight!"

"Absolutely not! You could hurt someone!"

"How?"

"Because you'll hit them in the face with snow, and it might get in their eyes, or they might choke on it or-"

"Then they can just close their eyes before it hits them!"

"..." Her sister facepalms. "But- no, nevermind. Why does explaining never work with you-"

"So it's fine then, right? Let's have a snowball fight!"

"Hina!"

Oh boy. She drops the pile of snow she's amassing in her hands. Her sis's maaaaaaaaaaaad, isn't she? "E-eh? What's up?"

"I... just..." There's something forming in that brain. "...L-look. If you got hit in the face with a snowball, how would it feel?"

"That'd be pretty fun~."

"What if it hit really hard, then?"

... "Huh?"

"Like, REALLY hard. They throw it hard enough that it stings, and now your face feels cold and hurts a lot. Just a big, icy wall shoved in your eyes. That wouldn't feel good, would it?"

Oooooooooohhhhh. That's fair. "Yeah. You're right... sorry, sis."

"It's the same reason you don't carry it in your bare hands. If someone holds too much ice at once, they'll be hurt. That's why we keep warm, and don't throw tons of snow at each other. Got it?"

...She can feel her own eyes shine.

If you feel cold, warm yourself up. And if you play with ice, don't drown someone. That makes sense, doesn't it?

...

...Sayo was always smart.

"Mhm! Got it, sis." She smiles. "Can we still have a snowball fight? I promise I won't throw too hard!"

And her sister smiles back. "Fine, then. You're on."

Her sister was the coolest and most boppin' person ever. Her sister always looked out for her.

And if she shuts her eyes with the snow...

...then that's always, always what her sister will be.

...

...

...It's cold.

Her dream runs back to the present day.

She closes her eyes, and the world is black. Her trainers crunch as they tread in the blizzard, skipping along without any hesitation. A shooting star, always searching for the brightest light around, seeking countless nebulae for any crackling, fiery connection she could make. Hina Hikawa merrily skates through her stage, a galaxy of stars buried beneath her platform of ice; a thick sheet that stretches for miles and miles. An ice strong enough that no malicious fire will reach. An ice so strong, that if she ever hits a spacial inferno, she can always retreat and hide right behind it.

Funny. Sayo would probably tell her not to do this. But she can't open her eyes. She has to keep them shut, and play around in this winter wonderland forever. Besides, it's fun, isn't it? The more you become familiar with the arctic, the less it hurts. It's like you're running in two opposite directions; the more you run into the cold, the warmer you can finally feel. You build up resistance, until nobody can stop you from tearing through space. No matter who tries to freeze you or melt you, you're always the queen. You can weave the aurora between your fingers whenever the weather would drown you. Shut out all the sadness from your face, and just focus on what's fun. That way, you'll always be smiling, no matter how cold it is. Your journey for the warmth of the stars will never end, and you can enjoy yourself forever.

If you simply _always_ feel cold, your arm will never be too frozen to reach out. 

...

...

...She gets older. Her world changes. Her connections grow. She draws a blade, and learns how others are different from her. She meets new people, some shy, some mischeivous... and one, a radiant star, touched upon the skin like a wreath of grass, who changes everything. A warm home she can come back to. Hina Hikawa grows up.

But if her eyes stay shut, Sayo Hikawa never does. Sayo Hikawa'll be that small, stubborn and strict young girl who always cares for her little sister. Someone who promised she'd always watch over her little sister. This mythril puppy standing before her, frozen in a block of ice with a calm, childish expression on her face...

...if Hina keeps her eyes shut... she can treasure it forever.

So she touches that block of ice, saying: 'Goodnight, sis. See you tomorrow.'

And she falls right into a peaceful sleep.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"...Mm..."

Ah. The dream's ended.

It's sunny, but not all that warm. Like there's just... nothing left. Why?

Hina rises from her polka-dotted bed. Maybe the radiator malfunctioned; it's 3 years old, so it might be starting to wear out a little. Easy to take that warmth for granted, huh?

"..."

7:00am. Wednesday, the 17th of February.

"...rrh..."

Crickle.

Ah, right. She was holding that thing all night, wasn't she? What was it again?

"..."

She lifts it, peeking through her mess of hair. 

It's a lollipop with a transparent wrapper. She found it in the mail last night, embedded with the crest of The Disaster.

"...Weird,"

she says.

"She's never given me a red one before."

\---

They can't tell themselves it's all fine anymore, can they?

She bought into that excuse until now. It's the one thing that stopped her from brooding constantly; Afterglow's still all together. Maybe it was easy enough to believe, despite the signs. With that excuse, they could wade through all their other problems; it's fine if Lisa broke from them, it's fine if Ako ran away, it's fine if Hina looks worried. So long as all 5 of them were together, they had nothing to worry about.

...So much for that.

_The sun's still shining. 3pm, and evening refuses to come._

_"Hey." Ran walks into Circle's Class 1-A. "I got the text. Dad told me yester-" She stops cold. "Ts... Tsugumi?"_

_There's a whimper. A face stained with tears pulls itself away from Himari's shoulder. "A-ah. R-Ran... I-"_

_"It's okay, Tsugu. I-I'll tell her!" Himari gives her hands a quick squeeze. "It's Moca. I can't believe her. She DITCHED Tsugu in the middle of our meetup yesterday!"_

_No. No, no, no... "Ditched? What do you mean?"_

_"It means she fucking left us."_

_She jumps at the tone. "T-Tomoe?"_

_"...Sorry." A sigh sounds more like a growl. "You found out at home, right? Moca's gone missing. She blocked our numbers. She isn't even picking up calls from her mom."_

_..._

_...She wants to say 'I knew it.' She wants to vocalise anything, any words that'll validate how much her suspicions were confirmed, any kind of comfort that'd distract her right now. But it's pointless; knowing that Moca actually went and did it, and left Tsugumi crying like this... it's..._

_...what the hell is going on with her?!_

_"Urgh, screw being mad. I'm flat out pissed." Himari holds Tsugumi tight. "This isn't a 'time-out', Moca. You said you wanted to apologise! Where are you?"_

_"...Who cares? She already threw me and Ran in the garbage. She doesn't care about us at all."_

_"N-no! Of course she does, Tomoe!"_

_"Then WHY DID SHE LEAVE?!" Blue eyes narrow. "I don't understand! Why does everyone keep leaving us-"_

_"G-guys..." Tsugumi lifts her head up. "Please don't argue. Not now."_

_Tomoe's breath gets caught on her throat. "But-" She shakes her head. "...Sorry."_

_"It's okay. I-I should be apologizing, for not texting you last night. I just... I-I was scared, and I'd already asked my parents, and you'd probably already heard, so you didn't need to know what happened from me..."_

_...That face. Ran can't feel her heart. She has no idea what to say. No idea what to emote. She tries offering a hand out, letting Tsugumi grasp it, hoping it'll convey some miniscule support, at least._

_"I just don't understand," Tomoe says. "What the hell is she thinking?"_

_Ran lets the anger seep in. "...Something ridiculous," she manages. "That's always how it is with her."_

_"Well, we can't let her get away with it! I'm not gullible enough to believe she's 'taking a break' anymore, so let's drag her back here no matter what!"_

_"...And how're we gonna do that?" There's a growl. "Run through every street in the district? Yell her name until we pass out?"_

_"Y-you never know! I-i-it could work!"_

_"No. It won't. Even if we actually found her, there's no guarantee she'd come back!"_

_The second Tomoe finishes that sentence, there isn't a single sound for a minute. _

_It gives Tsugumi plenty of time to cry._

_..._

_..._

_...Again, Ran feels powerless. She had a chance, previously, to talk to Moca. Maybe she could've sneaked up on one of her meetings with Tsugumi and Himari. She could've at least tried, one way or another. Maybe an enjoyable duel would've worked._

_But there's no chance of that happening now._

_"I've... been shouting way too much. That's not helping." Tomoe starts moving. "...I'll leave and pull myself together. Sorry, Tsugumi."_

_"I-it's ok. I don't th-think any of us are... are..." A sob. "U-um. I don't think any of us are h-happy with this."_

_The rider nods. "...Take care. I'll probably be better by tomorrow."_

_And they're already left with 3._

_"Tomoe... I-I'll make sure to buy her, um... some sweets, or something! Just anything that'd help." Himari shakes her head. "Well, I'm still looking for Moca's blood. Tsugu's been hurt, and she needs vengeance! What do you think, Ran?"_

_Does it matter what she thinks? It's not like her opinion's useful._

_...Ran sighs. "We shouldn't bother." The two of them look at her. She already feels guilty. But at this point, she's too numb to react. "It's Moca. She's impossible to find when she hides."_

_"H... ahaha. Y-yeah." Tsugumi tries to smile. "That's always been true."_

_"But what're we gonna do, then?! She's not gonna take herself home!"_

_"No. She will."_

_"Huh? Seriously?"_

_Their stares pressure her. But miraculously, she breathes. "Moca's a mess. She won't survive a month without Afterglow. She's probably breaking apart as we speak."_

_"O-oh, that's true. The guilt kills her, doesn't it?" Himari tries to recover some energy. "She's a big, smelly doodoo-head! Every time she pushed herself away from us, she always came back crying."_

_"Yeah. And she made a promise, too."_

_"...A promise?" Tsugumi looks up._

_It's a small thing. A silly thing, even. But if she tells herself it's certain, maybe the others'll believe it too._

_So Ran breathes again. "Yeah. We all said we'd go to the Haneoka Qualifier Cup, together. All of us, including her."_

_"...Yeah. Yeah, you're right!" Himari pumps. "We can't lose hope yet! If we've got the Cup as our bait, we can lure her in and, and... and then what?"_

_"Throw her into therapy or something. Point is, she's gonna come crawling back to us. So... let's not waste our breath," she manages. "If one of us gets hit by a car running around the streets, Tsugumi'll feel even worse."_

_"R-roger! I don't wanna worry my angel even more."_

_"Um. T-thanks, you guys... really." Tsugumi tries to shake her head. "S-sorry for worrying you. I don't w-want to be a burden. I-if any of you need some support, I'm always here, o-ok?"_

_"You're never a burden to us! Get as mad as you want about Moca. Talk to us whenever you want to vent about her... o-or if you ever just need a shoulder to lean on. It's a two-way system!"_

_"Yeah." Ran nods. "We're always here for you, Tsugumi."_

_"...You really mean it?"_

_"Of course."_

_..._

_"Right. I'll... believe that..." Tsugumi wipes her eyes and smiles. "T-thanks, Ran. You're really cool."_

_"I'm seconding that! Thanks, Ran. I wish I could be as reassuring as you."_

_Ran doesn't respond. As if, she thinks. What she said could basically be summed as 'there's nothing we can do'. Even if it's better than radio silence, it's not solving anything. And it's not going to make Afterglow any less miserable over the coming days. What does it matter if she's trying to look cool and say something half-assedly supportive?_

_She doesn't tell them that._

5pm.

Ran sighs for what feels like the 50th time. It's sunny and blue. Obnoxiously so-

"Wargh!"

"Whoa!" She nearly bumps into a stranger. "W-watch it!"

"Oh, sorry about that!" A rushed wave. "Was in a bit of a hurry to skedaddle, is all."

Why? Ran looks around the corner he came from, and... what's with all the police tape?

"Curious?" No, not really- "Well, you should probably know. Some SDA student just got arrested for pulling a knife on a shopkeeper."

"Oh." She blinks. "...Wait, what?!"

"Wild, right? He was RABID, I tell ya. I was there in the store watching, pissing my pants. I think he was trying to rob the place; it'd explain why he was talking about 'breaking' or something." The stranger starts moving. "Not gonna stick around. Central City's always an SDA hotspot. I don't know what's got all these punks riled up, but I'm not having a part of it."

"U-um. Right."

"See ya, kid! Stay out of City too if you wanna play it safe. Sheesh..." His voice starts fading. "Between this and all the Exhibition stories, maybe that Academy's not all it's wrapped up to be..."

Well, that was a shock. Is everything falling apart these days, or what?

Screw it. If somebody pulled a knife or a car on her right now, she'd probably just deck them in the face. This is NOT her week. Fucking thanks a lot, Moca. 

Ran continues her steps, only wasting time to look around if she's having trouble navigating. Halfway through, her phone buzzes; information's flown into her head like crazy today, and it's infuriating her, so she's about to ignore it...

...but it's a message sent from Tsugumi.

Thank you for the bouquet, Ran! Especially on such short notice...

I know this message seems sudden, but I just want to make sure we're all talking frequently right now.

Right. Something would be better than nothing right now. Ran types back:

least i could do

The bouquet was small, honestly. Made in less than an hour. But she needed anything that'd show Tsugumi some support right now.

sorry for not messaging anyone yesterday

was in a bad mood.

A minute passes.

It's ok! I'm the one who didn't bring Moca up until today.

If you're feeling lonely, we can meet up any time! If it's not too much trouble, of course.

Following that is a cutesy, go-for-it sticker.

...

...Ran sighs, and types one last message.

thanks

The phone's turned off. God, she's pathetic; Tsugumi's doing so much more to help everyone than she is right now. And Tsugumi's devastated. It hurts. 

What the hell is SHE doing, in comparison? Why isn't she with the rest of them right now? She could hang out in silence with Tomoe and watch a movie or two, maybe. Visit Hazawa Coffee and ask how Tsugumi's doing. Hell, Himari'd never say no to hanging out.

And yet here she is.

She grips her silver necklace, black rose adorned. She's arrived at her destination. It's a cafe a few miles west of the Haneoka Haven Stadium. There's a large, spacious and pretty barebones park next to it, evidently one that doesn't get many visitors or care, and a variety of dueling venues obnoxiously slapped around too, rearing between the alder trees; most notably Hardened Resolve Arena, the largest-capacity venue in the entire dual-district.

But screw all of that. What she cares about right now, unfortunately, is the person sitting at the table in front of her. "...Yukina Minato."

Amber gleams. "You're here. I'm surprised."

"You thought I wouldn't show up?"

"Tomoe Udagawa despises me. No doubt the rest of your circle does too. I am still confused as to why you have chosen me as your tutor."

"Then be confused. I don't care." Ran sits down immediately. There's a nearly-empty container of sugar cubes between them. "...Where's Lisa?"

"You knew it was her?"

"Obviously. I've dueled her before."

"...Interesting. Even though she's never used the Crystron archetype before, you could tell." Yukina rests her cup of coffee. "She is alive."

"And safe, right?"

Yukina doesn't respond. For a moment, Ran frets; but no. If this dunce is humouring the idea of tutoring someone 'beneath' her, she's not coldhearted enough to endanger the person who's (apparently) her closest friend. She's probably just trying to be dramatic instead, isn't she?

Ugh, this person thinks she looks so cool for acting solitary and edgy. Look at her. Look at her coffee. She probably has it black, because she thinks it looks more adult. Lisa's a saint for dealing with her.

Well, fine. A waiter comes in; "One cup of coffee. No cream or sugar," Ran asks.

The waiter nods and leaves. There's a few seconds of silence.

...

"My assumption was correct. Your frown is even stronger than it was on Monday."

"...My friends're having some trouble. That's all."

"And yet you would rather be here right now?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"You've already asked how Lisa's doing. And I can say that Ako is safe, too. There you have it." Yukina's expression remains neutral. "That's all we needed to come here for. Nothing is stopping us from separating."

"What about the tutoring?"

"Do you want to be tutored by someone you hate?"

Ran grits her teeth. "...Why did you agree to tutor me if you're acting like this?"

"I simply follow anything that could illuminate a new aspect of Duel Monsters for me." Yukina looks directly at her. "But if you are this stressed and angered, I doubt our discussions will lead to anything beneficial."

Moca's smile flashes in her head. She ignores it. "Stressed? That's pretty presump-"

"You are bothered by your image, are you not?"

Ran stops.

"When Lisa took the disposable shroud of the Moonlit Rider, all she did was play a card game with another human being. And yet, she inspired people, and inspired rebellion. Using an identity that bore little personal relation to herself, she changed others." There's a breeze. "For someone who relies on their image to communicate their personal feelings, it no doubt feels rather confusing."

"...Wh..." She stops. This obstinate-ass potato just saw right through her. "How the hell could you tell?"

"You waste a lot of energy pondering whether something is real or fake. When people like Roselia or the SDA use images to convey beliefs not fully their own, you feel less confident in using your image to communicate yours."

"...Yeah, you're right. Laugh, then-"

"I can sympathise."

She stops again.

"Without Duel Monsters, I am inept at communicating anything myself. But even someone like me can tell you are driving yourself into an unnecessary corner."

"...What do you mean?"

"So long as your intentions are made clear, the voice of your blade will come through."

It rings. Yukina's words run through her clean.

"Image..." she continues, "I believe 'real and 'fake' are insufficient descriptors of this word. Images are better described as masks. Masks that always reflect an intention beneath, in one way or another. If you wish to use this sport as an image to communicate your intentions, all you need to do is make that image unambiguously reflect you. That is the power of exaggeration Duel Monsters possesses."

"...And how do you do that?" Ran asks. "How can you make a flashy holographic dragon reflect only the truth, instead of some hive-minded creed?"

"For someone like you, there's a clear way to get closer to that."

Amber pierces.

"Getting better at the game."

Ran gulps.

Yukina gets out her disk and stands up. "I am on a tight schedule. If you intend to give into petty anger or self-loathing, I will cut this training immediately." She takes three steps before turning around. "But if you feel you can avoid such mental states despite your problems, then follow me into the park, and we shall begin."

...'Despite your problems', huh? That's fine, she thinks; after all, this jackass wolf IS one of her problems. What kind of person says 'tutoring with you would waste my time' and then goes right into the tutoring? Screw it; if she can't solve anything else right now, then she may as well start here.

Ran immediately gets up, and draws her blade. "Right behind you. I've been waiting for this."

\---

Urgh. This Academy never gets less boring nowadays. How many hours per week is she stuck in this place, again?

"Hmmmmmm..."

Where is everyone, anyway? Hina dances through the hallways, twirling the lollipop in her hand. From her point of view, she's the only person here; other figures suggest themselves, but she can just shut them away. Where'd her friends go? Aya isn't here to rib on, which is weird, because Aya's allllways here to rib on (she REALLY needs to find Aya at some stage), and Eve isn't anywhere to be seen either, which is even weirder, because the Bushido League always has that little discussion wussion' thingy going on in the lobby. Then there's Maya, who she uuuusually finds in the Tech Department, but that's happened way less often recently. Doesn't Maya have classes too? Now she realises Maya's never told her what class she's in. And... well, as for Chisachi...

"...mm."

Chisachi's nowhere to be seen. That lollipop is the only clue she has. Maybe it's hinting at a location of some kind. Never an ordinary letter when it comes to agent-delivered mail, huh?

Eh, that's fine! It's more fun this way. Can't be that many people in the world who've decoded lollipops before. It's kinda boppin'. Maybe that means Chisachi's holding up okay? 

...No, that can't be it. When the agents took her away yesterday, she had a kind of gaze Hina hadn't seen in ages. It's... not a good sign, that gaze. For some reason, it reminds her of the first few months they spent together after she took Rank 1, when Chisachi'd always say no to going on dates. It took a while before they started smiling and flying more around each other; before the word 'saviour' threw itself aside for 'cherished companion'.

She shakes her head. No time for reminiscing, not when Chisachi might be in trouble! C'mon, c'mon... she's gotta find Chisachi, she's gotta! She needs some way to decipher the lollipop, and asking Chisachi what it means is the easiest method, right? ...Oh wait, maybe Chisachi thinks it'd look suspicious if they met up right now. Scratch that option off, then; at least, until she thinks of a super-secret way to meet up. Oh, maybe there's a letter hidden INSIDE the lollipop? ...Nahhh, that's way too silly. Agh, if only she could find Aya and ask her about it. Aya wouldn't have an answer at all, but seeing her reaction'd be funny. 

"Hey, Ayaaaa! You here?"

There's a few gazes, but if you shut your eyes, nobody's there. Where's Aya, where's Aya? She's nearly always on this floor of the LV8 building during lunch break, but no dice today. Actually, isn't the whole of Horus LV8 weirdly absent today? Definitely feels like there's less buzzin' and gragglin' in the hallways.

She checks a few more floors too, darting around all their mythril plating, but still nothing. Ughhhhh, school's so boring like this! She's gotta decipher this lollipop and meet up with Chisachi one way or another, so c'mon, so c'mon... yeah, she got an emergency summon from the staff earlier, but who cares? It's lunch break, and that's the only free time she has unless she skips class. And everyone ALWAYS gets on her case when she does that, for one bleghy reason or another-

"Oh? What little kitten do we have here?"

"Hey, it's Kaoru!" 

Woohoo! Let's mosey on over pronto! 

Kaoru waves someone off, and turns to Hina. She sticks out so much compared to the other agents... she doesn't wear sunglasses, so her eyes are always visible, and she's always saying funny things. Oh, and she's the only agent in the Corporation with a white shirt beneath her suit instead of a grey one, isn't she? Actually, didn't the agent she was just talking with have a white shirt, too? That's so jazzin'.

"Ah, I see my eyes deceived me. You're a rather large kitten, aren't you? How do you fare, Supernova-"

"Hey, hey, Kaoru! Do you know..." She stops. There's probably a camera watching them, isn't there? "...where everyone is? I can't find Aya, or Eve, or anyone. It's so BORING."

A dramatic flick of her hair. "What a conundrum you've found yourself in! Although I suppose in these turbulent times, such occurrences are not unexpected. I cannot even locate my queen right now."

"Ehhhhh?!" If KAORU of all people can't- wait, drat. Gotta play it cool. "That's pretty woppin'. What're you even doing without her? Moping about?"

"A-ahaha. I assure you, I have duties that do not involve being at her side," she says. "Though it does rather betide me with emotion, to be an aide without a liege. What say you, Hina... to a delightful walk and talk?"

"Sounds good to me!" 

Hopefully they're gonna head somewhere where there aren't any eyes. That IS what Kaoru's suggesting, right? She's a little airheaded sometimes... if she was a student, her scores wouldn't be all that much higher than Aya's. Pfft.

Step, step, step! "Tell me, rambunctious kitten, how do you fare right now?"

"Eh? I'm fine." Strange question. People normally say she always looks happy. "Aya's gonna be okay, so I don't have to worry about that anymore!"

"Indeed. I would be rather mired by remorse if such a kind soul were to be washed away." There she goes again. "I apologise for my lack of presence lately. The sinfulness of my existence has placed many a trial upon me."

Hina laughs. "I have no idea what that means! Where've you been, anyway? It's been like, 4 weeks since I last saw you."

"Mm? Is an agent not normally working in the shadows?"

"Definitely not you! You spend all your free time giving presents to girls."

"M-my. I thought I was being subtle enough with my aura. Woe is me; the kindness of my kittens draws me into quite the spotlight."

Does she genuinely not realise how much she stands out? Silly Kaoru. "Well, you haven't been doing any spotlighting lately, that's for sure. What've you been up to? Tell me, tell me!"

"Ahaha! Unfortunately, I cannot divulge most of my work to the students."

"Ehhh? No fair!"

"Worry not. I do have one interesting morsel I'm permitted to share. Do you remember the night of the Exhibition?"

"Yeah. What about it? You showed up almost as late as I did."

"Before I went to the Skyscraper, I was sent on a pursuit mission. You see, my little kitten..." Kaoru gestures, "...there was a break-in at the Technology Department, at the exact same time my queen was dueling that charming Moonlit Rider."

"For real?!" Okay, now THIS is something she needs to hear. "Isn't that the 2nd time this month someone's broken into the Academy?"

Kaoru nods. "And this time around, the rumour goes; a devilish rogue snuck into a secret area of the Academy, and stole treacherously vital data stored on a computer! How fleeting!"

She means the Underside, obviously. "So that's what you were busy dealing with?"

"Correct, my dear. A horde of us agents, as ebon as the abyss Nietzsche spoke of, were tasked with scouring the entire Department in search of a thief. But in the end, we only walked away with the information that a employee named Kanon Matsubara had disappeared."

"That's the person you hired when she got expelled, right?" She remembers Chisachi asking Kaoru about it. "This is all so mysterious... I love it☆! And there was the whole problem with the livestreams being turned back on, right?"

They exit a lift, hitting the ground floor of the LV8 Building. Ohhh, is Kaoru walking in THAT direction? "Pandemonium, it all was. Nobody knows how the Department made the mistake of displaying the Exhibition's disruption to the world... and after direct orders from The Dragon not to!" Kaoru sighs in that drooshin' fashion. "We haven't found Kanon since; as the bards would put it, her status is MIA. Truly, the Corporation is dealing with many a tribulation right now."

"You don't seem all that concerned, though. Don't you say a lot of sphiedly stuff whenever a girl's in danger? What if Kanon got kidnapped or something?"

"...Let's just say I have faith in the fortitude of this fearless feline." That's a pretty big smile. "And the other members of the Department are unharmed, so there is no need to worry. That includes," she winks, "our esteemed technician, whose bespectacled beige welcomes any weary traveller."

"Cool! I had no idea what you just said," Hina responds. "But I'm still surprised. You always cling to Chisach- Chisato whenever you can. It's weird for you to be absent this much."

"Alas, it pains me... could I constantly be a Caduceus for my queen, I would pursue such a role as a tireless pharmacy. But I am merely the strained serpent wrapped around that staff, my heart shackled by my duties..."

"Pretty sure Caduceus isn't meant to be a medical symbol."

"...It is but that." Kaoru sweats. "But enough about me. A furious feline once told me it's reckless to divulge. How fare you, my blazing star?"

Hina gives a thumbs-up. "I managed to sleep for 2 hours last night! Wasn't easy thanks to Ch- uh, stuff. I'm fine for the most part though! It's been kind of a blast, even."

"Aha. I assume you've found a few gleaming gems in your quest for light?"

"Something like that, I think!" She can't help but spill immediately. Stardust rushes, giving her veins that same feeling of zappin' warmth she always wants. "I got to hang out with Ran again, and returning all the cards Aya's fanclub stole was really really woppidin'! It took the entire night, but it was the most fun I had in ages... oh, oh, and my exhibition matches yesterday were actually fun, too! Mainly because nobody asked me to be boring or anything, so I could just do what I wanted. I used like, Constellars and Chronomalies and everything! My opponents got pretty swucklin', but it was still boppin'. Oh, oh, and I started reading a bunch of books like you asked!"

"O-oh? Y-you took that suggestion?"

"I mean, yeah. Are you surprised?"

"A-ahaha! Well, it turns out that you... m-may have a more literature-tasted tongue than I do!" She's sweating again. "But tell me, what kind of books did you end up reading?"

"It was more fun than I expected! I thought all the picture books were for kids, but there were some other kinds too! Oh, and I read books that didn't have pictures, but they had like, little frames at the top and bottom of each page for some kind of aesthetic, or they wrote their paragraphs differently. It was interesting!"

"Oh. I see." Kaoru blinks. "But... what about the content?"

"Eh? Whaddya mean?"

"I-I mean the stories, or the genres and authors. What poets did you stumble upon?"

Are you supposed to focus on that stuff? Whoops. "Uh... I think I remember some of the genres I looked through. The bookstore had sections like science-fiction, graphic novel, battle royale, superhero... they kind of all blended together."

They walk into a hidden diverging corridor; from the camera's point of view, they've gone one way, but they're actually heading another instead. "How interesting... some of these are rather fantastical in taste. Do you enjoy those kinds of stories?"

"Sometimes! But it varies. I don't think I'll buy any more books for now." Hina blinks. "Oh, there was something that stuck out to me though."

"What might that be?"

Hmmm... "Well, I was curious what other people thought about the stuff I read, because that always leads to something boppin', right? So I looked up reviews and forums and stuff on the internet, and bunch of people said they wished the characters in the books were real, so they could be friends with them. That was wooshin' to me!"

"Ah, the yearning for a fictional heartbeat... what a fleeting desire. If you were to make friends with an otherworldly warrior, how would you go about it?"

"I dunno. Play Duel Monsters with them?"

Kaoru laughs. "A splendid idea. Your amiability and fearlessness are impeccable. If anybody could make friends with an alien or gnome, I'd imagine it'd be you."

They approach an old set of doors. Where were those keys again- ah, here we go! She fishes them out from her pocket.

Chik!

A secret garden is revealed. It's not often she visits it twice a month. This place... she wishes she could be here for more than an hour of her life. "Eh? Why only me?" She asks Kaoru. "Playing Duel Monsters is something anyone can do. What's stopping everyone from hanging out with aliens or gnomes?"

"Mmm... w-well. Perhaps it is the fear of a faulty connection? Yes, that's it! You see, by our literatures' conceptions, such creatures would be perfectly capable of ordinary communication and emotion. A-after all, they are nearly always written as humans in their personality, no? But perhaps when contemplating the desire to approach these beings, people falsely believe themselves too disconnected."

"Disconnected... you mean, like, they can't relate enough? But I thought everyone loves otherworldly stuff. I definitely love learning about it!"

"Admiring an uncommon gem from afar, and attempting to get close to it, are two different things, are they not? For many in our world, it might appear an impossibility."

"Ehhhhhhhh..." Hina lets the breeze pass her hair. "So, other people find boppin' stuff hard to get close to, because they think they're too different or something?"

Something clicks.

"...I wonder if that's why my fans talk about me like that."

"Mm?"

"Nothing!" She rushes through the rustling plants. "Gimme a sec, Kaoru. I gotta check something!"

She pokes around the large tree near the back wall, and yup; all the galaxy-shaped tally marks are still scratched in. Boppin'☆! Should she add another? Nah, it only feels right to when Chisachi's here.

"Okay, all good!"

"Apologies for intruding upon your romantic garden." Kaoru steps onto the grass, and closes the doors behind her. FINALLY, they can start talking for real. "Were you searching for hidden eyes, my kitten?"

"Nah! But I didn't find any back there, so that's good." Hina puts her hands on her hips. "Alright, alright, I've been waiting long enough! Kaoru, do you know where Chisachi is?"

"As to the point as ever, I see. How fleetingly forward."

Kaoru's giving her usual expression for a moment. But then, her lips lower, and it becomes something Hina hasn't seen before.

"...I'm afraid I have no knowledge of Chisato's current location. In fact, I was hoping you would know. If there's anyone she'd tell, it's you."

"So neither of us know? That doesn't sound good." Hina leans against the tree. "We can't keep it that way. Chisachi always cries when I'm not around, so I gotta find her!"

"We're in full agreement. Where shall we start, then?"

"Hmm... oh! Maybe you'll know something about this." Hina takes out the lollipop from her uniform's chest pocket. "It came in the mail last night. The letter's stamp had that weird thing on Lithosagym's chest embedded in the middle, so I think it's from Chisachi!"

"A... lollipop? In the mail? And there was nothing else?"

"Yeah. Do you know anything about it?"

"Unfortunately, no. I'm just rather taken aback. It seems rather romantic. Poetic, almost! Perhaps she was inspired by the works of Shakespeare. If so, my heart is singing with joy." ...For someone who's half a head taller, poses so swashedly and acts so dramatically, Kaoru's... not that smart. "Do you have any idea what it might mean, Hina?"

"Well, Chisachi always gives-"

Wait.

The sky darkens for a moment. Colour fades from all but Hina's eyes.

There's a howling gale.

"Kaoru. I can trust you with a secret, right?"

"W-why, of course! Any sweet whisper of a kitten is a treasure that should not be flaunted. As, um. As Shakespeare herself said."

"Promise?"

"..." Her brow rests. "...I promise. I won't say a word."

"Good! I'll trust you, then!" The world revives. "So, me and Chisachi have a secret communication thing going on. We use lollipops to determine whether we're being honest or not. If she hands me a blueberry one, that means she's trying to act like The Dragon, and isn't necessarily being honest. And if she taps the lollipop stick while I'm eating it, that's the sign she's taken the mask off, so I crunch it. After that, I ask her what she was lying about beforehand."

"I see. A system no eye of the Council can easily understand. But I assume this lollipop is unusual in many ways?"

"Yeah, yeah. She's never sent me one through the mail before. And this definitely isn't a blueberry one, either!"

"Indeed. A sweet crimson, this colour is. May I see it?"

"Here you go. There's no message inside it though."

"Hmmm..."

...She's examining it pretty rigorously. "Yyyou ok, Kaoru?"

"I see! This lollipop..." Kaoru smiles, "...is but a lollipop. You're right; there is no cipher paper inside the wrapper."

"Yeah, I said that."

"But!"

Oh? "But what?"

"Fufufu." Kaoru hands it back. "Perhaps Chisato gave this to you, knowing you might seek my advice. You see, I believe this lollipop does have a code in it. A thematic code, rather than a-"

"It does?! Tell me, tell me!"

She clears her throat. "Your enthusiasm is striking. I will cut to the chase, then; I believe the message of this alluring sweet lies in its colours."

"Its colours? What's red signify? Does it mean she wants to kiss me a lot?"

"Ahahaha! Perhaps," she responds. "But I also meant the colour of the lollipop stick. When combining the green of the stick and the red of the sweet... does this not resemble a rose, rambunctious kitten?"

Aw, drat. She was really hoping it'd be kissing. "A rose, huh... what about it?"

"Allow me to explain," Kaoru waxes. "The rose is an extremely popular symbol in all kinds of communication. It is a plant whose red petals are burgeoning with love... and whose green stem is covered in thorns. This may just be a guess, my shining Supernova," she says, "but I believe Chisato considers herself a danger to us."

...

There's something inside.

"Ah." It's like a feeling of slime-sullied stardust in deja vu.

"You remember, do you not? She often acted the same way when you two first met."

"...Yeah. It took ages to figure out why she never said much to me. Ages of her just giving me that strange smile, talking to me like she talked to interviewers and everything." She looks up. "I remember what happened when I asked her why. I remember her crying as she hugged me, saying she didn't want to endanger me. She was worried I'd be hurt if I tried to help her out."

"Fufufu. Her soul is as kind as it is burning," Kaoru smiles. "Wishing not to burden her loved ones, trying to save everyone but herself... it is the one crack I have stumbled upon in her iron will, as distant as we have become."

Hina barely hears her. "...Why'd she change again? I don't want her to be alone. You can't do anything like killing a corporation on your own. She knew that."

"Perhaps the guilt has wracked her. She spewed poison at the other students in her rage at the Exhibition. I imagine it reminded her of her past actions; the speeches she gives to the Academy, the curtain she's ordered to pull over the public's eyes. The mask of The Dragon she is obligated to uphold."

...Chisachi.

"Keep your head up, dear kitten."

Hina looks at her.

"Chisato always retains a keen mind, even in the depths of grief. I've no doubt she will recover and ask us for our aid once more. That is the beauty of her love and resolve."

"...Yeah. You're right! Wherever she is, I know she'll miss us soon enough," Hina exclaims. "Well, assuming you're right about the lollipop."

"Ah. Should we assume our interpretation of it is correct?"

"Yeah! You're really smart with this kind of stuff, Kaoru. Way smarter than I am." She's almost jealous, honestly. "So I'll take your word for it!"

A few leaves dance across the walls. "...Fufu. And you can have my word whenever you need it. Just as Chisato does. I would never let down such lovely kittens."

Kittens? She's been wondering again, but doesn't Kaoru realise that word's- oh, wait. It's Kaoru. Duh! "Ahaha☆! You really are funny."

Kaoru blinks. "Me? Whatever could you mean?"

"No wonder people don't realise you're always being honest," Hina says. "You make your sentences so swishledy. How's anyone supposed to take them seriously?"

"S-swishledy? I assure you, I never jest," Kaoru poses. "I imbue every syllable with all the meaning a dictionary could behest."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Hina gives out a biiiig laugh. "Well, what're we gonna do then? I've gotta find Chisachi somehow and tell her I love her!"

"You're going to search for her?"

"Do you not want to?"

"Why, of course I do. But I'm not sure we'll find her so easily, if she's locked herself away."

"Ehh, so what? She'll come back to us faster if we encourage her, right? So let's do it!" Hina steps forward. "I can't play Duel Monsters in peace until she's back! I've had a hard enough time being enthusiastic about it as is lately."

"Hina..." A nod. "Right. I'll do my utmost to gather information about the properties the Corporation owns. She could be hiding in any one of them. But, um... what should we do once we find her?"

"Don't worry about that! I promise; everything'll solve itself once I talk to Chisachi. It always does!"

"...Fufu." 

There's a good smile! The breeze starts getting a little stronger, playing with the blades of grass and the tweeting birds resting in the building-shadowed garden, before settling into the leaves of the tree. 

"Truly you're one of a kind, my galaxy-traversing kitten. Nobody else could make such words sound so convincing."

"Thanks, Kaoru!" Hina grins. "And thanks for always helping us out. Chisachi's grateful too, even if she doesn't show it."

"Of course. I'll always be here... when I can, at least."

"Good enough for me."

It's a scene a bard would twirl their harp through. The birds sing a choir of the loving.

Lunch break has passed by with hope.

"Supernova,"

someone says.

...

Oh, shit.

They turn around; 3 agents stand before them. People who never show their eyes to anyone. That's what makes those eyes dangerous.

For a few seconds, Hina and Kaoru keep their expressions flat, acknowledging the unwanted visitors.

...No, these creeps definitely haven't been here for long. That's good. Still, crap... this place isn't safe for the future. She can't come here with Chisachi anytime soon. They've lost another haven now.

"Good afternoon." Kaoru says. "Was there something you needed from us?"

An agent responds, surprisingly, by nodding. "We have a request for the Supernova."

A request? That's unusual. Especially if these're the Council's agents. Usually, they're more about ordering than requesting. "What's going on?" She asks.

"For now, we would like to forget any previous conflict of interest regarding Aya Maruyama. In light of yesterday's events, she is an extremely trivial concern. That is why we are now asking for your cooperation."

...For some reason, this doesn't feel good. "Then ask. By yesterday's events, do you mean the Exhibition?"

"No. This incident is a seperate one. It occurred last evening," the agent says. "And it bears far greater potential consequence, on both The Dragon and the Academy as a whole."

"Greater consequence than the actions of the Moonlit Rider?" Kaoru frowns. "Please explain."

"As you are aware, The Dragon's current reputation in the populace has soured. Though we can gradually deflect and dilute the information she spilled on camera, the fact remains that she cannot appear in public for the time being. And that means we have no figure to guide the Academy currently."

"So what?" Hina asks. "Why do you care?"

"Because a small portion of our student body has gone berserk. During a training session hosted by Horus LV8, an unaffiliated figure broke into Comet Arena and challenged all 92 students present; they won every single duel, while disabling and knocking out the security who tried to intervene."

"...What? I'm struggling to follow," Kaoru frowns. "Do you mean to say the entire class accepted a duel with a complete stranger? And this stranger was able to fight hand-to-hand with what were presumably trained agents, while dueling them?"

The agent nods.

"And?" Hina says. "The students're always desperate, thanks to you guys. They'd accept a duel from a squirrel if it threw a glove at them, and they'd definitely get mad if they lost. That's nothing new."

"Unfortunately, this is not a mere temper tantrum. The teaching staff have already had to break apart 3 unusually violent altercations today. We've also had a police report of a student pulling a knife out in a crowded store."

"...What?"

"The public does not know of the intrusion, at least. But news of it has spread like wildfire in the Academy. We are doing all we can to lower the pressure, but the agitated students and their downfall are a great source of unease to their peers. If this mystery figure succeeds in attempting a larger break-in, the damage will only worsen."

"The implications being?"

"If our students are pushed to a breaking point before the Qualifier Cup, they will lose confidence in the belief that they are the strongest, and lash out wherever they can. That will quickly turn the public's ire against us, and fatally wound the image of our Academy."

'Our students'. This person talks about them like they're cattle.

"But in regards to what you may be concerned with," the agent continues, "this stranger has a grudge against The Dragon."

Ah. That's not unusual either, but;

"Are they trying to duel her?" Kaoru asks.

"Correct. We believe their intention is to launch an attack on her reputation, much like the Moonlit Rider did."

...

"If a duelist unaffiliated with the SDA defeats The Dragon, then the students will feel helpless in their ability to secure their own careers. Therefore, we must approach this matter with extreme caution. I imagine, Supernova," she continues, "that you are well aware of the consequences if The Dragon's reputation falls amongst both the public and the student body."

"..." Hina slacks her posture. "What's the part I play in this?"

"We only have two requests. The first is that, for the time being, you take a figurehead role as the student body's representative."

.

...Something small pours into Hina's blood. An impulse she's never pondered until now.

When a blade of sin is drawn, the onlookers' minds are affixed. 

Representative. If she takes that position, she'll probably be interviewed and ordered to make speeches. She'll have to actively create good publicity for a scumbag corporation, just like Chisachi did.

She wonders.

If that happens, will the closed eyes of admiration open, and look beyond the title of Supernova? 

"Alright. But don't expect me to care much."

"...Are you sure you're okay with this?" Kaoru asks. She looks shocked. "The public may end up associating you with the rumours of corruption."

"Fine by me. Maybe it'll be interesting, even."

...

"Our other request," the agent continues, "is that you avoid this stranger. Do not duel them."

Something pulses. "Why? Me and Chisato've tricked most of the students into thinking we're almost equal. If I beat this person, then it'll probably help her reputation, won't it?"

"If."

"Ooh. So, you're saying I wouldn't win against them, even if I went all-out?"

...

...

"...We don't know."

...

...

Kaoru looks at her, and mouths; 'will you agree?' 

Stardust. There's a trail that wants to blaze. Hina's blood boils.

She wants to say no. After all, she WANTS to blaze. More than anything, anything, anything, anything, anything, anything anything anything anything anything in the world, she wants to let go. Fighting this person would be UNBELIEVABLY bopping. She can't recall the last time she's reached her hand out to someone new, and have it be grasped in return. No matter how many stars she rushes by, not a single one of them ever responds. Every time she draws her blade in the Academy's name, it's the same one-person show it's always been. And she's had to spend so many of her waking hours, so much of her precious time that could be spent with Chisachi, or Ran, or Moca, or Aya, doing just that, that she feels like she's asleep. Hina Hikawa is, by default, in a state of slumber. 

...She can't live with this. She can't live with an average of 5 hours per month involving Chisachi and Afterglow, an average of 10 hours per month talking idly with Aya, Eve, and if she's lucky Maya, in a sea of --------- ----------. She can't live with a world where she has to shut her eyes around so many people, or else fear, or maybe even accept that what lies beneath everyone she meets is just ------

...But Chisachi's life is on the line.

As much as she wants a connection right now, there's no way she could duel this stranger without putting her girlfriend at risk. Besides, didn't she just take the position of representative? Maybe somebody else'll challenge her because of that.

So she turns back to the agents, and nods. "Alright. I won't duel them." ...But it wouldn't hurt to gather a little information. "That being said, how am I gonna know who to refuse? If they're the 2nd person running around in a black cloak causing trouble, there might be more. I need some way of separating this one from the rest."

"That won't be a problem. This duelist's appearance is... strangely distinguishable. Their cloak is tattered, and their behaviour is extremely malicious."

Tattered, huh?

"They also have a name."

Hina's eyes pulse. "Do they?"

"We are unable to identify who this stranger is. However, the impression they left on the students has whispered a name around the Academy in of itself. It is essentially their Duelist Title."

"Hurry up and tell me, then. Who's our culprit?"

Unknown eyes look at her, and respond. "...Very well, then."

The Sun is hidden behind the clouds.

"The name of this duelist is..."

\---

CLASH!

_BANG!_

A stream of rose bullets covers her knees.

...

**...0LP.**

"Tch..." Ran stands back up again. They've been going at it for an hour. She's lost any duel that wasn't simulated, but for some reason, she doesn't feel like she's hitting a wall. It's more like she's climbing a slope through trial-and-error.

"You may take a break if you wish. We have 30 minutes."

A beautiful quiet blade, equal parts darkness in scarlet and lavender, breathes from the other side of the field. Faint, fluorescent petals flutter across the wolf's eyes and into the sky. Every time Yukina takes the air in and out, Ran feels shivers being sent down her spine. It's like this person's turned her own existence into an overwhelming aura.

...'I can keep going', Ran wants to say. But first, she needs to take a step back and think. "3 minutes. Then I'll be ready."

"Very well."

Their blades aren't withdrawn. Yukina just watches, as Ran takes out her deck and flips through how it's built. Options ranging from negates to continuous sources of immunity... on several occasions, the number of 'outs' she had decided whether or not she lost. If she figures what's hampering this build's consistency, maybe she could...

...mm. No, it's not that easy to tell. And she'd already gone over it beforehand with Yukina. What is she missing...?

"I would like to ask you a question."

"!" Ran immediately looks back to her opponent. "...What is it?"

She's expecting some kind of feedback on her gameplay, or a questioning of her mentality.

But instead, what Yukina says next shocks her:

"Do you like your deck?"

"Wha-" She snaps out of it. "How is that related to anything?"

Yukina doesn't respond. Her silver hair carries the wind with more grace than any plant in this park.

A breath. "...What do you mean? Are you asking if I like it mechanically?"

"In any regard."

Th-that's... how is she supposed to answer that? Where should she start?

Yukina isn't elaborating.

Fine, then. Draw all you want out, and more. "...Yeah. I do. I like the designs of the Aromages. I like how their powers represent their flowers' fragrances." Yukina's watching her. God, this feels awkward. "I like the feeling of using Life Points for effects. And, um... I like the lore behind them."

"The lore?"

Urk! She just had to go and use that word, didn't she? It sounds so embarrassing like that! "U-um." Ran scratches her head, fraying the streak of red. "I-I mean the story. The... the Aromages are guardians of a certain forest, and use their magic to synthesise herbs and salves. Those who work hardest to protect the forest are blessed with Angelica's powers, and can turn into Aromaseraphies... but at first, there's a weird rule amongst the Aromages that only women can be blessed. According to Angelica, it was just how nature worked."

Yukina doesn't speak.

...Ran can feel her face heating up. "B-but one day, the Aromages save the lives of two wounded people called Freesia and Viburnum. To express their gratitude, both of them start training with the Aromages, and quickly become powerful enough to be blessed by Angelica... even though Freesia is agender, and Viburnum is male. When they figure out why, Cananga realises she's a woman too, and Angelica realises her definition of nature is subjective. Then she finds a way to let any Aromage gain the power to become a Seraphy. Th..." she sighs. Thank GOD it's over. "...th-that's all."

"I see. I always enjoyed that tale."

Ran balks. "Y-you already knew it?! Why'd you ask me, then?!"

"I wanted to hear it in your own words." Oh, shut up. "But that tale has always stood out to me. Do you know the origin of this archetype?"

"...No. I don't."

"It was not created by the Academy. Rather, an aspiring card creator made it, basing it on an archetype shown in a Duel Monsters TV series. They claimed they were inspired by the head of a flower arranging school."

"A flower arranging school?" Wow. That's... that feels surreal. "That's pretty tacky of them."

"Hm."

"W-what's that noise meant to mean?"

"Nothing. You seem rather happy."

"Huh?! Wh-what part of me's telling you I'm happy?"

"...?" Yukina tilts her head. "A blush usually means people are happy, no?"

"In your dreams, maybe."

"Then I was mistaken," Yukina says. "But moving on; it is much easier to express yourself with a deck you are invested in. Do you intend to use that archetype at the Qualifier Cup?"

"...Yeah."

"I see. Then we're swapping decks now."

Hold on. "What? But I just said I'm going to use this one-"

"If you are to improve with that deck, you will need to understand how others see you when they face it. These next few duels will put you into the shoes of your opponent."

"Ah." Good. She's had enough of talking now. "Alright, then. Bring it."

They take a few steps closer, over the course of a few long seconds. For just one brief moment, their distance shrinks. Ran gulps; now she realises the cards she's owned for years are going to be held by... this... this person. This jackass. C-can she trust her with them?

...Screw it. She's made worse decisions.

They entrust each other with their cards. Then they seperate once more, standing on opposite ends of the large, worn-down park.

A solitary flower sways with a bit more vivacity than it did before.

Two lone hearts hold their blades at the ready.

"**Let's go!**"  
"**Let's go.**"

\---

A peace undisturbed.

Even from this distance, she can see the Academy's walls. The Dragon's Left and Right Eye, and the Haneoka Haven Stadium... this place is still exposed to them. This is far as she can retreat.

"..."

She sighs. What a quaint, subdued sunset. The tint of cyan in the sky becomes sleepily awash with the outline of citrine.

Such wonders of nature are common in the Hanasakigawa district.

Her hair is tied back into a tail, carrying the faint breeze above an ironed uniform. A garden of shaded green, neatly regalled in bushes of cosmos and tulips across, welcomes her. The sleek steel paving between the fern accommodates a slew of singing birds, who pass by and let the wind push them as it pleases. Slowly, they hop from platform to platform, until their figures can no longer be seen on their journey towards Starlight Tower. The Tower's curved, sloped figure has had the planetarium removed from its peak; and yet despite that, its sleek and imposing stature, ramped in sparse lines of windows, still watches over the district like a stubborn master, refusing to acknowledge the unknown. 

It's a depressingly beautiful sight.

When she told the agents of her request to hide here, they readily accepted. It was easy to convince them with the prospect of her being separated from Hina and Aya. For now, she is able to stow herself into the office behind her and waste the hours away on paperwork, free from the obligation to pressure students into a bloodbath. Free from the obligation to eat at the spirits of the public. Free from the prospect of bearing her hideous maw.

She takes an evening walk through the prison of her own making. As she steps onto the path, crows fly upon the fences and bore their gazes into her. Their chained black obscures their eyes, making them difficult to stare at.

One squawks.

...She was a fool, she thinks. In her anguish, she decided then and there it would be better to handle her duty without the Sun's loving hand. Ridiculous; she knows from experience how impossible it is to accomplish anything alone. Once again, she has nobody to blame but herself for this pitiful mess.

"Good afternoon to you, Chisato!"

The crows fly away. Ah, she'd almost forgotten; she's not here alone, is she? Perhaps Kaoru's dramatic personality has reduced her own rationality. But it truly is strange; despite giving no information to her allies, one acquaintance has managed to stay close. Chisato turns, and looks into the sky-blue eyes of her current assistant.

Bushido's Inheritor.

Like the archetype of a warrior, her words never fail to be honest, pure, forward. Her actions are the very opposite of alien. That's exactly why her continued presence in the Academy is such an anomaly.

"...Good afternoon." Likely, the cameras are watching. "Was there something you needed?"

"There wasn't," Eve responds. "I have completed my assignments here for the day, and the Bushido League has finished training at Starlight Tower. I merely wished to see how you were doing!"

"I'm surprised. Such a sentiment would already be audacious. But I would rather call it nonsensical, in light of the Exhibition."

"Yes... you said a lot of horrible things yesterday. But your words made realise something!" She smiles. "You hardly seemed happy to call the populace slaves. I felt a lot of stress from you."

"How sickeningly sweet a delusion."

"No. I can tell you hide many thoughts beneath your mask, Chisato. There's a Bushido spirit inside the both of us!"

"...I see. Then, the fact you are at this location is no coincidence. When the staff were looking for part-time assistants, you volunteered because you wanted to talk to me."

"You're very perceptive! That is correct. And working under The Dragon improves your resume for when you graduate the Academy. Any improvements to my reputation improves the careers of everyone in the Bushido League!"

How radiant. The sunset light practically rests itself upon those snow-white braids.

"Oh! I hope my presence is not bothering you, Chisato."

"It is not," she replies. "You get your work done quickly and efficiently. But The Dragon does not waste time on idle chit-chat."

"Then, let us discuss a topic beneficial to the both of us!"

...

This person... Chisato has observed her on quite a few occasions now. Her model demeanor, wrapped in consideration and dedication, reminds Chisato of the previous Rank 5; a student who blatantly contrasted her sadistic peers. It's an observation that makes her feel rather wistful.

Conversation could be dangerous. Nothing feels safe or sacred, after how blatantly she exposed her fangs to the public; as quiet as this place seems, anything she says here could further endanger her brittle position. But deep down, stardust pulses, wishing to topple her family's wretched empire; and it tells her that festering in her self-made prison is hardly productive. So if she cannot return to Hina and Kaoru yet, it would be wise to interact with other potential allies.

<strike>Is the abyss not appealing enough to you?</strike>

...That being said, if a Council agent learns she has allied with Eve, that could be a death knell for her dreams. The Bushido League is a name the Elder Council does not take lightly. Eve's kindness, sincerity and devotion are the antithesis of the Corporation's philosophy. Whereas the Academy as a whole emphasises self-concerned, cut-throat competition, and sneers at morality for the sake of profit, the Bushido League operates on a largely moral code, and uses competition as a path to mutual understanding. Those inspired by the latter bite the billionaire's hand that force-feeds them, condemning the acts of cruelty corporations find too costly to clean up; and with the Bushido League's popularity, there are likely plenty of fans ready to start biting once they perceive the SDA's impurity. Indeed, this selection of students poses a severe threat to the Corporation's capital-

Her train of thought screeches to a halt.

It makes no sense. Why on earth does the Elder Council ignore this person? She's a far bigger threat than Aya is. They should be very, very well aware of that... shouldn't they? In fact, isn't it somewhat miraculous that such a person has escaped any manufactured scandal or flat-out expulsion? From the eyes of a profit-driven machine, it is completely impossible to ignore someone like her.

Chisato breathes. "Very well." It is evident she is in no position to conspire with Eve right now. But perhaps, if she digs cautiously, she could learn more about the warrior's dynamic with the Corporation. "But I'll decide the topic we discuss. And that topic shall be you."

She's surprised. "Me? If that is truly okay, I'd happy to talk about myself! What do you want to know about me?"

"Your motivations."

Eve's face pauses.

"Eve Wakamiya. A student tutored by the rising star Hanne. She moved to this district a year and a half ago, after requesting to transfer into the Academy. Her origin is an overseas family who holds a low opinion of the Shirasagi Corporation. She avoids the methods other students use to bolster their career, and breaks up altercations whenever she comes across them; it would be no exaggeration to say her skin is devoid of scales." Magenta pierces. "As a Shirasagi myself, I cannot understand your decision to enter our draconic lair. So tell me; what drives your behaviour?"

...

...

If she had to describe the look she was seeing on Eve's face... she would equate it to a pair of kite-shaped gems, encrusted in a resolute pillar.

Wait. Was that a glance, snuck at the camera's direction? No... that's most likely a coincidence. "..." Eve shakes her head, as if making some kind of judgement; then her smile returns. It's most certainly a genuine one. "I'd be happy to tell you! After all, honesty is an integral aspect of Bushido."

"Please do. Surely you are as aware as I am that you do not fit into this Academy."

"I am. In fact, that is the very reason I came here!"

Ah.

...Chisato can feel her blood freezing.

Eve's expression doesn't change. "To be honest, though I am a student at this Academy, I do not consider it my benefactor." She says, with clear intonation and sound volume. "I am opposed to the philosophy and management of the Shirasagi Duel Academy. The staff do not care for the well-being of their students, and freely let them fight amongst themselves. They seem happy to let many of them fall into misery, so long as a few stay at the top. I cannot understand why any person would do such a cruel thing."

"Hmph. You've joined an Academy you're opposed to, then? For what purpose?" Chisato responds. "You had the option of staying away from dragons, if you disliked them."

"Because I love this country." The birds fly. "Ever since I transferred here, it's only reminded me of everything I love about its culture, and taught me so much more. I've had many lovely experiences, and made many new friends!" Her hair billows. "And as self-concerned as it may be, I did not wish for this Academy to continue hurting those who reside here. That feeling only amplified when I learned of the fate most students meet when they are expelled."

Self-concerned? No. It's the most selfless thing she could do. Foolishly selfless, even.

"That is why I established the Bushido League. I formed a group that followed tenets I believe are worth following, because I wish for my friends to be able to live together. I wish that the competition of Duel Monsters will be used to bring everyone closer, instead of casting away and sacrificing those deemed unskilled. And to accomplish that goal, I will change the philosophy of the Academy from the inside, and unite every student under the banner of Bushido. That is my reason for coming to this dual-district, Chisato... that is my motivation!"

WHrrRRRRrrrRRR

A furrowing gale. Fierce, tempestuous, stable; through its formidable strength, it harms not a single flower in this garden.

...Funny, that. It's rather similar to her own dream. Why is it that this person appears so much closer to it than she does? "Hmmhmhm."

"Is... something the matter?" Eve asks.

"No. I'm just amused by your recklessness. Do you not realise there are cameras all around this building?" The Dragon smiles. "Everything you say is being recorded. You have declared your intention to oppose the Corporation in front of their very eyes. I would not be surprised if they ordered your exp-"

"I'm well aware I'm being recorded."

"...What?" Chisato can feel her pupils narrow. "Then why on earth would you say such a thing?"

"Because it is in my code to be honest!"

...

"I have never lied about my intentions since joining this Academy. I imagine the staff and the Corporation are well aware of how I see them. And that will not stop me from seeing my path through."

"...How foolish. We could toss you aside at any moment, and condemn you to the abyss. Do you not fear that fate?"

"I do. But there are plenty of students who have more reason to fear that fate than I do. I fight for their sake." She frowns. "And in my year and a half of being here, none of my actions have ever prompted detention or expulsion. I do not know why that is the case. But if it means the people above us have a shred of humanity, I will gladly continue to try and change their path."

"I've never heard anything so ridiculous in my life." The Dragon sighs. "We hardly care for your trivial concerns, Eve Wakamiya. Your insurrection of the student body can be cast aside by us at any time. Remember that."

She performs, just as the eyes watching from above would want. It's hardly the first time she's pushed away people with intentions like her own.

But what disturbs her...

...is that when she finishes that sentence, Eve's smiling. Bright, determined and warm; it's a smile that symbolises all of those traits, despite the stake The Dragon ran through her.

Chisato ignores it. Eve's words; they have illuminated a lot, yet failed to answer her primary question. It makes no sense for the Bushido League to have been side-eyed by the Elder Council. All she can infer, for now, is that Eve is the Academy's worst enemy imaginable. Allying with her, or even just trying to keep her safe, is a process that could only be done in the utmost secrecy. And that process certainly cannot be done now.

So Chisato sighs, and brushes her stray hairs into place. "You've filled my curiosity for now. You may leave."

"Thank you very much for allowing me to talk to you! I feel like I've learned more about you, if it's not rude to say." Eve bows. "I do not live far from here, so I shall return tomorrow afternoon, at the same time as today. I hope you have a good evening, Chisato!"

...Likewise, she thinks.

But as Eve strides down the brick slope without a shred of hesitation, she cannot vocalise that sentiment. All she can do is watch in silence, as the warrior turns back to give her a piece of one last radiant smile... before closing the gate and departing.

...

She's left alone, only a lovely view of Hanasakigawa to comfort her. The temperature settles for a quiet cold, as she walks between the lampposts and the tended cosmos. A few crows return, their visages more complimenting of the new sunset light. This district's always been one for mountains and trees; it rather contrasts Haneoka's fixation on cities and coasts. Even the Starlight Tower fits rather naturally with the vista below, its gorgeous rivers and towns laid before her in full. More than can be said for the blot that is the Academy.

Chisato looks at her left arm, and lets out the longest sigh she's had in a month, as she thinks:

"How peaceful."

Unmoving. Unchanging. Even with the meteor impact of the Moonlit Rider, nothing is overturned in an instant. The guillotine grip wielded by billionaires is not shifted by the objections of one, or even a few. Not even a few thousand could cause any instantaneous change. That is why, even though she drew a blade of venom and spat upon the populace, the people can do little to harm her as of now. When you reside over heaven, nobody can punish you for your sins.

How cursed. After all, the prospect of this 'Black Star' group is a sign of hope to her. As miserable as that day was, the Moonlit Rider reminded her she is not the only one who pursues change. She dreams, of a day far away, perhaps years from now, when she can ally with such groups and truly gain a momentum that could overturn society as this dual-district knows it. So to see such an unchanging, beautiful scenery granted to her right now, is crushing in a way she rarely feels. Seeing the Moonlit Rider's actions fail to dethrone those who sit upon their gorgeous, golden castles; it is depressing.

"...I will not..."

She must play it cautious. The Corporation can survive the Rider's blow, but the same cannot be said for Chisato. If her reputation plummets across the eyes of the world, the Council will cast her into the abyss. And to say she stands on the edge of the cliff would be an understatement.

Truly, she is in one of the worst positions she's faced across her entire life. B-but...

"...I will not stop. Not yet."

Because she still has her dream. She has every intention of surviving the Corporation's fall, every intention of supporting whoever takes their reigns from the shadows beside her treasured allies. And she cannot rest until that dream is accomplished. That dream is Chisato Shirasagi's only reason for existing.

That is why, no matter how many times she watches the world from a throne, she will turn her thoughts towards society's regicide, and step forward with gritted teeth.

"Wait for me, Hina." She reaches out to the setting Sun. "Once the controversy has settled, I will return as soon as possible. Then-"

Footsteps.

Several pairs. 

Chisato's breath stops, and she turns around.

Agents.

"...Good evening." She frowns as she approaches them. It's... unusual for them not to visit in silence. "What news do you have for me?"

"We have two pieces. We'll begin our update immediately," one of them says. "The first is that, until you return to the limelight, the Supernova will take your place as the student body's representative."

"...tch."

Another mistake. If she chose to stay at the Academy, this could have been avoided. No doubt Hina's only doing this for her sake.

A thundercloud gathers in her head, pounding and squelching. Her heart convulses at the idea of Hina garnering hatred from the public, so she says; "I see. Be careful; I imagine overuse of her presence on TV will have the opposite of the intended effect on the Academy's image. She is hardly a suitable replacement for me-"

"We do not have the luxury of using her half-heartedly. Your reputation is in severe danger."

It throbs. For some reason, she has a feeling this isn't referring to the Exhibition. "...Why?"

"There has been an incident. One involving another figure in a black cloak."

.

..

...No. It's just a coincidence.

But an image flashes in her brain. A dreadbringer, watching her from the walls of the Academy at February's dawn. Their hood completely covers their hair and eyes, but there's a grin on their face; their teeth are confidently sharpened. They're a figure whose nonchalance betrays their otherworldly behaviour.

It couldn't-

Stay calm. "Explain."

"We lack information regarding this intruder's affiliations or motivations. All we know is that they are targeting you."

...

"Yesterday evening at Comet Arena, they broke in and knocked out the staff present, before taunting Horus LV8 into dueling them. Every single round was their victory, a fact which they jeeringly held over the students. Though the media does not know of this event, the Academy most certainly does."

"...And by that you mean?"

"Without your presence to guide them, the students are in disarray. Many have exhibited extreme anger as a result of losing to this person, and are lashing out at each other or even members of the public. That is why we must rely on the Supernova." The agent gestures at one of her transceivers. "From this point on, we will dictate any action you take in relation to this incident. We cannot have you duel this person unless we are certain you will win-"

"Tell me."

The agents pause.

"Who are they?"

"As previously stated, we lack information."

Chisato swallows the growing bile, and utters; "What about their appearance?"

"Their appearance is very recognisable. Unlike the Black Star affiliate, their cloak is tattered, and their behaviour is extremely malicious."

.. . . 

. . 

. . . .. . 

. .

. 

....................

"Do not engage this duelist unless we order otherwise. And do not leave this building. We are now keeping our schedules private from everyone, with the exception of the staff, the Technology Department, and students involved, minimising the chances of them launching another attack. But there is still a possibility they will try and find you in person."

...

...

The dread inside her is indescribable. Its sweltering validated by the unknown, her hopes begin to shudder. Fear overwhelms Chisato.

In the vortex of bile, she only has one question:

"...A name. Do we have a name?"

"We do. The defeated students have started referring to this duelist by a specific title."

"That title being?"

She inhales the minute she asks. The lone, suffocated human being called Chisato stands stiff as a statue.

For at long last, the Watcher has verbalised their impression.

"The name of this duelist..." 

the agent says, 

"...is Star Breaker."


	34. Sirius Warped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have any CWs for this chapter, but I get told a lot that my content makes people cry, so it'd be remiss of me not to say; this is one of those chapters

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

VRRRRRrrrrr

The sunset is strong, nostalgic, deep; almost red, choking the clouds with soot from a broken solar eye. It's not the same as before, but it's good enough. The way it paints the grass and the pavements is still hypnotising.

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

She keeps going. The air is cold, biting at her skin, but the metal of her vehicle is hot to the touch. Burning smog steams out from the pipes.

The front wheel bumps over a stick, and keeps going. Her route is a roundabout; 6 houses strong, if you include her own. When she reaches one, she grips the brakes, carelessly jumps off and heads towards the door.

She rings the bell.

...

...No response.

She gets back on, and heads to the next. Rinse and repeat. The number of answers varies by the day. Sometimes they step out of the house and join her, sometimes they don't. Today's not so lucky; she's passed all 6, and the responses weren't great. Nobody was at the 6th house, even; the door was unlocked, but the chain was in place. When she yelled out a name, there wasn't any response. 

...That house's been like that for several weeks. Maybe she should just give up. Isn't that what they both want?

No. It can't be. Ignore it for now.

Well, that means her motorcycle only has one passenger; herself. But that's fine. After all, she's got plenty of fuel now. She can head wherever she wants, with an excited smile on her face.

...

...

...She chooses to head around the roundabout again.

She walks up to 5 doors.

She rings the bell.

...No response.

And again.

She walks up to 5 doors.

She rings the bell.

...No response.

And again.

She walks up to 5 doors.

She rings the bell.

...No response.

And again.

The front wheel bumps over a stick, and keeps going.

...She walks up to 4 doors this time.

She rings the bell.

No response.

Rinse and repeat, 4 more times.

She rings the bell.

No response.

It's when she's considering lowering it to 3, that she realises; it's pointless. She should stop. There's nothing she can do here anymore. Her vehicle feels like it's going to overheat; it'd probably be a better use of time to take this hunk of junk and throw it into the garage. Call it a day. Play a game, do a few chores, maybe. Head out somewhere else. No point in wearing yourself out, is there? She knows better than to do that now.

...But there has to be more she can offer. What good's all this fuel for if she can't use it for anything? She had it restocked, so she might as well make the most of it. She's been wasting it so far; sometimes she's got a passenger or two, which is great, but it... hasn't been the same. She can tell, everyone's words aren't coming out the way they want. They've become truthful, sure, but they've also become... tired. Every sentence is exhaustion incarnate. Unending, ongoing. This isn't a momentary slump; it's life tumbling downhill. All she's doing is wandering on the mountainside, just like always. And that's only fun until you realise it... probably hurts more than it helps, right now.

This isn't what the sunset was meant to be. Being together, all on the same vehicle, is what's supposed to make everything better; she had to get her ass kicked by her friend just to realise that. She got her act together and stopped hiding things just so it could happen. And it definitely had a positive impact, right? She's started smiling again, after all. She feels warm now; hot, even. Her skin's boiling. Her blood is pumping. It almost feels like fear, but she could swear it's excitement. No, it definitely has to be excitement, because she knows for a fact that it started with excitement; a cherished blaze, that you're supposed to bust through every obstacle with. That's what she gained... so why can't she do more now? Why can't she do better? She had a whole fire reignited inside of her, and yet it's not the same. Her world isn't the same. She's riding in solitude, and she's not even doing it on purpose this time. Is there something she's still missing?

Her head tells her, don't push it. Take a break. But that's been her mantra for too long. She's impatient. She's had enough of pacing herself; nothing's changing, and that means she needs to pull her weight a bit more. Not out of some sense of obligation, but because- well.. s-she can't bear seeing everyone like this. They all deserve better.

Ask yourself, Tomoe; is sitting back and taking it easy REALLY going to lead you to anything right now?

Is it?

Is it?

...

...

...

VRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

She walks up to 5 doors, hitting each one.

No response.

...

...And again.

The front wheel bumps over a stick. The metal bars burn her.

She walks up to 5 doors, hitting each one.

No response.

...And again.

The front wheel bumps over a stick. The smell of smoke is overwhelming.

She walks up to 5 doors, hitting each one.

No response.

...Again.

The front wheel-

CRACK!

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

"Mmgh..."

...Sunny morning, isn't it? Normally, the first thing waking her up is the commotion downstairs; her family laughing, or noisily eating breakfast. But it's weirdly quiet today, so her eyes get the privilege of yanking her up through the blaring window.

"Urgh. I never remember my dreams, lately."

Y'know, couldn't hurt for the weather to be a little warmer. Moca describes her as a stove sometimes, right? Why can't, "grh," she just, "hhgghh," spit a few flames out, and heat the place... "hhhrk!" Up!

Tomoe stretches her back for about 5 seconds; Himari says 15's better, but that takes too long. Gah, she feels sore... get it together, Tomoe... date and time? Phone's saying Friday 19th February, and-

"...oh, crap!" 

She's gonna be late for school at this rate! Tomoe, kick your ass into gear! Okay, it's fine if she handles clothes first, right? Improvise! Here's a pretty lengthy black shirt, it's got studs even, cool, here's some ripped jeans, here's a jacket. Done! Next, time to-

Wait. Her eyes catch something.

"What're these doing on the floor?" She sidles past a collapsed Gran Tursmo (was it Tursmo?) poster (she really needs to take better care of her gifts), and finds a weirdly clustered group of items beside her bed. It's a bunch of photo albums, and... "A copy of Mario Kart, huh."

Hm. Maybe she was playing games with Ako yesterday? Makes sense; her memory's a little hazy, so she'll just accept that as the explanation.

The morning adrenaline fades, her nostalgia piqued by the albums. Wouldn't hurt to take a little trip to the past... ah, the album on top! That's the one she loves the most; the one with all her most recent memories! These past few years've felt like the time of her life. 

Mm? The reasons? Oh, countless... which one's the most important, though? Tomoe flips through the pages. Maybe it's Ako; she didn't like her new school, but this picture of the first day she wore her new uniform... it shows just how much she's grown up. Almost brings a tear to big sis's eye; hell, it probably did recently! It'd explain why the picture's got a fresh stain. Who would've thought the girl who used to hate eating veggies would say she'll pick up groceries on her way home? Talk about showing off, little rascal!

Another page. Maybe it's the dance club; she finds a selfie taken in a comfy, spacious living room by her and Lisa. S-she's blushing in it, sure, but that's only because she has a bad habit of giving in when Lisa, uh, enables her. This scene's a real keeper, especially with the second picture next to it, showing an indignant Himari stuffing herself into the frame with them. It's fun playing wingman for those two; Himari says dancing tires her, but she's always smiling during it! They all smile when they're together. That's how the club ended up becoming a new routine, just for the three of them. It's the best cross-school collaboration there is! ...Even if they had to go on-hold during January.

A few pages more; gah, she can't choose! There's so much good stuff in here. Ran getting more confident in her clothes, Tsugumi starting part-time at Hazawa Coffee... and it's not just the individual memories! The other thing she loves about this album is how most of these pictures were taken by herself. It's all thanks to the new Hyper-Tomoe photography instinct Himari gave her! She's no camera fiend like her friend, but there are at least a couple pictures for every event here, and plenty for the lazier days too. This album's way more stuffed than the earlier ones because of it. It's got tons, and tons, and tons of the things that kindle her heart the most. All the adventures she's gone through, with big smiles on everyone's faces. She can't really explain why, but it's... just... there's just something, y'know?! Something about all this that makes you feel like you could pick up mountains and toss them like tennis balls!

Tick

Tock

Ack, the time! Don't be distracted; well, so she says, but it takes a few more smiles and daydreams before the album's stored away. Okay, for real this time; let's stop shirking off, and take the videogame back to Ako! If monster truck senior's overslept, then monster truck junior definitely has too, so c'mon, let's go already! Make it quick! Everyone in Afterglow's waiting for her, and it's Friday, too; that means dance club's on after school! Go, go, go!

Tomoe leaps out of her door. Her sister's room is on the other end of the corridor, so it barely takes a few seconds for her to stride down. "Wonder if Ako's still napping. Maybe she doesn't wanna get up? Hehe... might have to bust out the ol' tickle treatment...!"

Knock knock!

No response; that's her cue to throw it open. "Hey, lazybones! You-"

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Her memory comes back. 

Tick

Tock

...Her throat is still sore. 

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Ha. Now she remembers why she had the album out last night. She's a hypocrite. 

She's been running more than anyone else has.

\---

"Morning."

It's gone. Nothing's happened so far today. Nothing at all. Her memory's a blank, and so are the months. Forgetting is second nature now.

The sunlight downstairs dyes grey as it reaches through the blinds, festering on the mess surrounding the kitchen sink. Dad gives a half-hearted, friendly wave towards Tomoe, washing a few dishes. "Mornin', Tomoe. Are you off to school?"

"...Soon. I'll eat first."

Each action comes from limbs of molasses. She grabs something easy from the fridge. She heats it up. She leaves the kitchen. She heads towards the living room. She takes step after step, each feeling a second longer than the last. She sits alone on a large couch, an analog clock looming behind. She turns the TV on, but doesn't bother processing it.

'This morning, sources...... witness reports, a massive commotion at Hardened Resolve Arena...'

Big news, probably. People are smiling or looking shocked as they respond to the interviewer's questions. They look so alive.

'... of the students arguing?'

'They... SDA students... something about... and a star breaker? ... duel disks... hacked, or broken or whatever...'

The interviewing ends. The presenter's shown on screen. 'Later questioning found... apparently, 515 SDA students had booked... for practice... later, several fights between students in the street...'

She blinks, and it keeps passing by. At some point, Mom's shown up and sat down with her.

"Good morning, sweetie."

"...Morning."

The clock ticks in silence.

'...follows recent public outcry... due to the Central City Exhibition-'

Tomoe blinks. The screen momentarily wakes her up, beaming her eyes with someone unusual: 

"Hina?" 

She starts focusing on what's being said. One of her friends is being interviewed, even looking oddly well-dressed for the occasion. It's the first time she's ever seen Hina wearing the uniform properly. And the title; "Acting Representative? What do they mean by that?"

'Miss Hikawa, are the rumours of student unrest and fighting in the streets true?'

'Yeah, they are. Things have been a mess since the Exhibition. We're basically on a big troublemaker hunt right now!'

'Sources indicate that two students have attempted burglary or physical battery on members of the public. Do you know why that is?'

'I wasn't Representative when the burglary happened... oh, I heard about the other one though! That guy's not coming back here after he's released from custody, we can guarantee that.'

Tomoe scowls. Hina's... stuck in a den of malicious assholes, isn't she? How does she deal with it? The way she always smiles would remind Tomoe of herself when she deflects worry and concern, if it wasn't for that invincibly upbeat nature. Ugh, no doubt she's been roped into this against her will.

'People are concerned about the Academy's recent behaviour,' one interviewer asks. 'They claim The Dragon is acting maliciously towards her peers and escalating conflict-'

'Miss Supernova! Do you know about the allegations of ShiraCorp being directly responsible for closing Cavern of the Ice Barrier-'

'What is the current status of The Dragon? She has not appeared publicly since the Exhibition-'  
'Is it true that you are involved in the business decisions of the Corporation's-'  
'Rumours of a secret war for Ranks 1 and 2 imply you may have deliberately sabotaged The Dragon's rep-'  
'Will the violent behaviour of the students continue to escalate?'

A few suited figures step in and whisper to Hina; she nods, and starts heading away from the crowd, a pitying smile all the way. The screen cuts back to the presenter again.

"Hina..."

"Shirasagi Duel Academy." Her Mom sighs. "A bunch of students from there were bullying Ako, right?"

The clock ticks.

The second that name's brought up, it's like her lungs have simply vanished. "...Yeah."

"Hah. We should have asked her about it... silly us."

All this time, Tomoe hasn't told her parents a thing.

She's lied for weeks on end. She hasn't told them where Ako is, or what Ako's doing. All she's done is try and reassure them with her silver tongue. They don't know Ako'll come back one day. They aren't certain Ako will ever return at all. Only Tomoe knows anything more about Ako's location than the one sighting of her in Duston Drivethrough.

Her parents were crying when that shopkeeper visited them.

"...Mom." She tries to smile. It's like a thousand crystal shards rip into her body when she speaks. "Let's protect Ako more when she gets back."

"Yeah. You're right. Can't mess that up twice."

The clock ticks.

Please. Move away from the topic. Please- Tomoe tries to breathe. "I-I hope Hina's okay. She seemed fine, but she's probably having all kinds of unreasonable demands pushed on her."

"This Hina person. She's from the SDA too, isn't she?"

What's with that look on her face? "Y-yeah. We hear a lot of stories from her about that place. Apparently, it's as ugly on the inside as it is-"

"She's from the SDA too."

.

A void of fire.

Tomoe looks at her. "What are you implying?"

"I'm just saying," her Mom speaks slowly, "that it... might not be wise to get close to her, sweetie."

"...W-why?"

"She looks like a nice girl, Tomoe, but she's a big shot in that place, isn't she? She's the top of the bunch that bullied Ako-"

"No!" She nearly shoots from her seat. "...Um, sorry for shouting. Hina isn't like that, honest. She isn't anything like Chisato or the rest of those scumbags-"

"Then why is she in that Academy?"

"I-I don't know. There's probably lots of reasons," Tomoe sighs. "But she's as affected by all this as the rest of us are. She isn't pushing students to attack people."

"She didn't look affected. The way she was smiling the whole time, she hardly seemed bothered at all."

"That's-" She can feel herself boiling. "Mom. Please."

Fortunately, it seems to work. "Right. I'm... sorry. We said we'd trust you and Ako more on who you make friends with, didn't we?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Forget what I said then. You've got a good head on your shoulders." Mom stands up. "Stay safe at school today, sweetie."

"G-got it. You can... count on me."

She's left alone. The clock ticks.

...She turns the TV off, and quiet washes over. Why does she suddenly feel like garbage? Snap out of it. She can't go looking like this all the time. Besides, she'll probably cheer up a bit once she sees Ran, -

...when she sees Ran, Tsugumi, and Himari.

Ah. Now she knows why. It's Hina. 

She feels scared. It's not that she doubts Hina, hell no; if The Dragon was the one being interviewed, there'd be a lot of deflected questions, but Hina's the kind of person who bluntly condemns assholes. She smiles because the answer's obvious to her, not because she's heartless. No... what Tomoe fears is that she'll start seeing her less. It's already hard enough to hang out with her as is, seeing how completely packed her schedule is thanks to the SDA. And that sucks, because there's... never a bad moment with her in the room. She's always fun to be with. 

So, what if this tension escalates then? What if Hina starts getting a bad rep? What if it becomes dangerous for her to hang out in public? What if Tomoe starts seeing her less and less? Is Hina going to disappear from her life, just like-

...

...The clock ticks.

Tomoe gets up immediately, walks to her room, packs her bag and heads downstairs again, as fast as she humanly can. She opens the front door. She's an inch from making it onto the pavement before her Dad says;

"You heading out?"

She turns around. "Y-yeah. I'm off. I'll bring the groceries with me on my way home."

"Safe trip, Tomoe. Don't keep your friends waiting."

... "I-I won't."

Before a single second passes, she starts moving again.

It's cold. Things start fading away. Her steps are tattered, incoherent. Inconsistent. Everything in her body makes her want to rush, and she doesn't know why. She just feels the need to... t-to do something. Something, anything, anything at all. Idly walking to school is infuriating right now.

"..."

She stops.

What's she going to do at school today, anyway? What's she going to say to the rest of Afterglow? Probably the same thing as always, right? An apology, a vent, a few bouts of exhausted laughter and some reassurance. They'll probably split off once school finishes; after all, they won't be in the mood to hang out, will they? Chances are, they'll just head back home in solitude, and wait for the next day.

Rinse and repeat.

...

...The clock ticks.

Tomoe shivers.

She's ran through with an empty sword. Deprived. Devoid. For some reason, she's sweating, even though the Sun isn't all that warm. And for some reason, even though she wants to do something...

...she doesn't feel like doing anything at all.

Because she doesn't know what to do.

...

"...Li..."

No. "I-" Stop. Don't... don't think about it. "Why-" STOP IT! It's too much. This is enough, Tomoe. Your friends are waiting for you at school, so stop thinking and start moving. You've got people waiting for you!

Her phone buzzes. She slowly takes it out, and looks at the notification. It's a message from Himari.

She types the same response as always. She says she'll be there soon. As she does, the time on her phone goes a minute forward.

There's a response. It's enthusiastic. See? They're waiting for you, Tomoe. They're here for you, Tomoe.

And they'll always be here-

...

...She aimlessly takes the next turn. She doesn't know where she's going. She doesn't care. She just needs to be alone. 

If she's alone, maybe she can mute every passing second, ringing in her ears.

\---

_"Go into the city and eavesdrop discussions of the Academy."_

_Rinko gulps as soon as she hears it. "Eavesdrop?"_

_"Exactly as implied. Blend into the background, using your phone or another distractor, and listen in on the conversations surrounding you." Yukina stands in front of the rose portrait. "Your goal will be to obtain a sample of opinions regarding the Supernova, verbalised in a natural environment. Meanwhile, I will be looking into the media's depictions instead."_

_This is it. No doubt... this is what Yukina meant, when she said Rinko needed to make a decision soon. It's something deliberately small to start with; something that doesn't require approaching strangers, something that doesn't require too many steps forward. She thinks; in that way, Yukina has always been a... considerate leader, to her._

_But... there's some aspects of Yukina that concern her too. "May I... ask why?"_

_"If we are to create propaganda against the Academy, we need information." Yukina closes her eyes. "There are a variety of topics that would be useful for us to understand; the students' temperament or the incident at Hardened Resolve Arena, for example. But information about the Supernova comes first and foremost for the sake of our plans. Compared to The Dragon, I know little of use about her."_

_"...Ah. I see."_

_It's... not the answer she was looking for. She knows of Yukina's broad intentions. In fact, she can't help but be... captivated, by them. Yukina is capable of using this medium to share her desires with the world... and she's able to give Lisa, Sayo and Ako that power too. It's a power that doesn't come to Rinko naturally. Yukina's... amazing._

_...But when Rinko looks to her right, and sees Sayo studying silently at the table... she wonders: What does her leader intend to do with-_

_"Do you have any objections?"_

_"A-ah!" She snaps out of it for now; she doesn't have... any intention of leaving, after all. So the doubts are hidden instead. "Um... I'll... accept it. Thank you for your consideration, too."_

_"Are you certain?"_

_Rinko nods. "This... isn't as scary, to me. I can do it. But..."_

_Yukina lets her muster the courage. It's a rather awkward question, to be honest._

_"...may I ask... why me?" She says. "I know I said I... wanted to further my role in Roselia. It's just... I don't know if I'm the most suited t-to reconaissa-"_

_"It is not a matter of who is most suited."_

_"Eh? What... do you mean?"_

_Amber cuts cleanly into her. "If you wish to emulate Lisa, then this is a task you must undertake. Having someone else do it for you will not yield the same results."_

_It's then when she starts to have an inkling of what's being asked._

_"Rinko. You must gain an understanding of who Hina Hikawa is."_

...

That's why she finds herself here.

The forest's mourning begins to end. The weather aspires to imitate Spring. Sparsities of birds and clouds humour the lifeless air, faded blue and irradiant Sun trickling onto the surface. From a bridge and a forest of trees, she enters Haneoka's mazeway of roads, circling around a meters-tall brick wall. An entrance suggests a spacious park lying within, gravelled pathways surrounded by peaceful, understated greenery. The inconspicuous trees and wilting tulips are unwilling to humour the current strength of the breeze.

...She's shaking a bit. She started small; it's still the morning, so she hasn't headed to the City yet. She'll start by wandering around this area instead; it always has a decent number of people. Not so many as to be overwhelmed by, and not so few as to gain nothing from. Ako offered to come with, but... she wanted to do this alone. It's her first step forward; step by step, she follows Yukina's guiding hand. She.. doesn't know if she's ready to be as brave as anyone else yet, but...

'Pace yourself.'

...that's the advice everyone's given her. She'll take it.

That being said... s-she's not exactly a ninja. Sayo says she's quiet and tends to blend in, but she doesn't exactly feel as stealthy as that statement implies. If she's, um, scavenging around for a discussion, she'll definitely look suspicious, won't she?

...Right. Let's find a spot, then... here. She sits on a rather large bench near the park's entrance, surrounded by a small number of layabout friend groups. Her trick for blending in and looking inconspicuous, at least, is something she's pretty confident in:

Playing mobages. 

Hehe. It's... n-not often someone approaches her when she's doing this. That thought eases the tension in her limbs, putting a smile on-

"Gahahahaha! Are you serious?!"

her heartbeat stops

oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, she's messed it up, someone already-

...Oh, thank god, no. It was just... one of the groups laughing amongst themselves. Of course the laughter wasn't directed at her; that's a... pretty baseless assumption. But there's an infuriating part of her mind that's always assumed the worst in social situations, for years and years on end. The cradle of fear throbbing in her flesh.

Deep breaths.

"By the way, you guys heard? About what happened at the arena?"

"Uhhh, vaguely... HRA, I'm assuming."

There's a bunch of college students to her right. "Okay, so lemme give you the lowdown!" One of them starts off the new topic, by spending about 30 seconds excitedly recounting this morning's news. "Wild, huh? Not every day you get a story like this. So here's my-"

"Calm down," the 2nd one responds. "People are getting hurt because of this. This isn't fun-"

"C'mon, that's nothing unusual! Happens all the time with that Academy. Anyway, I think some mega ultra-cool duelist went into the arena and KABLAMMO! Kicked some ass and THAT'S why all the students are yelling!"

A sigh. "Where'd that superhero fantasy of yours come from? You're as hard to understand as ever."

"And you're as cynical and boring as ever. I'm not making this up out of thin air!" The boisterous one grins. "There were a bunch of interviews, and one person claimed the students were saying something about a star breaker. I think that's a Duelist Title, y'know? Like The Dragon!"

"...You're losing me here."

"Come on, think about it. If those elitist snobs are pissed, it's probably because of something related to Duel Monsters, right?"

"I guess."

"So that means they got owned. This Star Breaker person broke in, and they all got in over their heads, and got salty because they lost. Sounds reasonable, right?"

"Reasonable? Would they really try and stab someone because-" Another sigh. "Gah, whatever. Yeah, sure, I believe you. So what about it?"

...This isn't related to Hina. Or at least, so she first thinks.

"Here's my working theory. I think the Supernova's Star Breaker."

But once she hears that, she pauses her game so she can listen.

"Okay, you've officially lost me."

"C'mon!"

The calmer friend gestures to the 3rd of the group. "She's in some Batman world. Let's go."

"U-um! S-she... might be right. You never know!"

"You don't have to bend over backwards listening to her conspiracy ramblings.... but fine, fine. Alright hotshot, you've got the green light. Tell us about your wild ideas."

"Okay, well, this is more opinion than theory, but... Supernova's chill, right?" The 1st starts. "Hina's some rad kickflipping alien from outer space. She was already famous around Haneoka before she joined the SDA, being our unofficial rep n' all. Sure, none of us understood her, but we didn't have to bother with that. All we needed to know was that she made this sport fun." A flippant gesture. "So I'm thinking; we're all woke here, aren't we? We know the SDA's trash. And I think she does, too; that's why she's posing as 'Star Breaker' and tearing it apart!"

"Speculative as all hell... fine, I'll humour you." The 2nd one frowns. "How do you know she hates the SDA as much as we do? Like you said, none of us ever know what she's thinking."

"B- because why wouldn't she be? I've seen her stand up to bullies before."

"Was that before she joined the SDA? People change, you know. She might be as bad as the rest of them now. We wouldn't even know if she was; after all, that Black Star group's already proven The Dragon's only nice on the surface." The 2nd one shrugs. "Look, I dunno how we got to this point. We don't even know if this Star Breaker person exists."

"They do, I promise!"

"Suuuuuure... well, if you're gonna ramble any longer, I'm getting a coffee from the vending machine to bear with it."

Ah. They're leaving...

"Hey, wait for me!"

Unfortunately, that's all she gets to hear. She's transcribing this as best as she can remember, but... is this helpful at all? It's moreso speculation than anything else... there's no evidence that Hina is rebelling against the SDA.

I-it's a bit weak of her... but it might be best to ask for advice. She sends the transcript to Yukina.

...

The air's a bit cold. She huddles on the bench and hopes she doesn't look too strange.

...

There's a response.

No, this kind of information is

No, this kind of information is useful.

"R-really?" It's not trustworthy, is it? She has to ask: why is that?

Apologies. I can't figure out how to delete texts, so ignore the duplicate.

In any case, your goal is to gather opinions, not information. This is a good sample in that regard. Were these people duelists?

i don't think so

Keep searching. It would be best to learn more about the perception of those invested in the dueling scene.

got it ﾟoﾟ7

"Perception... so, this is mainly about... what people think of Hina."

She's... starting to understand more now. Much like their Exhibition operation, Roselia's current plan may involve the public. That's about as much as she knows, though; Yukina is being secretive this time around, and she's not really easy to read...

Right, let's get back to work. "Ah." Well, at least, she was g-going to, but... most of the people around her are gone now. A few are passing by, but they're all travelling alone; she's not going to get any conversation like this.

Rinko gets moving through the park, but it's... quiet everywhere else, too. For some reason, this place doesn't have as many visitors as usual. Maybe it'd be best to... find somewhere peaceful, and gather opinions from social media for a while instead. She's not ready to enter Central City quite yet.

Ah. There's plenty of posts when she searches by keyword. Most of them aren't actually helpful, since they're... well, very argumentative, to put it one way. And it seems SDA students aren't allowed to talk about the Academy online without permission. But there's a few interesting ones:

@heyblathershavesomebugs  
sighs... im kinda sad the supernovas repping the academy right now. i used to watch her duel in venues before she joined the SDA, so seeing her being the face of it is kinda emo for me

@fishyplants  
i hope hina-sama being rep means the academy's gonna clean up its act... SDA exhibition matches are always SICK and i dont want the dragon to make me bitter about them

...It's impossible to get a clear impression from this, though. Opinions are... very mixed. Maybe more in-person listening would be useful? One group discussion isn't really enough, after all.

It's with that in mind that she keeps walking along. She definitely feels... vulnerable, out here all alone, but... members like Lisa have braved plenty worse. She'll do this much, at the very least. As long as she takes step after step, she can spread her wings a bit too. Whatever Yukina plans on asking of her, she'll try and live up to it... as long as it's not something that could har-

"Oh."

There's another message from Yukina. What is it?

Our plans regarding the Supernova are developing. This will be much riskier than initially anticipated.

...

...Her blood runs a bit cold at that sentence.

riskier? can i ask what that means?

Current news indicates that the Shirasagi Corporation is on red alert. If we conduct another 'attack' in a similar fashion to the Exhibition, their staff will interfere much earlier. This is hardly beneficial to our plans.

But we are limited in the methods we can use. Therefore, what me and Sayo have agreed upon is much more dangerous than our previous operation.

We will discuss this together once you return, but I'll send you the current draft now. It's merely a skeleton until we gather enough information, but it includes our candidate and secondary operative, alongside the tactics we will be using. If we all agree to it, and ONLY if we all agree to it, then it is paramount you thoroughly understand your role.

"My... role?"

understood. i'll make sure to discuss it with you today.

Of course. Now, please check your email.

A gulp. To say she was nervous for Lisa's safety at the Exhibition would be an understatement, so she'll... need to mentally prepare for this, no doubt. Even if it's purely hypothetical, the thought they might actually go through something riskier scares her. A lot. But... she doesn't have the luxury, of saving this for later... so... she'll... look through it now. W-who and what does Roselia's next course of action involve?

She opens the application on her phone, and finds an attachment. It's-

She can't even tell if she's frozen.

...

...She can't comprehend it.

"How...? H-how would you do t-that?"

Fairy tales have more plausible ideas than this. But it's been put into reality, unreserved. This is genuinely the idea that's been settled upon, after hours and hours of discussion and concentration. One can only imagine the mentality Yukina has that'd let her consider something like this as a potential option. It's a death-drop obelisk of the lengths she's willing to go to. For the first time, the reality of just how incomprehensibly enormous Roselia's goal is throws Rinko into a spine-lurching hurricane.

...There's only one sentence in the text that ends with a question mark. It goes as follows:

Are you willing to risk your life for revolution?

\---

Are you willing to crash and burn again? 

Would that be worth the solution you find? If you blazed a path that brought everything back, would they smile again? Or would their hearts be staked by the burns on your skin? 

...You already know the answer to that question, don't you? The only home your inferno can build is a brittle one. It's impossible for you to help any more; you'd be back where you started at best, and drowned by rain at worst. Trying to revive this wasteland will destroy you.

So give up. Accept that you're powerless.

Tick

Tock

...She needs a distraction. Something, anything,

Do you remember the times you argue? You always start it. That's what they say, and whether you like it or not, it's the truth; your eyes may look calm, but your hair isn't fooling anyone. Beneath your earnest ice you're hotheaded, impulsive, flammable like a slathered fuse. But strangely, it's something they compliment you on, and you don't really know why. They rib you for it, sure, but they also say you're the one who yells when you break, and that it helps, as much as it hurts, because it means you're exposing the problems they don't want to face. The ones Tsugumi's too kind to bring up, the ones Ran's too scared to. Maybe it's an Udagawa thing; after all, last time, you and Ako were the ones who blew up first. There's a singe of blood in you that makes it so 99% of the time, you're the first one to fall apart, like the messy motorcycle you are. Funny how you tied with Tsugumi this time around-

"...Damnit, Moca."

A flood. A spill, a blockade gone out of control into a blaze. Thoughts descend into havoc, and the face can only try and flush it. It's not even anger; it's just...

...stop. Stop thinking about it. You've moped enough, so find something you can do!

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

"...!"

She grits her teeth and keeps walking. The sky doesn't bother lying to her; the clouded white and faded blue's as pathetic as anything else now. She wants a distraction, but she's powerless to find it. She can't open her phone and text her friends, she can't go back home and explain why she's not at school... hell, she can't even eat her sorrows up downtown. She's too recognisable there. All she can do is wander, and desperately hope she'll find something. The only thing she sees right now is a looming brick wall, and the entrance to an empty park. 

Tick

Tock

...Hah. She ran from her problems again, didn't she? She's a hypocrite. She couldn't accept her decaying home, so she ran. And now she keeps running, because she doesn't want her friends to see her pathetic relapse. She's throwing away everything she's been given, because she can't accept what she lost-

A vending machine. She has her wallet. She'll take a drink, sit down at the bench and focus on its numbing taste, quick as a flash. Easy, right?

It starts with putting a coin in, and waiting for it to tumble.

Tick

Tock

CHIK! The screen shows the deposit, and she puts in the code for an item. Press enter, and the spring starts winding. Now she...

...now she has to wait for it.

Tick

Tock

...Do you remember the times you hug it out? Physically or metaphorically, people've called you a comfort to be with. They call you reliable, guarding, like some knight in shining armor. It shouldn't be surprising; after all, that's your miniature azure, the shield you want to give. But it feels surreal, to hear it called sturdy; apparently, whether it's the bakery downtown or the friends you call home, your smile and your patience soothe them and make them feel safe, letting them rest in your arms. Feels wrong, doesn't it? Like a lie. After all, as much as you want to help, you have no idea what to say that'd keep someone calm. Your best tactic is standing powerlessly in place, and praying it actually helps, suppressing any urge you have to blaze because you know it's not what they need. Isn't that weak? You don't even know what to do when your precious little Ako cries-

The coffee hasn't fallen out. "Why the hell-" She tuts, and inserts another coin,

Tick

Tock

CHIK! enters the code, waits for it to fall, come on

Tick

Tock

CLUNK! Thank god. Didn't take long this time, either. She yanks it out and nearly bursts on whatever chemical's powering her legs, running towards the first bench she sees. She snaps the drink open, lies back and loses her eyes in the view.

...There's no one around. Look at the scenery instead, then. Something, anything. So she tells herself, but... it's empty. That's the only word she can use. There's nothing notable here; just a few gravel paths, surrounded by grass in an empty blue sky. Not even any trees in front; they're all to her side. She can't see anything standout before her. It's irritating.

Tick

Tock

She messily has another swig of the can, and- "Oh, f-"

Great, she dropped it. W-what's happened to her? Ha! G-get it together, Tomoe- oh great, it's spilled all over the dirt now. Okay, whatever, it's fine; she can just buy another one. Wait, can she? Does she have enough change? Where's that wallet, where's that wallet; here we go! She...

...doesn't.

"..."

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

She shoots up and starts walking in circles, round and round. Again. And again. And again, and again, and again and again and-

CRACK!

"Wha-"

She loses control, and her back plummets into the dirt. A thunk, like the sound of a metal plate's impact. 

"Ack! Goddamnit... am I hurt?" Nah, no serious injury. Heh! That's one good thing about her, at least. Even if she crashes, she's got a pretty solid bod to shrug it off with. Maybe she can act as a cushion for Himari's spills. "What tripped me, anyway?"

She drags her sight through the ground, until she finds... a stick. It's snapped in half; she probably put too much pressure on it. 

"Was I stomping around with iron boots or something? A... ahaha." I-it's kind of silly, really; almost relaxing. She's so stiff and worked up trying to pass the time that she's ended up toppling over like a bowling pin. She's a disaster. "Well, at least it's an endearing character trait. Right, -"

...

...Huh?

Why'd she think someone was next to her? She came here alone. There's no one here. Get it together, Tomoe.

Gah, she's seriously out of it, isn't she? She doesn't even wanna get up. For some reason... lying on the ground, like this, is weirdly... nostalgic. There's a place she vaguely recalls, a place she's lied down upon a lot in the past, just like this.

...What was it again? For some reason, she can't remember. Her nerves hit a wall when they try to reach the memory. Come on, Tomoe; clear up that blocky head, because this place feels really important! It's gotta be! Let's dig it out from the depths of the mind; it'll be a good way to pass the time, anyway.

Start with the view. She's looking at the sky right now, a bunch of clouds and a bit of blue... is the place she's thinking of outside? Her gut says no. But this sky feels similar to it; it gives the sensation of something that's growing, expanding. It really does feel nostalgic. So nostalgic that, somehow, she can tell she hasn't been in that room for a long while.

She sits up; so it was some kind of room then! Okay, what else? This park's a little breezy, but that room wasn't the same unless you opened the window and looked outside together. Ah, she remembers now; it's a room she was in alongside two other people, right? Strange... it's definitely been a long time, but if she closes her eyes, she can easily imagine herself there.

"Mm. Nah, I'm stuck now." Her voice feels a bit hoarse. "There's plenty of rooms I've hung out with my friends in. What makes this one any different?"

She thinks, and thinks, and she asks; why is this so hard to remember when it feels so important? Hell, feels like she was thinking about it when she woke up, and yet her idiot temper-tantrum brain's already thrown it into some junkyard it doesn't deserve. Probably isn't the first time, either! Come on, remember it... what combines the feeling of a crystal sky, the rush of the air, and a room where she hangs out with two of her friends? What location fits that description? It's on the tip of her tongue, but she can't get it out.

"Argh, this is hard. If only she could jog my memory..."

...Wait. Who's 'she'? For some reason, the first answer that comes to mind is Himari. It'd make her laugh, if her throat didn't feel so stuffed; neither of them're good at revising for tests, after all! Although Himari probably has a better memory with general stuff, thanks to all the photos she takes...

...oh, THAT'S a good idea, actually! She makes a note to thank Himari later as she gets out her phone and opens up the camera roll. C'mon, where's that room? She scrolls, one by one; a picture with Afterglow, another picture with Afterglow... ack, these are all from last weekend. She's slipping. Well, ignoring that for now; here's a pic with Afterglow, and- oh! Yeah, she went shopping with Himari last week, didn't she? She can't tell most malls apart, but this one had some weird bead curtain that looked like a bunch of ch-

_'Ahaha~!'_

-

...

...She's frozen. Something slams her heart with a reinforced freight train ten times its size, crushing every piece of her in shrapnel. It blows up, it falls out, it pours, it spills into a mix of oil at the bottom of a pit, and it burns, it burns, it burns...

...

"...r-right, the mall." She shakes her head and looks back at the phone. Oh god, this picture; this one's REALLY embarrassing. She's flexing in some kind of gaudy biker jacket Himari goaded her into trying. H-Himari didn't ASK her to flex, but she ended up following an impulse, and... wellll, her friend sure wasn't complaining when she did, right? S-so it's fine to be proud of it, right? 

Wait, is that considered flirting? Nah, can't be; Himari might comment on her abs sometimes, and she might tease her in response, but that's just normal friend talk- okay, she's totally talking like Himari does now. Is she in gay denial too? Does she have a second crush she doesn't know about?

...fuck, does she?

O-okay, let's not think about that for now! ...Wait. What does she mean by second crush, anyway? Has she crushed on someone else recently? Who-

_'It was long overdue, anyway~._

-

_'One month is too long for my liking when it's you.'_

"...someone there?" Is she being played with or something? She can't see anyone around, and she'd like to think her eyes are working. Maybe someone's ghosting her from behind the walls? Wouldn't be the first time; there's a park smaller than this one near her house, and she and Ako used to hide around its corners imitating spooky voices. Heh. That's a pretty bittersweet memory now... since it's also the same park she desperately rushed around, the day after Ako ran from home. It's the same park where she ended up spilling her troubles to Himari and-

...and someone else.

_'----. Let's make a vow.'_

_'A... vow?'_

Okay, back to the camera roll. Don't get distracted; priority number 1 is finding a picture of the place she's trying to remember. She scrolls back through February's roll, thinking of a spacious bedroom with a plush carpet, a dresser for makeup, a decorated wallpaper and a huge wardrobe. A room where she hung out with two other people. Remember it, she says, as she scrolls through picture after picture; one of Hazawa Coffee, one of an arcade machine, one of an aquarium, one of Afterglow at a sleepover, one of that sunset arena where Ran dueled her... gah, when was the last time she set foot in this mystery place?! Let's go through January next; there's a picture of her and Himari, another picture of Afterglow, another- ...hey, this was when they started going to Circle! Here's more of the gang, more of the gang... she goes through memory, after memory, after memory...

...but still no dice. What gives? It makes her feel down, for some reason. She's been in more places than she count with Afterglow, but there's still no sign of that room, even when she hits the second picture of January 1st. Has she really not been in there since last year? It can't have been that long ago... can it? 

_'Promise, then? Sisters-in-arms, to the end?'_

_'...Yeah. Promise.'_

...

...For some reason, she's shaking. She doesn't know why. All she knows is that the answer... lies back here. The first picture of January. 

...

In one quick swipe,

she stumbles through the blockade.

.

.

.

. 

.

_'Hey, Himari. Tomoe's snoring again~. Wanna roll her around 'til she wakes up?_  
_'Oh, you bet. Let's sneak vvverrry quieeetly... and- e-eh?! You're awake?!'_

"...Ah."

_'Mwahaha! You fell for my trap! Take this!'_  
_'WARGGGGH!'_

It's a selfie with 3 people in the frame. The time is 00:01AM. A plush pastel carpet is dimly lit by the TV and a few scattered glow sticks. She's lying down on a cushion in the center of the picture, a soft smile she didn't even know she could have on her face. To her left is her lifelong friend, wearing a way cutsier set of pyjamas than her own, chucking out a half-awake peace sign. There's a bit of glitter pen marking glow-in-the-dark whiskers on her cheek.

_'You guys!!! You're leaving me out of the shot again!'_  
_'Too bad~. You're not joining us 'til you finish your homework.'_

And... to her right is a friend of 3 years, wearing a way more fashionable set of pyjamas than her own, winking like she's just had a full nights' sleep. She's resting her head against Tomoe's and wrapping her arm around Himari with the most peaceful smile imaginable. She's smiling like her world's alight, like she wouldn't trade this room for the world.

At the top of left of the photo...

_'Hang in there. It's awful, but we haven't lost hope yet.'_

...are the words 'Happy New Year'.

The coldest fire she's ever known

wakes her from her dream.

_'Ahaha~. Glad to hear it, partner. I'll be right by your side.'_  
_'I want to have a duel with you, Tomoe!'_  
_'H-hey! Aren't you carrying a bit much there? Lemme help!'_

"I remember now."

_'I want another way to show that I care for you, Tomoe!'_  
_'Forget about Ako for a second, okay? It's late, so she's probably asleep right now!'_  
_'The name's Lisa Imai. Nice to meet you~!'_

"I've remembered it again."

_'NO! You can't go yet...'_  
_'YOU CAN'T GO THERE YET!'_  
_'No need to hide it. You totally love the attention, don't you~?'_  
_'YOU CAN'T! You can't go down there until Ako finishes her duel and-'_  
_'You. You're Yukina Minato, aren't you?'_

She smiles, and stands back up.

_'Alright, then. One chocolate-chip cookie for my hungry Himari~.'_  
_'T-Tomoe... I can... explain...'_  
_'This piece of shit's just a glorified kidnapper. She even had Lisa keep me away from you on purpose!'_

The wind is moving. Petals dance through the air.

Slowly, she turns to the entrance of the park.

_'All together, guys! One, two... and three!'_  
_'You overestimate yourself. I have no reason to stop you from seeing your sister.'_  
_'It's HERE! Happy New Year, you guys! To the anniversary of the club!'_  
_'She would leave you regardless of your actions. You... are hardly a threat at all.'_

There she is. It's like she's standing right there, in front of Tomoe.

The person who took her higher.

_'Hey, Tomoe... do you have a crush on Lisa?'_  
_'If Lisa attempted to block you from seeing your sister...'_  
_'O-oh, you don't? I-ignore what I said, then! It was a silly question.'_  
_'...then it was something she did entirely of her own volition.'_  
_'Eh?! Do *I* have a crush on Lisa?! O-of course not! ...Hey, what's that look for?!'_  
_'STOP IT! YOU'RE LYING, YOU'RE LYING, YOU'RE LYING!'_  
_'Sweet dreams, Tomoe~. Here's to our well-earned rest.'_  
_'YUKINA... MINATO! I'LL TEAR YOU APART IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO-'_

"...Lisa."

Lisa takes in the breeze. A knight kissed by the sun, a rider welcomed by the moon, a blade ten times stronger than hers. A curled, endless, wondrous mane of tied and tousled caramel, draped over a black jacket hiding a necklace-adorned sweater and a pair of ripped shorts. Someone who always knows what to say. Someone who makes looking out for friends feel so much easier. Someone who gives all the support in the world, and blushes with the prettiest bashful smile in the world when it's given back. Someone who never hesitates to hear people out. Someone who, despite everything she hid about her life, was willing to let Tomoe hear her out too. A friend. An inspiration. And...

'Tomoe.'

"...I remember now. I'm thinking of your room, aren't I?"

Lisa doesn't respond.

"Official Dance Club practice territory. Not that Himari thought of it that way, I imagine." She can't help but giggle a bit. "That 'club' was basically dancing, sweet-making and hanging out all in one. Hard for us to be all diligent about the namesake, when being with you was so much fun."

...

"We haven't held it since New Year's Eve. Do you remember?" She asks. "I'll never forget. That was one of the best moments of my life. All we had to do, to be happy, was to be together."

Lisa's smile. It dazzles a million gems. If only she were actually here. Tomoe knows; she's just seeing what she wants to see. 

But she can't help but ask. "...Hey, Lisa. Why did you leave us?"

...

"It was fun, wasn't it? You loved being with us too. I know you did. That's... always how it ends up. Me, you, Ako, Moca... we're only hurting and breaking because we care." 

...

She can't help but let a tear roll down her cheek. "I know you're scared. I-I know you hate yourself for what you did. But... I want us to talk about it, face-to-face. I don't want to throw our home away." Another tear falls. "H-hell, you already made up with Himari, right? And you promised her... that you'd talk to me."

...

Let her hope. Please, let her hope. Let her believe there's something left. "We don't have to fall apart, Lisa. I-if we all really care about each other... t-then this is something we can get through! If we all really care about each other, then there's no reason for us to say goodbye!"

'...Yeah. You're right.'

Tomoe takes a step forward. "Then...!"

'But I don't care about you anymore.'

-

She wants to fight it. 

But she's spent so long wishing for home... 

...that she can't help but listen.

'Tomoe. I'm never coming back.'

"W-why?"

Lisa keeps smiling. 'Because I've given up on you.'

A chain runs through her stomach.

There's cracks all over her body. She can't breathe. 

"......what?"

'Don't be surprised.' Lisa keeps smiling. 'You know it's my fault, after all. I never let anyone reach me. That's just the way I am. If someone loves me from the bottom of their heart, I'll never accept it. You should have known that, if we really were that close.'

It hurts to try and speak.

'But we weren't, were we? I'm even better at hiding away than you are. I bottled up my deepest fears. That's why being together with you two made me miserable.'

Her hope is buried. Only the pit remains, shrapnel piercing her whole. 

It's all a cruel, cruel joke.

'You know, I couldn't care less that I hurt you anymore. Caring became too much of a bother. It got in my way.' Lisa keeps smiling. 'You feel the same, don't you? Look where caring's gotten you. Worrying about the people who've abandoned you... it's tearing you apart.'

"I... haven't been abandoned. I haven't."

'Then why is it that nothing you do can bring them back?'

"...!" Another tear falls. "That's... because..."

'Trying to heal the wounds we give will never work. All we'll do is hurt each other more. Some problems just don't have a solution; that's why I stopped trying.'

"..."

'Isn't that great, Tomoe? Our vow dragged us down. Now that I've cut it, we're free.' Lisa keeps smiling. 'I've found a better home now. One that has her in it, and doesn't have you two. It's a home where I can be happy.'

"...Is that really how you feel about us?"

'Yeah. My life's better off without you, Tomoe.'

"...T-that's..."

A sniff.

"That's... that's not true! You're lying to me... you're lying to yourself-" She nearly chokes. "Why would you do this to yourself?! I don't understand...!"

The sound of a shattering mirror breaks through the air. 'I've stopped dreaming. And you should too. If you give up on me, you won't have to feel that pain anymore.'

"Y-you can't really mean that."

It's the cruelest joke in the world. And she can't help but fall for it.

"Lisa... show yourself, and say you don't mean it... please." She takes another step, pouring fire into her throat. "Please, don't do this to yourself..."

'...Quit exhausting yourself, and give up.'

"No! Stop it, Lisa... I can't let it be like this... I-I can't let it end this way!" She cries. "D-don't go, Lisa!"

Rushing towards her cherished friend, she screams:

"I'M BEGGING YOU, DON'T LEAVE US!"

'Goodbye.'

But all her hand grasps is a scrap of sakura petal.

...

She falls to her knees.

"Why?! I don't want to believe it, Lisa... so tell me, why are you doing this to yourself?!" She wails. "If it hurts, then come back! I'd rather talk it out with you and cry, a thousand times over, before I'd ever even think of leaving you behind! I-I don't want to see you go... so please don't think you have to say goodbye! I-it... it doesn't have to end like this!"

But it's impossible. There's nothing left.

"...Fine, then. I give up! A-are you happier that way?" She trembles. "I-if... if trying would just make everyone feel worse... then I give up. I know I'm useless, anyway. I know it's not long until I'm a-alone now. T-there's nothing I can do to help, so I'll... just shut up, and stop bothering everyone..."

The wind keeps going, carrying all the sakura away with it.

'Big sis.'

And it'll never stop. 

'Hey, you gotta pay attention! This is like, super-duper MEGA important!'

She turns around... and finds Ako smiling down at her. It hurts.

'I'm leaving home for good. It's time for Heaven's Bane to take flight!' A pose. 'Thanks for all you've done for me, sis. I mean it. But I've got a new goal now. And I'll need to train as much as I can with Roselia to achieve it!'

"...Then leave me alone already. Go away!"

'I'll be fine. After all, I'm not bottling things up like you did anymore!'

"STOP IT!"

'And I've got Rinrin, and Sayo, and Yukina, and Lisa with me. So I'll be alright from here on out! Don't worry about me, sis!'

It's better to forget. 

Caring is too much of a bother.

If she stops caring, she'll never have to cry again. 

'The Dark Lord has no further need for this weary wasteland! She's found a new home... one worthy of her skills.' The tone changes, and fades. '...So live for yourself now, and be free. Goodbye, Tomoe.'

...No.

There's no way she could ever stop. She cares too much for her own good. That's always been her problem, hasn't it? Whether she can wipe a friend's tears or not, she'll still go wherever they are, and hug them, or shout at them, or cry with them, or stand there awkwardly, hoping, praying she's being useful. Even though she's useless! "...Ako, w-wait. C-come back!" Her hand reaches out again. "Don't go! D-don't go..."

But it's useless. Ako's figure has long disappeared with the spring. No matter how much she wants to help, it's too late. The end's already come, hasn't it? All she can do now is drown.

'Tomotomo~.'

"I... can't take it anymore." 

The lullaby of emptiness tempts within. 

"I'm tired of this."

'Wow, you won't even look at your old friend~? Cruel... and we used to be thick as thieves, too. Vaults, the both of us.'

Hope isn't worth humouring.

'But I guess you're an easier case to crack than I am. You've always been easy to tease~.'

...

'Sorry, Tomoe. But...' 

The tone husks. Moca's voice becomes alien.

'...there's nothing more terrifying than hurting your friends. You should know what it's like. Isn't it awful, feeling like every minute you stand there slacking off is another needle in the people you love?'

It's too much. She doesn't want to move. She doesn't want to go back and see what's left. The only thought drowning her mind right now...

'You get it, don't you? That's why I'm peacin' out~," the voice fades. 'Enjoy yourself without me... Tomoe.'

...is that everything will fall apart, no matter what.

The sakura is carried away. There's nothing she can do.

"L-Lisa..." each name hurts, "Ako..." knowing it's no longer there. "Moca..." and each name hurts, "H-Himari..." knowing it might be next. "Tsugumi... Ran... Hina... Mom... Dad...!"

No matter what she says, her home is breaking. No matter how much she hates the lethargy, all she can do without those wings is fall.

Tomoe buries her hands in her face and sobs unendingly. 

The rider weeps alone, with nowhere to go.

Until...

"...Tomoe?"

...

"U-um... Tomoe..."

...a voice pulls her out of her muck. A person, rather than a jeering thought.

"C-can you... h-hear me?"

Every cell screams to be left alone. There's no point. It's useless. Give up. The only thing she whimpers at herself is to throw everything away, and reject every outstretched hand.

...But that's impossible for her. So she solemnly looks up, and finds:

\---

That's...

...Tomoe, isn't it?

Crying on the park ground, alone. It's a crushing sight to revisit. It... reminds her of the sorrow, that she saw on the same person's face... back during that fateful night. The night where Roselia became complete. 

Did... things get worse for Tomoe, since? It's a thought that hasn't occurred until now, but... is it because of the Udagawa family? Has she told her parents where Ako is? Or is she hiding the location from them, until the Qualifier Cup finishes?

A cloud brews inside Rinko. She's spent so much time contemplating her role in Roselia that... the outside world's faded away. Only the monotony of school connected her to it until she began Yukina's mission today... and it's not as if she had many connections before, either. She didn't have friends outside of Roselia until she met Ako. In a way, the sight of a lone girl, tears hidden from all... brings back memories.

Rinko shakes her head. She's been in a haze ever since she read her leader's plan. But for just this moment, she's going to put it aside. She has something more important to do. Her skin goes cold, but she steps forward... and forward... and forward. With every fear that her words will collapse, there's a tear from Tomoe that pushes her to take another step. 

Once she steps across the gate... there's two people here, instead of just one. The gardens meet the wind in their every blade of grass; a strained welcome.

F-for just this moment... for Tomoe's sake, and for Ako's... she has to resist her fears. She repeats it to herself; stepping away would make her feel worse than any botched attempt!

A deep breath, and:

"...Tomoe?"

...No response. Too quiet, Rinko. Try again. 

"U-um... Tomoe..." She walks to the rider, and crouches beside her. "C-can you... h-hear me?"

It takes a few moments. First, Tomoe's sobbing recedes; then, it pauses entirely, leaving a cold, unnerving silence. But then, slowly, a pair of azure eyes turns towards Rinko. And it's worse than she imagined. Tomoe looked... broken, back at Roselia's base. Like the last stop on a tragic ride. But this time, the journey's been found in the midst of its emotion; the rider's face is throbbing with misery, warped enough with sorrow that it needs another second to loosen its grip, then another to fall back, then another, and another, to finally move into an exhausted frown... before Tomoe realises who's looking at her. "...Rinko?"

"Y-yeah. Are you..." She gulps on reflex. She was about to ask the most pointless question possible, w-wasn't she? "A-are you... okay?"

She ended up asking it anyway. But Tomoe doesn't look worse for it; in fact, her face actually calms a bit. "...Well, I guess I've had better days..."

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know if you wanted to be d-disturbed-"

"Don't worry about it." A small smile, relievingly. A few tears are wiped. "...If anything, I should be apologizing. That's 3 out of 3 meetings where you've seen me be a sourpuss. I'm setting a bad impression."

"I-it's fine. I... I mean, you must be... going through a lot," Rinko manages. "Um... do you... want to talk about it?"

"Nah."

"O-oh!" W-was that too intrusive? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- to..." no no no, that's being too self-centered-

"Don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just not a fan of dumping my problems onto friends." She blinks. "Oh, whoops. Uh. I forgot to ask last time, but you don't mind if I consider you a friend, right? Again, I'm not really setting the best impr-" 

"I-it's fine," Rinko hurriedly dissuades. "I'd... be happy to call you my friend."

"Heh. Thanks." Tomoe manages the faintest of strained smiles. Finally, she stands up. "...Hey, Rinko. Wanna hang out for a bit? Catching up sounds nice right now."

A way in which she can help. Good. "I'd... be happy to. Oh, um. I'll... get a couple of drinks."

"Go for it. I'll wait on the bench here."

Rinko steps out; it's a good thing she noticed the vending machine. Fortunately, she's breathing fine... the conversation went well, and Tomoe seems... alright. She gets a bottle of chocolate milk for herself, and- oh. She didn't ask what Tomoe wanted. Um, what'd be good? L-let's, uh, go with a canned coffee. It gives a mature aura, doesn't it?

...She returns and hands it to Tomoe. "Here you go. Um... I'm sorry I forgot to ask."

"No worries. I've never been picky." A weak gesture. "Feel free to sit down, if you wanna."

"Thank you..."

Rinko gradually rests herself against the bench. It's... a bit fear-inducing, looking at Tomoe... so she gazes at the grass ahead and quietly sips her drink. Each second passes by, the air lightly fuzzing through. She... wants to start a conversation, but she doesn't know where to begin. It's hard to think of a topic right now that won't be a landmine. With each and every tick of the clock, she gradually feels more and more nervous, and the urge to break the ice continues to struggle and fester. Tomoe... does actually looks a little relieved, to be sitting here in silence, and most of her tears are wiped, but... it'd probably be bad if they didn't talk at all.

Tomoe ends up starting it. "How's Ako doing?"

"O-oh!" Should she be honest? It'd feel rude not to. "She's had... a few sadder moments. It didn't start too well. But everyone's supporting her now, and she's having more fun. She's, um... still getting some study done, too."

"That's good. I knew I could trust you with her." 

"...Y-yeah. Um!" She needs to say it before she forgets; "Ako... never blocked your phone number, by the way."

"I noticed. I wanted to give her space, but... well, I couldn't help thinking about it sometimes."

"Oh. Sorry."

Tomoe waves her hand. "No worries. It's a good reminder, anyway; I feel like waiting until the Cup to talk to her'd be a bad idea. I'll work up the courage at some point."

"...Right."

...

...

"U-um..." Rinko tries. "...how's Afterglow?"

"Heh. It's been a bit of a wild road lately."

"Oh. I see." 

Is... that why Tomoe looks so sad? ...Rinko doesn't know. And she doesn't want to press on it, either.

But then, is there anything she can do?

...

...

"Hmmm..."

That's a strange hum. "Is... something wrong?"

"Eh? Oh, nah. It's nothing, really." Tomoe chuckles awkwardly. "Sorry, I'm not the best conversation partner, am I? Never been good at first impressions. Takes a while for me to spark with new people downtown 'cause of that."

"It's fine... I'm not really the best, either. Though you probably already knew that." Her nerves loosen a bit. "Um, Tomoe. I know you said... you didn't want to talk about what... was bothering you. But if there's any way I could help... I'd be happy to. I don't want us to sit in silence... if it'd just be awkward for you."

"I'm grateful for it, actually."

Rinko's face turns to surprise.

"Sitting back, letting the time pass by... I feel like I needed that. I'm always in too much of a rush." Tomoe smiles. "You have this kind of soothing aura about you, Rinko. Out of all the people I've met, you seem the least likely to suddenly deck me in the face. It's relaxing."

"...Thank you?"

"A-ah, I mean l-like, you're friendly, and, uh. Not hostile! ...Sorry, my vocabulary brain's fried right now."

"Oh." It was meant to be a compliment. "...Fufu."

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Just... noticing similarities."

"With who?" Tomoe blinks. "Oh, I got sidetracked. You said you wanted to help, right?"

She nods. "Yeah."

"Well, I've been told it's good to let your friends in. So I'll accept that. Hm..."

Tomoe re-throws herself against the bench, and rests her hands behind her head.

"...I'm at a loss. Darn."

"Uh." S-she can't leave it like this. "...Would... a hug help?"

...

...

"...Rinko, you're shaking when you say that."

"Um. Sorry. I'm just trying to brainstorm."

"It's appreciated! But don't discomfort yourself, okay? I know from Ako you don't like physical contact." Her face scrunches. "Althouuugh, she did grab your hands 3 seconds after she told me that. She's not pushy with you, is she?"

"O-o-oh, um! N-no, I'm f-f-fine when it's her! U-usually." She's blushing, she knows it. Fortunately, Tomoe doesn't seem to notice. "U-um. That was the first time I met you, right?"

"Yeah! When I was seeing Ako off for your outing-" Another blink. "Agh, I got distracted again. I'm not shirking your help, I promise! Uhhh..." There's a few cogs working. "...oh, brainstorming! That's not too heavy, so let's go with that. How about you help me brainstorm a problem I'm having?"

"You mean... come up with solutions?"

"Yeah! It's what I'm doing, now that I'm out of my funk. But I'm not all that good with these kinds of issues."

"Okay, then. I'm happy to."

"Heh. You're really kind, y'know that?"

For a moment, Tomoe takes a deep breath.

"Hey, Rinko. If a friend's having it real bad... how much effort would you put into helping them?"

...Wow. She wasn't prepared for this.

"That's a pretty big frown," Tomoe says. "You don't have to if you don't wanna."

"No. It's ok. It just... hit close to home. Do you mind if I... think on it, for a bit?"

"Go ahead. Take as long as you want."

"...Thank you."

She sits up straight, and looks at the park around her.

...

...

It's a very quaint setup. On her way here, there were a few sakura petals, strangely enough. They're normally not supposed to come until Spring, but this year they burst from their buds and flew forth even in such a cold environment. In a place that suppressed them, they shined, and inspired her. Now that they're gone, all she can do... is look at the gardens of grass and trees. It's an ordinary sight; enduring, but nothing invigorating.

...From her point of view, she's... never been able to help her friends at their worst. When she reached out to Lisa, she was rejected; it wasn't until something else cheered the knight up that they got to talk about their hobbies together. Lisa was still grateful to her, but... it's hard to tell if she even did anything. And when Ako was terrified she'd never be able to go home, all Rinko could do was hold her. She couldn't come up with a single word that would pull Ako out of those painful depths; it was Sayo who accomplished that. And Sayo... made it look so seamless. The voice of the wolf brimmed with clarity.

Where can she find that kind of voice? One with the power to help bring people out of the darkest pits in their lives? She's so silent... she has all the vocabulary in the world, and she knows what could be appropriate, but she always has that pang of fear in the back of her mind. It suffocates her, feeding her 'what-ifs' where she pushes someone down instead. It's a cradle makes her voice weak, insignificant; a fragile pawn, one that might stem a flow, but never give it the energy to revive... it often finds itself unable to even touch the chessboards it sees, and thus spends most of its monotonous moments merely watching fate play its course. 

Roselia is fated to face hardship. Its members... she knows there's an instability uniting them. If her voice can't lift them up, will it be worth anything at all if she's there with them? Or will she only be able to watch, again... as the people she cherishes stare headfirst into the world's maw?

"...I don't know. I think it's a problem I struggle with, too," Rinko responds. "I would definitely... spend more time supporting my friends, if I... felt they were in pain. Maybe I'd make a gift, or give them resources that could help... anything, so long as it helped, even if it took a lot of my energy. But Ako says..." She hopes it's okay to mention her. "...Ako always tells me I don't have to overexert myself. That she's grateful for all I do, and that I should only do as much as I'm... comfortable with."

"That's reasonable. She doesn't want to see you exhausted because of her. It's nice to feel supported, but you gotta make sure you're both keeping healthy. That's what I've learnt." She turns to Rinko. "If I had to condense it, it's like... you've got to spend an amount of time that'll result in both of you going up, rather than down."

She nods. "Y-yeah. I, um... know that's true. I've followed that advice before. But... there's always a part of me that... argues against it, too, and tells me I should do more."

"Lemme guess. You hate to see your friends in pain?"

"...Yeah." 

That was a bullseye. More than anything, the memories of Lisa's bleeding arm, and Ako's smeared face... they hurt.

"When someone's in a lot of pain, I... I don't think I'm all that helpful. Normally, I get scared, and freeze on what to say. That's why I... feel the desire, to break through that fear and do more. If it'd find a path that could cheer my friend up... I'd be willing to do anything."

"I feel that way a lot, too. But don't push yourself." Tomoe responds. "I know I'm kind of repeating myself. But you remember when me and Ako fought, right? I tried so hard to search for her, I couldn't even see what her problem was."

Rinko's stomach sinks.

"If you burn that much of your own energy, the result doesn't get better. It gets worse. The emotion that comes out'll be negative and irrational instead. Even if you want to do everything you can to help... and believe me, I do," she thumps her chest, "you can only do as much as you're capable of. You're just one person."

"...Right."

"A-ah. Sorry, that was probably a bit of a bummer. It's part of why this problem's stumping me," she continues. "But for what it's worth, Rinko; I think you're amazing as-is."

"E-eh? Really?"

It feels strange to hear. But she doubted these kinds of words less and less once she joined Roselia.

Being with those people helps you sense conviction.

"Yeah. I mean, look at us right now." Tomoe grins. "You've already lugged me out of a pit today. And I know for a fact you've helped Ako through more things than I have lately. I bet your friends are always glad to have you around."

"T-thank you... um, but i-it's nothing, honestly. With you, all I've really done... was just be here."

"Isn't that good in its own way?"

"...Is it?"

"Always beside your friends. Never much for words, but always supporting them. You're calming to just... be around. I've raised hell in every scenario I was near you, but you simmered it down every time. You're like an, uhhhh. What's the word, for when water moves?"

"M-moves? Um... do you mean like a current?"

"Yeah! Hey, you're good with vocab." A hoarse chuckle. "I think that's the best summary for it. You're not yanking people out pits in one go; it's more like you're giving them a really steady rope, and slowly pulling them up. Even if they hit a snag or drop back down, you keep pulling for them. Just like you've done for me."

"...I see. So it's... not the kind of thing that's easily visible." 

The rider nods in response. Rinko smiles; it's nice, knowing you can give someone that regenerative push.

"...Right. Thank you. That's reassuring to hear... I worry I make people tense a lot, but... I'll believe you," she says. "O-oh, wait. This is about your problem, not mine. I'm sorry."

"No worries! If it helps you too, all the better." Tomoe stares at the garden. "I doubt I have any super strong points like yours. My friends say they're happy to have me around, and I buy that, but I wish I could pull a little more weight. I just...!" She sighs in exasperation. "Gahhhh! When I think of them, I just wanna move mountains for them!"

It's a joyful sight. "Fufu. You're... also very kind, Tomoe."

"Y-y'think?" She smiles awkwardly. "I-I'm not all that great, really."

"No. I think... a lot of the things you said about me... apply to you, too," Rinko continues. "W-well, I haven't talked to you much, but Ako... tells me a lot about you. Even when... things started getting worse at school, she was... still grateful, that you were always there for her."

"S-she was? That's... god, that's a little relieving. I was worried I'd messed up entirely, the way her problems flew over my head."

"Yeah. And she always talked about you when we played together. With the way she described you, the impression I got was..." She pauses, thinking on the wording. "...A passionate knight. Someone who always comes to help when things are looking bad... someone who's lively, excitable, and fun to be with. I could tell she counts on you... for a lot."

...Tomoe takes it in. "A knight, huh. This may sound a little corny, but I always liked thinking of myself like one. Feels nice to be counted on," she says. "I guess in spite of all my indulgence, I'm not doing too bad, then."

Rinko shakes her head. "Not 'in spite of'. I think... 'because of', would be better."

"...Huh?"

"I think... being able to have fun with others... is part of why they count on you. Ako told me... some of the best times she had with you... was when you were just playing games together."

The breeze picks up the other way, gently weaving through the grass. The individual blades can't be seen.

But they slowly build into a verdant world.

Tomoe looks surprised. "...You know what? That's probably why I like being with Afterglow so much." She speaks softly. "God, I take them for granted sometimes. I put on a smile a lot for their sake, but... usually, that smile ends up becoming real 10 minutes in, and I don't even question why. They're just so much fun to be with. We've known each other for so long that it always feels okay to enjoy myself with them, even when things might be bad for us. Maybe that's..."

Her eyes widen.

"...what was helping us all along..."

She shoots up.

"Oh my god! I'm an idiot! What am I doing here?!"

"Eep! T-Tomoe?"

"Me and my thick head; that's been my rope this whole time! No, it's OUR rope... gah, I can't stick around! I gotta hang out with them MORE, not less! Rinko, I gotta go!"

"O-okay!" T-this is a lot of energy all of a sudden! "Um, t-thank you for talking with me-"

"Any time! I'm happy to call you my friend; take care of yourself, okay?" A bag's hauled up so fast it nearly smacks Tomoe in the head. "I'm off now! Got a home waiting for me to retur-" 

She completely pauses her sprint. 

"...Wait. Rinko." The look in her face changes completely. "One last thing before I go."

"W-what is it?"

"How's-" ...she cuts off, and shakes her head. "Actually, nah. Never mind."

"Really? A-are you sure?"

"Yeah. She probably wouldn't open up about that stuff. That's just the kind of person she is." Tomoe gives one last wave. "Okay, I'm off for real this time! See you around!"

And before Rinko can say another word, a rider's already powering through the park. T-that energy; that's got to be an Udagawa trait. Well... at least she's looking a bit better now. There's solace to take, in... being able to pull someone the slightest bit up, even after the world feels so completely different. At the very least, her angel's wing still works.

...Who was Tomoe talking about before she left, though? Was it Ako? Or was it someone else?

\---

Shared warmth.

The rider looks to the depths, reaching her hands into her chest... and pulls her heart out.

A viscous fire. It lights her skin in sunset orange, a blistering, bubbling, impulsive yet enduring core, nearly but not quite solid in its blazing shape. The heat it crackles with could melt her palms, but her weary grip stays nevertheless, letting the flame bore itself into her azure eyes.

Learning a hobby. Ranting about a chore you've been saddled. Blubbering about something you like. Getting embarrassingly fired up over trivialities. Acting like a fool without fear of judgement. Training for a sport. Playing a video game and eating snacks. Listening to a romance song... going to a cafe... watching a movie... making cookies... performing a dance... laughing at corny jokes... having sleepovers... walking to school... all these things she does with her friends, and more. The idle indulgences of the everyday she can't help but want.

This whole time, she thought it was her weakness. But it was actually her blessing. It's the very platform beneath her feet and everyone else's, going round and round... and she didn't even realise just how important it was, even though it's what she loves about Afterglow the most. How did she NOT realise it? She's so frustrated at herself for failing to that her fire nearly erupts, begging like an overloaded battery to be unleashed. In her own terms; she really, REALLY wants to hang out with her friends right now! It's burning, it's blazing; she wants to talk with them, to help them, to have fun with them, or whatever else it is they all need right now! Let's DO it!

"Ggh... gah...!"

She's low enough on breath as is, but she practically catapults herself through the winding paths, looking for the exit onto the road. Every ounce of exhaustion remaining in her is persistent, staying for as long as the sorrow does too, but those creaks and cracks only fuel her newfound defiance, enraging her into maintaining her pace. She's running so fast, she can't even see anything around her clearly; but who cares if it's dangerous? She'll just play it by ear; she could run into a tree right now and she wouldn't care! 

"Tomoe...! Where are you?"

That voice. She knows whose voice that is!

A sprint like a wild animal. There's a huge grin on her face as she barrels forward to a clearing on the other side of the park, right on cue for a leaping tiger's roar.

"TSUGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

"W-wah!"

The ground coughs up beneath her impact. The blur of before winds to a dizzying halt. "Whew... whew... hahh..."

"T-Tomoe! A-are you ok-"

She lifts her head. There's a timid, kindhearted and supportive friend she'd beat down bears and dragons for, standing 3 metres away. Her sweltering vehicle has its eyes engraved on home. "Tsugu!"

"Y-yeah?"

**4000LP.** Fire spits out from her disk. "We gotta duel, right here, right now!"

"E-e-e-e-eh?!?! O-okay!" **4000LP;** "I-I'm ready!"

"**DUEL!**"  
"**DUEL!**"

"_My turn!_" Tomoe's heart races; before she realises it, her hands are already moving. "_I set the Pendulum Scale with Metalfoes Volflame and Luster Pendulum, The Dracoslayer!_"

FSSSSSHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Tsugumi jumps back. "W-wah!" 

The fire beats. Beside a faint-blue vehicular holograph stands the radiant image of a Sunlit Knight, armour birthing and reflecting the sky's light. She raises her sword, 

and Tomoe's charge begins. 

"Luster Pendulum's spell effect; by destroying the Volflame in my other Pendulum Zone, I can add another _Metalfoes Volflame_ from my deck to my hand!" A pillar engulfs the vehicle; Tomoe nearly breaks her blade slamming the replacement down. "I'll place this Volflame onto the Pendulum Zone, and activate its spell effect; I destroy Luster Pendulum to set _Metalfoes Fusion_ from my deck!"

With each shattered holograph, flickers of light fire through the field. "U-um, Tomoe? Are you okay?"

"Never better! Now, I'm activating _Metalfoes Steelen_ where Luster was, and activating its spell effect; I destroy my Volflame scale to set _Metalfoes Counter_ from my deck!" Next card, next card, go, go, go, "Next, I'll activate _Raremetalfoes Bismugear_ where Volflame was, and use its effect too; I destroy my Steelen scale to set _Metalfoes Combination_ from my deck!"

Debris dissipates as quickly as it appears. "O-oh boy."

What next, what next- HERE we go! Now this is it, this is more like it! "I'm activating _Metalfoes Silverd_ where Steelen was; with Silverd and Bismugear, my Pendulum Scale is **1-to-8!** Now I can bring out as many Level 2-to-7 monsters from my hand and face-up Extra Deck as I want in one fell swoop!"

"T-Tomoe, slow-"

"_Pedal to the metal!_ Hit the burnout, _Metalfoes Volflame_, _Metalfoes Volflame_, _Metalfoes Steelen_ and _Luster Pendulum, The Dracoslayer!_"

Engines blast their ears, and a portal opens up from the forest behind. Tsugumi's next sentence is completely drowned in noise, as a blinding beam of mirror-reflected light devours the field and deploys the **1850ATK** Sunlit Knight; it's only half-a-second after that a trio of riders bring two gigantic monster trucks and a rip-roaring motorcycle with them, scorching right through the earth. "Now, I'll activate my set _Metalfoes Fusion!_" Tomoe's arm spits fire as it swipes out. "Time for an upgrade, Cooler; use _Luster Pendulum, The Dracoslayer's_ parts as your own!"

With a snap of her fingers, 

FWWWWWWWWWWWSSSSH

the air bursts into flames. Steelen leaps off from the motorcycle and hovers in the air, and the shattering form of the Sunlit Knight leaves behind its armour, every part pulsing as it joins the raging tempest of tires and metal plates.

She's barely even bothering to think; the words just fly out like jets. "Reclusive racer, find your inner blaze resolute all the further through your flaming visor! Combine with the sunkissed weekend light, and arm yourself with the plates of the inferno you call home! It's time for cool iron bodies to meet burning metal machines; it's time for Metalfoes Fusion!"

CLANKclinkkclnggclinkkclnggSHHRRRCLANG! The rider becomes one with its resurrected vehicle, set on the same destination with its re-found fire. Watching her monster's armour complete itself reminds her of the same feelings she's always had, the ones she forgot to treasure... this... is... exhilarating!!! "_Fusion Summon! Level 5!_ Burn up the soul, _Metalfoes Adamante!_"

A pulse of light that echoes for ages blinds them; the **2500ATK** rider's tires have become jets on her shoulders and back, piloting her own grounded body forward. Her gauntlets and greaves reflect enough light to become one with it... and she even has TWO swords! How cool is that?! "Now I'll-"

"U-um, Tomoe! Time out!"

"Gah!" She blinks, oh great; she's completely ignored Tsugumi's words, hasn't she? Blockhead! Slow down a bit, slow down a bit, slow down- "Um, my bad! What's up?"

"Sorry... you did that in the span of 20 seconds, is all. I'm just trying to process it..." She nods. "Okay! I'm ready now!"

"Thanks! Won't happen again, I promise!" She re-throws her arm out; "I activate the effect of _Metalfoes Fusion_ in my Graveyard; by shuffling it into the deck, I can draw 1 card! So now I'm activating, uh," ...wait, she probably check what she actually drew! "...oh heck yeah, it's _Metamorformation!_"

"Wah!"

This is it... it's a duel like any other, and yet it feels so fun now! Why does it feel so fun?! "Ahahaha!" Her teeth grind, and a crackling streak of blue engulfs her hair alongside the forms of her monsters, brimming them full with azure flame. "Check it out, Tsugu! While _Metamorformation's_ up, all Metalfoes gain a 300-point boost to their stats! And the kicker; Adamante and my Volflames are immune to your card effects while I have a Metalfoes Pendulum Scale!"

**2700ATK. 2800ATK. 2700ATK.** "Right... you're excited, huh."

"That's my turn! Come on, let's go!" She's feeling unstoppable. Nothing's gonna get in her way when she's on fire! "Show me what you've got, Tsugu-"

"Oh, I will. You're in big trouble, Tomoe."

. 

...

"...E-eh?"

She didn't even notice, but... sh-sheesh, Tsugu's eyes are reflecting something fierce. "Everyone's wondering where you've been, and I'm missing a lesson thanks to you... so _I'm going to drag you back to school! Right now!_"

"R-right now? But it's only the 2nd tur-"

"Right now!" She draws, and processes everything she has FAST. "If I have no monsters in my Graveyard, I can special summon _Madolche Petingcessoeur!_ And when it's special summoned, I can bring out another Madolche from my hand or Deck; so I'm special summoning _Madolche Anjelly_ alongside it!"

Possibly the most aggressive surge of sweets she's ever seen tumbles onto Tsugu's side of the field, dropping two candy jigsaw pieces carrying a **1400ATK** and **1000ATK** pair of rabble-rousing fairies. "_Madolche Anjelly's effect!_ I'm tributing it to special summon _Madolche Chouxvalier_ from my deck! Then, I activate the continuous spell _Madolche Salon_; this gives me a second Normal Summon for Madolches per turn, so I'm summoning both _Madolche Magileine_ and _Madolche Mewfeuille in attack position!_"

"H-huh?!" That's 4 monsters, isn't it?! "Wait, hold on, Tsugu-"

"Right, right, I've practiced this..." Tsugu's smiling, isn't she? Oh god. "Come on out, guys!" **1700ATK, 1400ATK, 500ATK;** Tomoe watches her friend swipe a rainbow through the air with a crazy amount of gusto, drawing a whole horde of cookie-crusher friends from it. "When I Normal Summoned Magileine, she let me add _Madolche Messengelato_ to my hand. And when I Normal Summon Mewfeuille, I can special summon another Madolche from my hand; so come on out, Messengelato!"

"ANOTHER one?!"

**1600ATK.** Five. FIVE whole monsters are on Tsugumi's field; lord almighty, maybe rushing headfirst into turn 1 wasn't a good idea- "Messengelato! Add _Madolche Chateau_ from my deck to my hand!" 

The biscuit-carrying postman sends a letter Tsugumi's way. It's behind that held letter that she smirks, and stares Tomoe down. 

"Running from the queen, then challenging her headfirst when she comes to look for you... it's enough of a slight, she'll show you twice her might!"

"Tw..." Tomoe blinks. "Twice?"

A powerful swipe; "With my Level 4 _Madolche Chouxvalier_ and _Madolche Petingcessoeur_, I establish the Overlay Network... and with my Level 4 _Madolche Magileine_ and _Madolche Messengelato_, I establish a second Overlay Network!"

"Hold on, what?!"

Two portals of black stardust draw the friends in, creating a pair of clustering, surging lights that spew into fountains of oreos, jam cakes and liquorice sweets alike, laying the groundwork for a set of staircases from beneath. "The lord of the castle, the talk of the land! Her friends call her kind, say she helps them through strife... and her customers say she helps them unwind! She watches over the Madolche Chateau, helping everyone through life; it's the queen of all that's tasty and nice!" Tsugumi pumps her fists; at her cue, orbs of light dance across the stardust railings to the surface, illuminating the twin forms. "_Xyz Summon!_ Drum roll, please, for _Rank 4, Madolche Queen Tiaramisu! ...Times two!_"

It's when Tomoe sees one of Afterglow's most feared monsters, in dupe form of **2200ATK** regality with a graceful smile and a firm gaze, that she realises...

...she might be boned.

"I activate the effect of _Madolche Queen Tiaramisu_ number 1! By detaching an Xyz Material from this card, I'll shuffle Anjelly and Chouxvalier back into my deck... and shuffle _Metamorformation_ and your face-down _Metalfoes Counter_ back into yours!" Tsugumi points. "It's time to sit in the backseat, Tomoe!"

"Oh, crap!"

One twirl of the cane commands a horde of furry critters, whose forms glow as they summon an entire storm of gigantic treats. Before she knows it, flurries of cream currents have already ripped the blue from her field and shoved it back into her disk.

"Now your monsters are vulnerable to my effects again; that's where my next Tiaramisu comes in!"

"Ack! ...Wait, no, I'm fine! You've missed something, Tsugu; Tiaramisu needs a Madolche card in the Graveyard to begin with, if you wanna activate its effect!" She poses confidently; Afterglow doesn't slack on researching this terror! "My monsters're staying right-"

"I activate the spell card _Foolish Burial_, sending _Madolche Hootcake_ from my deck to my Graveyard!"

Her jaw drops a mile. "Oh, come on!"

"No more running!" Her friend's stance has never looked so fearsome. "Tiaramisu number 2... shuffle Hootcake and Messengelato back into my deck, and shuffle _Metalfoes Adamante_ and _Metalfoes Volflame_ back into Tomoe's!"

"Wargh!"

A legion of flowing truffles, each twice her size, snatches two of her vehicles away into whatever alternate realm they come from, leaving her with... one Volflame. Oh boy!

"Now, I'll activate the field spell _Madolche Chateau!_ All my Madolche monsters gain a 500-point stat boost!" **2700ATK, 1000ATK, 2700ATK.** Ramparts of bourbon biscuits surround the entire field, staring Tomoe down. "I'm ending this as quick as I can, so Ran and Himari won't have to worry about where you are; _Madolche Queen Tiaramisu_ number 1, attack _Metalfoes Volflame!_"

"Brace for impact, Volflame...!"

One tap of Tiaramisu's staff brings forth currents of marshmallow filled chocolate, streaming in spirals around her; another tap, and they fly right under the monster truck and flip it like an oversized pancake, sailing it into the air... and letting it plummet back down.

KABOOM!

It completely blows up on impact, chunking her to **3700LP.** "Yeesh, Tsugu..." She can feel herself smiling like an overexcited kid. "You're amazing today! What gives?!"

"H-huh?! I-it's just... I saw you, and I just started! That's all!" Tsugumi shakes her head. "And now it's over; I'm rushing you head-on!"

One regal cane and a very, very small fluffy cat are pointed Tomoe's way. Combined, their attack power is... uh, 3700. Wait, that's exactly game! On turn 2!

"_Madolche Mewfeuille_ and _Madolche Queen Tiaramisu_ number 2, attack Tomoe directly!"

She's been way in over her head...!

It's not a swirl of currents this time; no, Tomoe has to slowly realise it's a tsunami. Tiaramisu starts by weaving a garden of chocolate flowers beneath her feet, making each burst into a building whirlpool, and ends by commanding the little cat to ride the peak at her behest. It's daunting, watching each second pass by as the wave grows, and grows, and grows, furling 5 metres above the field as it wreaks forth... before completely swamping her.

SPLASH!

If only it were edible.

...

"...Whew." A few beads of sweat drop from Tomoe's chin. She lowers her disk when the sugar overload settles, revealing the **0LP** left.

Tsugumi draws her blade back. "Game set!"

...

"Um, Tomoe? It's over-"

"...haha! That was pretty awesome!" 

If she didn't feel so exhausted, she'd probably leap a building's height. It's invigorating, it's heart-pumping; it's a rush of every feeling she has for Afterglow, but concentrated, exaggerated, poured into one temporary burst that leaves her happier than she could ever be. Even after it's gone, the message it left is clear. And this... this is the thing she said she shouldn't be doing. Even though it's what was helping this whole time!

"Sheesh, you're monster-good now, Tsugu. And I've gotten real rusty."

"R-really? T-thank you..." She smiles. "Um, it's nothing all that special, honest! I've just had plenty of time to train, so it's not really fair on you. You've had a bunch of stuff to deal with at home, after all, so-" Ack, now she's looking beat up. "S-sorry. I'm being insensitive, aren't I?"

"Don't worry about it. I can make it through all that, as long as I'm with you guys." Tomoe shows her disk off with pride. "Afterglow's gotten stronger, huh? Guess I need to start revving up my skills again!"

"Right!"

...

"...Oh my god, I completely forgot!" Tsugumi rushes over. "A-are you okay, Tomoe?! Everyone got worried sick when you didn't come to school this morning! I've been looking all over for you; we can't slack school by dueling here, we've got to head back and-" A breath. "A-ah, sorry... it's just, the stress levels've been really high and-"

Tomoe cuts her off this time, with a pat on the head.

"Oh."

"My bad." She ruffles Tsugumi's hair. "I didn't mean to make you worry. Especially at a time like this." And she manages a smile, even if it hurts. After all, she's... not going to change anything by mulling over her mistakes. "The stress has been getting to me too. Haven't felt great lately, to be honest. Guess that's why I... blew up like I always do, and ran off. Can you forgive me?"

"...Yeah. Of course!" Whew, there's a smile in return. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Good as new! Well, mostly. Has everyone been searching for me?"

"N-no, it's just me. Moca told me I should talk to you at some stage, so I... went on impulse, and asked for permission to leave."

"Leave it to Tsugu to convince Miss Tsukishima." Tomoe sighs. "...Moca, huh? Guess it makes sense she'd notice. We're as unsubtle to her as she is to us."

Tsugu's face changes a bit, weirdly. "Y-yeah. Although... you don't seem in too bad a state. O-oh, not to be presumptuous... i-it's just. I'm wondering. Did somebody else help you out...?"

"You're right. I ran into Rinko, and we hung out for a bit. Somehow, it was just what I needed."

"O-oh. That's the person Ako calls 'Rinrin', right? I didn't... know you met her in person before."

"It's only been a few times, so you're not really wrong," she responds. "But that didn't stop her from giving me a hand. I'm really grateful to her, honestly."

"...I see."

Voided. Tsugumi sounds strained, somehow. "You alright?"

"O-oh!" 

But it quickly disappears. Maybe she was just seeing things?

"Don't worry, i-it's nothing. I'm just grateful to her, that's all. She sounds like a really nice person," Tsugumi says. "I-I feel a bit silly for running here now. Sorry I couldn't find you earlier."

"Don't stress yourself over it. I'm happy I ran into you." She offers a high five. "Dueling you reminded me why I'm being so persistent about visiting everyone. We really do need to stick together."

Tsugumi accepts it. "Of course. N-now more than ever. Should... we get going, then?"

"...Yeah."

Home is in sight. Charred, burned, torn... but still home.

And it doesn't have to be thrown away. "Let's head back, Tsugu. Like you said, we can't have an Udagawa slacking school just to duel. Circle lets us do that anyway." She starts walking. "Oh, and let's chat about stuff on the way."

"C-chat? Sure." Tsugumi follows. "What about, exactly?"

"Anything. What's going on at the cafe, any hobbies you've picked up; anything that comes to mind!" She gives a small smile. "It's fun, and... I think it helps us a lot. Just maintaining the everyday we had, until we bring back what we've lost."

"...Right. It seems obvious when you put it like that. That's what we usually do when we're together, after all."

"Exactly. Think of it like a rope we all share; it's something any of us can do to help each other!"

...

The breeze turns cold.

"Something any of us can do to help, huh..." 

Tsugumi looks deep in thought after saying that. She enters a silence that spans seconds, like a darkness none can illuminate. 

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

Then she looks back up at Tomoe, and smiles.

"...Let's keep supporting each other."

"You got it!"

They step out from the forest, and back onto the pavement, walking past a row of houses. Soon, it's back to her usual route. Past the next roundabout, there's a coastline on the horizon; the sea that sits next to Circle. She passes this roundabout when she heads out in the morning with her friends, and does it again on her way back home. Then she goes to sleep, and wakes up the next day.

Rinse and repeat.

...

Tomoe stops. "Hey, Tsugu. Go on ahead. There's something I want to think about before I head back."

"...You sure?"

She nods. "Don't worry, I'm not running off. Heck, I'll catch up with you before you even get there."

"You'd better. Lunch break begins soon, after all!" Tsugumi takes one step. "W-we're always here if you want to talk about something, so... don't stew on everything alone, okay?"

"Got it," she responds confidently. "I'll make this quick."

"...Right. See you soon, then."

Tsugumi keeps smiling as she turns away and leaves.  
...

...With that, Tomoe's alone for just a moment. She rests her head against a chain-linked fence, and breathes. Her eyes look at the world's azure with a clearer mind now; clearer than it was this morning. The sky... isn't so bad right now, she thinks. Definitely could be better... but it's not quite the worst she's seen.

Another breath. The wind easily wraps around her, cooling the burns beneath her skin.

She spends a minute listening to the rustling of the trees. The winding road to her side leads up and above, the peak of a hill shrouded in leaves. But that's not part of her route. The road she takes to school is right ahead, awakening without disturbance. The roundabout she treads lies beneath a sky fractured, but not broken:

The precipice of the middle, taken too often for granted.

"...I'll wait, Lisa."

The breeze carries a single petal to its grave. It's a herald of what Spring might come.

"I'll wait for when you're ready. Even if we're apart now, that won't last. There's too much connecting us together. Too many bonds we made, because of each other." She speaks clearly to the sky. "Our paths. They'll cross again at the Qualifier Cup. I know it, Lisa. So I'll wait until that day."

A calm scowl lies on her face.

"That's where I'll hear your answer... and where you'll hear mine."


	35. Last Respite (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Depictions of anxiety leading to a panic attack.
> 
> Part 2 will be up before the end of the week!

'Normalcy' is a perilous state to be in.

The controversy isn't settling. In fact, it's only getting worse. Each and every mocked heart is another red flag to the people who've taken notice; a fact accelerating Haneoka into chaos at a terrifying pace, considering Star Breaker mocked 515 of them just yesterday. Ranks 4 and 7 included.

Disturbingly, Chisato feels rather null right now.

Saturday morning, the 20th of February. She's looking out the window at a murky sky. "Are those the only 3 things we've learnt about her since?"

The transceiver crackles. "That is correct. Ironically, the dashing saboteur herself has been our primary source of information. She gleefully demonstrated her ability to break duel disks remotely, happily stated she was the one responsible for pilfering cards... and when we asked who she was, her lone, jovial response was 'an innocent maiden at heart, she/her'." There's a chuckle. "What an elusive invader, that Star Breaker. We've been powerless to interfere as she continues her ruthless spree of victory in search of you-"

"This is no time for compliments, Kaoru. She's toying with the emotional states of students like a child with a set of wires," Chisato states. "The 14 years of reputation I've built up will shatter if she's left to her own devices."

"...I see. My apologies. Do you wish to stop her?"

"It's my only option," she responds. Anyone who has a grudge against her isn't going to be a suitable ally. "Elaborate on the first point. The ability to 'break' duel disks remotely, you said?"

"Indeed; from what we can tell, it's the blackmail she uses to force duels when a provocation is unsuccessful. We had the Underside dismantle the affected disks, and found a pattern of internal damage in each that necessitated either repair or replacement."

Internal damage, caused instantly and remotely... "That's a vital piece of information. The only efficient way for her to do that is by hacking and overheating them."

"Ah. So, you also believe the enemy is an internal one?"

"I'm glad you've caught on. She's likely short-circuiting them in some way using the SDA's network, is she not? That'd be much easier to pull off if she was one of us."

"Perhaps. But the agents had their doubts about this thread of logic," Kaoru responds. "We can identify and track the location of any SDA student's duel disk thanks to the network. But when the Technology Department tried this during the previous invasion, they were unable to locate our villainous rogue. Her disk is not of ShiraCorp make."

"What if she bought another from a local vendor?"

"A possibility indeed. And yet the world of our students is starved, is it not? I imagine it difficult for them to afford a triple tryst with machines."

"Drop the metaphor, please," Chisato scowls lightly. "...It is mandatory for students to own an SDA-made duel disk; Hina, Eve and I are the only exceptions I know to that rule. What about the staff, then? It should go without saying that the ones responsible for operating the network merit an investigation."

"We had the same thought process as you. But the staff are locked under the same tragic disk mandate as well, and most are evidently of an older age than Star Breaker. Furthermore, the Technology Department found no signs that the network was being tampered with."

"Then they've been sloppy. I'm certain Star Breaker's tampering with it. There's no other possible explanation."

"...Are your breaths hitched, my queen? This conversation seems to be aching at you; I can hear you striding endlessly around your office, dirged by distress. Please, do not fear! I would gladly protect you if..."

She tunes the speech out. If only, if only. If only the emotion brewing inside her right now was as simple as distress. It'd feel far less... odious than whatever's infecting her veins. "Star Breaker being an SDA affiliate is by far the most reasonable deduction... instantly short-circuiting any individual duel disk would be impossible otherwise. But how on earth can she make these short-circuits occur with just a snap of her fingers, while she's miles away from the Academy itself...?"

Chisato stops.

"Wait. Kaoru," she says. "Kanon Matsubara. There was a break-in at the Technology Department during the Exhibition, wasn't there? During which she disappeared, alongside certain important 'information'."

"So you've been informed. However, I-"

The rest is cut off. "...however what?" Chisato asks. "Kaoru? Is something the matter?"

"Apologies, my queen. We must continue this conversation later."

"..." There's a drop of sweat. "...Why?"

"It would appear another arena has just been infiltrated."

The pulse of fear returns. "Again?! But the HRA incident was yesterday!"

"Surprising it is. But the staff suspect it's her; I've been called to head over there and disarm her myself, so I must take my leave."

"Very well. Contact me again as soon as you can, Kaoru," she says. "...And don't get hit on the head. You can hardly afford it."

"Fufu. But of course," is the response. "...Chisato..."

Two seconds pass. 

"...You have my gratitude, for allowing me to speak to you."

'I'm past the stage of self-loathing,' 

she wants to say. But the camera is no doubt watching. So, instead;

"...It was merely an obligation."

She hurriedly puts away the transceiver.

...

The unfazed slumber and frightened conscious have combined into one. Chisato gazes from the top floor of her reclusive hideout; it's an insultingly large building, all things considered. The Corporation has no sense of restraint with their spending. But that's exactly why it blends in with quite a few others; the entire outer border of Hanasakigawa is filled with corporate-owned buildings, a circlet of control over the district's floral vistas that reaches all the way down to SPACE River and across Haneoka.

The window is spotless, clean; displaying the entirety of the world below. It's the opposite of her mind; clouded, exhausted, unable to understand a thing. She's wracked with a forefront of lethargy, shielding the backbone of fear... a negligence, that would be tributed to terror if Star Breaker manages to find her... an overprotective reclusion that desires only to take a cold drink and recline on her chair, hiding in her isolated haven.

Why?

She should be terrified right here and right now. What threat does Star Breaker pose face-to-face? That jaywalking anomaly has done enough damage already by digging stakes into the other students and exposing their insecurities. Countless comparisons have been made by the media between the SDA's violent outbursts and Chisato's own outburst; what should have been a temporary stain on The Dragon's reputation from the Exhibition is now a repeat record. It's not something she can just ignore... she should be doing all she can to combat the fall of her fame, lest the Elder Council consider her unsalvageable. The abyss is beckoning to her. 

And yet, she feels distressedly nonplussed. She'd dare say she felt calm, or empty, at present. Compared to the fall of her reputation, she dreads the idea of meeting Star Breaker far more.

"...What is happening to me?"

Is it because of the difference in scenario? Is it easier for her to feel fear from simple proximity to a stranger, compared to a complex web of social and political interactions? A strange explanation, that'd be; most of her life held that order in reverse. She's piled years of fervent effort towards maintaining her place in those webs, just to conserve her power within the Corporation. An isolated meeting with one lone person is hardly a fearsome prospect, compared to strings of actions that could impact her public perception in spades.

And yet, here she is. Unable to feel fear from her irreversible blunder. One might perhaps call her mentality pragmatic; she's tossed aside an unproductive regret and has simply focused on staying hidden from the public eye. A rather appealing course of action, all things considered, since there's nothing she can do to damage the Corporation right now. Unless she wants to risk her life as she knows it in the process of destroying her bloody lineage, it would be best to stay put on her throne and recover.

But there's something about this mentality that bothers her.

After all, when has she ever been pragmatic for her own sake and nothing else? When has she ever been pragmatic exclusively for her starsworn duty, unpoisoned of her draconic obligations? To Chisato, actions driven purely by free will are still an unfamiliar experience, one to merely yearn for in her hollow core. Is a pragmatism offered solely to The Dragon truly a building block for that core?

"...No, I'm overcomplicating this. I'm merely taking my luxuries for granted..."

She's spent her entire life in fancy arenas and furnished offices like this one. Perhaps her mind simply can't comprehend the consequences of falling into the abyss, even as she runs from it. That weakness must be suppressing her emotional response, making each step she takes less of a run... and more of a walk.

<strike>There's a voice in her head, beckoning her.</strike>

...She shakes her head. "I must be tired." If she ignores her aching fear of Star Breaker, then it all makes sense; the stress of the Exhibition has caused her to emotionally dissociate. If that's the case, the answer is simple; take a rest, hide in this office, and wait. Recover until her social and mental ramparts can make her next move against the Corporation. That's all there is to it.

<strike>But it's frustrating. A part of her howls despite its shackles of lethargy. She can feel the fur of a wolf shriek on the side of her face, cracking through scales of centuries old. Her mane bristles with disgust and hate, her throat insults her every vein, and the backsides of her bloodstained, flesh-rending teeth are unendingly begging her to move.</strike> ...Is this howling rational, or irrational? Chisato would argue the latter. No matter how much she wants to fight the Elder Council, it's impossible for her to do it now. She absolutely must wait. The life a celebrity is not sustained through reckless honesty and impulse; it's sustained through knowing your environment, and adapting to it. That mentality is engraved into Chisato's very blood.

A sigh. 'If only Hina were here', she thinks; the demon of her dreams, the star lying on her side. No doubt she'd offer a better perspective, on this discomfort towards the idea of taking a backseat. Perhaps she'd suggest flying into action, and doing something incredibly risky... or perhaps she'd flaunt her captivating immunity to gravity, and suggest indulging in something boppin' instead ('something boppin'' has a very particular meaning when she places a hand on Chisato's cheek).

"...Hina..."

Hopefully, it's quiet enough that the camera can't hear. She rests a hand on the window, smearing it as her body falls into decay. With no voice to safely output her concerns, she turns to her thoughts:

'Are you faring alright in my absence, Hina? A part of me begs to fall back into your embrace. I wish not a single day where we must wield our blades without each other.'

She gazes out onto the cityscape below. It's a sight she's seen so many times, she's lost count.

'Normally, the Corporation always focuses on The Dragon. It's part of their ploy; even if the Supernova is Rank 1, the Shirasagi name gets to stay at the forefront of Duel Monsters. But The Dragon is currently a poor representative, one that could portray the Academy as a bloodbath in the public's eyes. As a result, you've been pushed into their gaze instead. The eyes of the world are on you.'

It's a sight she's seen for so many years, she asks if it'll ever change.

'I wonder. No doubt, you did it partly for me. To cooperate with the agents in protecting my reputation. But you've always been delightfully self-indulgent; so I wonder, and I wonder... does being Representative serve a purpose to you? The way you speak out on TV, it seems like it does. Perhaps you believe condemning the angered students will change the Academy's leadership for the better. Perhaps you are curious to see how the public will react to you. Or perhaps... there's someone you're searching for. I wouldn't dare speak her name around you.'

She wonders if she'll ever drag the Elder Council out of hiding, and destroy them.

'I apologise; I cannot come out of hiding yet, so it's hard for me to know. Even as close as we are.' She sighs. 'And until I can return to you and hear your answer, I am locked in this cage of my own making, left to be repeatedly disturbed by this star-blotting fog... so I'll stay strong, and hone the blade I've created within, by thinking of you. You, who gave me a reason. You, who gave me the strength to fight an empire of corruption.'

As the irradiant Sun rises upon Hanasakigawa, Chisato stands motionless, removed from productivity... and spends her time leaning her arms against the window.

'As for you, I imagine you're driven by the same reasons as always. It's a shame; many people would say those reasons are alien. Unable to be comprehended. But I do not agree with such sentiments. You are not alien; rather, you are the beautiful bastion of humanity. At your core, you're a person who openly, unabashedly acts on self-interest. You love and cherish that which interests you, and ignore that which does not. The only reason the world is unable to perceive this fact...'

\---

'...is because of the pedestal they put you on! It's not that your pattern of thought's inhuman; it's that you're perceptive. Your actions are chaotic because you reach your obvious destination of indulgence through paths other people struggle to see.'

The air is silent. The blades of grass below ignore her.

Rinko stands 35 feet in the air, perched upon a branch.

'Even amongst those skilled at Duel Monsters, you're hard to predict, right? We know things about this game others don't.'

In one of her hands is a specially designed hook. In the other, there's a connecting rope, attached to her waist.

'People'd often call that high a skill level inhuman. I know how it feels. I used to have a friend who was pretty jealous of my power.'

Her outfit is different. A number of joints are covered in protective gear.

'Though I'll admit, even I'M impressed by how easily you do it. You're learning this game faster than the speed of light. I can only imagine what parts of it you're exploring right now. No wonder you make superstars go 'BOOM' all the time!' 

She breathes, and makes every preparation she needs. A forest of trees is laid out for miles before her.

A few leaves brush, paletting the ears.

In... and out... in... and out.

...

'But there's one thing I don't get, Supernova.'

So her training continues, with a burgeoning thought in her demon's mind:

'_Just what's making you stay in that wretched Academy?_'

SSSWWWWIP!

CLANG! The hook latches onto a tree.

Rinko presses a button, and the rope pulls her in. She flies forth, sailing through the air in a parabolic curve. Information merely ambles by at first, but it's a split-second delusion shattered by how fervently it picks up, until it flies past her at a blinding speed. It's for this reason that she doesn't focus on her current surroundings; what's important is where she's going next, instead.

Mid-flight, she presses a latch, and the hook comes flying back. Near the apex of her rise, she fires it out towards another tree; that's when the true loop begins, and the retracting rope preserves her storm in a head-pounding cycle,

swing, 

after swing, 

after swing. 

From one landmark, to the next, to the next. 

Her pace is unrelenting, ruthless; terrifying.

The world doesn't lull through her body; it's battling her, galing with ferocity. Each rush comes with the instinct of panic, a molten adrenaline driving in the sensation that death could come at any moment. But the key is to take that sensation, and turn it into a motive. The sensation of death doesn't deter her from trying; it encourages her to try harder. To be more vigilant, and be more focused; to take actions that will guarantee her own safety.

That was Yukina's advice. Both for her, and for Lisa.

It's when she nears the clearing that she prepares to stop. The next branch she aims for is much, much higher, but the hook is long enough to reach it. Her momentum carries her up into the sky, until it gradually peters out; then, she makes one last retraction and shoots the hook again, 

CLANG!

SSSWWWWIP

...gracefully carrying herself to the treetop. It's a rather precarious landing, but she manages it.

"..."

...She's alone right now. Strangely, the number of times she's been on her own has... increased, recently. Not 'on her own' in that she's truly alone, but rather... that she's taking action of her own accord, while Roselia observes from afar. If she really was the only person out in this forest right now... s-she'd probably pass out.

Which is why she wonders; is she really up to Roselia's task?

The plants on the ground can't see her from this distance. But if she tries to stare at them, she'll be reminded of how many eyes have been placed on her before. In her mission to come, there could easily be as many people watching as there are leaves on the forest floor. 

She breathes in and out with the wind, a few hundred feet in the air... and thinks back to the days of old.

...

...

_"Ready?"_

_A wooden podium, a miniature hall. Far from a grand stage, is where she wakes up this time. _

_"Rinko. Are you ready?"_

_"...! U-um..." _

_She's a child in a little blue dress, wavering with long black hair, looking out from the makeshift curtain. On the other side of that curtain are the words 'Hanasakigawa Elementary Talent Show'. _

_"..."_

_"Are you worried?"_

_"..." She turns to her friend's stone-fixed gaze. "...Y-yeah."_

_"We did fine when we rehearsed it."_

_"..."_

_She shakes. She shakes, because of the eyes that could be watching her. She shakes, because of the razor sharp eyes of her friend, who she's probably letting down at this moment as she says:_

_"...I d-don't want to..."_

_"Why not?"_

_"..." _

_The seconds pass. There's a few confused murmurs creeping into her from across the curtain._

_"...What... if I mess it up?"_

_The horde of yells and giggles eat at her nerves._

_"What will they think... if I make a mistake?"_

_"That's their problem."_

_"..." It doesn't soothe her. She doesn't want to waste everyone's time._

_"Do you want to back out?"_

_"W... well..."_

_A part of her wants to scream 'yes'. But her friend went through the trouble of practicing this with her. Her teacher went through the trouble of including her. Her classmates are bothering to stick around. She doesn't want to disappoint them._

_None of those concerns make their way into her words. "..."_

_"If you're scared of them, then don't pay attention to them."_

_"...!" _

_She turns to her friend._

_"...What do you..."_

_"We've rehearsed this. So long as we perform exactly as we've rehearsed, it'll go off without any issues. Isn't that right?"_

_"...yeah..."_

_"Then let's tune out the crowd and do just that."_

_...If... she does that... it might go fine. She'd feel awful if she backed out now, so... _

_Bated breaths._

_"...okay."_

_They're out on the podium. It only takes her 20 seconds more than it does for her friend; she peeks her head around at first, shaking behind the curtain, until she confirms the audience isn't looking at her with hostility. Just with... curiosity, probably._

_I-it's fine. Besides, everyone here knows what dueling is, anyway. A-and it's just a talent show... it's just a small crowd that wants to enjoy themselves. This isn't the piano recital, or the party she went to with her mother. She doesn't have to do anything wondrous... s-she just needs to... have fun..._

_...but how is she supposed to have fun... when she feels like this?_

_N-no. She has to. She has to smile, otherwise she's going to be disappointing everyone. "H-hello... everyone..." She forces._

_"Hi!" They all cheer._

_Her friend picks up the rest. "We're going to play a round of Duel Monsters. Watch the holographs."_

_There's a few whispers, a few 'ooos' and 'aaas'. Others are... s-staring at them. Really intensely. _

_Ignore it. I-ignore it, and start as planned. "...Let's... begin..."_

_An array of rainbows stream through the classroom as they draw their blades. Soon after, dolphins and seals made entirely of glittering lights begin to fly from the holograph-painted ground. Her friend's mantra ends up running into her skull; 'focus on what you rehearsed, and nothing else.' She completely tunes out how the audience is reacting, out of sheer terror._

_Any actual statistic or mechanic here is irrelevant; her goal isn't to display a competition. I-instead, her thought process was... displaying something captivating, that... anyone could understand. I-it's a duel focused on... the way this sport can be used for s-self-expression... and the ways it can interact with the audience. The two of them are cycling through a set of repeat moves that will eventually lead to a tie, the resulting clash spewing stars that their classmates can maneuver using their hands._

_J-just focus on what you rehearsed._

_Focus on what you rehearsed. _

_Tune everything out, and... f-focus..._

_...but she turns to the right, wondering if her performance has its desired effect._

_"..."_

_She can't tell. Some of the kids are enjoying themselves, playing with the holographic scenery, w-while... others are... still staring at the two of them. She can't tell what their expressions mean, and she can't tell what the noise means. Everything it could mean is too much to take in._

_...F-focus on what you rehearsed._

_She can't. Her arm is shaking as she places the next card down. Her friend's looking concerned, making her feel worse. She tries, tries her hardest to focus, but all she can do is wonder if things are going wrong, and WHY things are going wrong, and..._

_It's overwhelming._

_It won't go as rehearsed. She'll make herself look ridiculous- no, people already think she looks ridiculous. She's going to make a mistake, and that'll be the end of her. Every thought she deflected earlier is pouring into her brain. _

_She follows the mantra regardless, follows every rehearsed motion to a stiff exemplar, even as the fear wracks her face. But what she had fun practicing in private is now a terrifying grip, for seemingly no reason whatsoever. It only builds, and builds, as the duel reaches its most climactic moment; the effects that cause their duel to end in a tie. Do as rehearsed, do as rehearsed; the advice begs to stay intact as she and her friend ready the same motion, pending to take two steps forward that'll prelude a swipe of their blades. Just keep going, Rinko... if this move succeeds, it'll result in a beautiful cascade of shooting stars, and you'll be done with this._

_The world turns black as she takes her first step. As she readies the second, she can't feel her limbs._

_That's why when she assumes they're moving, they're not-_

_-and she's already tripped over._

_..._

_Ah. It hurts a bit. She chokes._

_"Rinko!"_

_But her friend's concern hits her a thousand times more. And it spirals, and spirals into a never-ending storm; she looks up, and sees the concern on the teacher's face, and looks to the side, and sees one child laughing, another child worried, another child laughing; it's loud, it's noisy, it's stuffed, and-_

_-it's embarrassing, it's horrible, it's painful. Her mind makes the shortcuts before she thinks for herself; she completely failed, she let everyone down, she wasted everyone's time, she wasted her own time, and- it all falls together and apart, an invisible murk she can't decipher or understand. It's nothing but the haze of fear with no reason behind it. Falsehoods and catastrophes lie until she believes they're true, and then until she realises they're not; then she beats herself up, and then the falsehoods return, and then it repeats, again and again-_

_She breaks into pieces and runs from the stage, tears streaming down her face._

_Her wails, her fears... they're audible for minutes that feel like ages afterwards._

_"Rinko..."_

_The only thing she ended up conveying to her peers,_

_was how scared she was of them._

...

...

"..."

And that's just one memory of many.

Looking back, the fallouts feel almost as insulting as the performances. For each mistake, only a few spectators give it weight, some even encouraging or praising her instead; but every time it happens, she fixates on the laughter and the insults, spiralling them into the one and only truth. Every time Rinko froze and fell, she would look upon the equilibrium, and see only negativity; absorb only negativity. And it lasted until she lost her friend, and locked herself away from the world, left only with her tears as she cursed herself for fearing a non-existent enemy.

"..."

Rinko stands stable upon the branch, hundreds of feet in the air. Things have... changed; she no longer loathes herself that much, for any reason. Joining Roselia is... a far cry, from approaching a whole crowd, but... it's not something to resent herself over. She's doing all she can to fight her fears... and it's helped a bit. Now, she can see the equilibrium with less biased eyes, and slowly reassure herself when the mistakes mean little.

...But it's still far from sufficient. This current challenge is the kind where she must flawlessly wow the crowd. And her life is also at stake. Thus, the question still stands: Will she be able to perform, this time around? 

"You seem deep in thought. You should return."

"..."

Rinko processes Yukina's words, echoing far below; reacting with shock from this height could be fatal, so she silences it... regardless of whether she can kill it. She latches the hook into the trunk behind her, tightens her grip, and leaps off the branch. Once she's dangling in the air, she slowly extends the rope's length and slides down the tree, breathing in and out.

She doesn't know the answer to her question. Every time she comes across a mountain, her arms shake without fail. But her friends fuel her with the trembling resolve to move... so shes tries to keep herself together.

Rinko lands upon the leave-strewn soil. Yukina and Lisa are awaiting her. "...Did I do... well?"

"As I expected, you've mastered maneuvering around this forest perfectly. But-"

"Rinko~! That was so good!" Lisa immediately takes a few steps closer and gives a dazzling smile. "I'd say you gotta give me some pointers sometimes, but, uh... hopefully this is the last time we'll be doing something like this-"

"I wasn't finished," Yukina cuts in.

Lisa stops cold. "O-oh. My bad."

"Rinko. I am not worried about your physical capabilities. But how do you fare mentally?"

"O-oh. I..." She shakes her head. "It's daunting, but... if I follow your advice, I can stay calm when I'm moving."

"That's not what I mean," Yukina says. "I'm referring to your inner fears. Remember that the eyes of the world will be on you when we strike. Do you think you can maintain your current ability in the face of such a prospect?"

...

"A-ahaha. That's..." Lisa chimes in. "W-well, she can't answer that quite yet, can she?"

"Why?"

"Um..." Rinko starts. "...Yukina... there's one part of the plan... you still haven't elaborated on. I've... been meaning to ask you about it."

Yukina frowns. "There's no need. You know of the main goal, and you know the public will be watching you as you lambast the SDA. Isn't that enough?"

"O-of course it isn't!" Lisa says. "This isn't an improv class, Yukina. Not to pressure you or anything, but... haven't you and Sayo fleshed out the details already? We could be rolling out at any moment now. Rinko's risking her life here; tell her more."

"...Not yet. We are still undecided on... certain elements," Yukina mutters. "The arena incidents have altered how the public sees the SDA."

"Eh? But didn't you say yesterday you'd already accounted for tha-"

"I see no reason to explain myself to you."

...

The air grips tight. It's suddenly a lot colder. Rinko can feel her resolve tuck away into a corner, losing its light.

This isn't a good week to have uncertainty.

"If you are this concerned over such trivialities, then your dedication is lacking." The wolf starts walking. "Let's go. We're returning to the base."

"S-sorry about that, Rinko." Lisa tries to smile. "I think I know why she's being like this, but-"

"Don't waste time on idle conversation. There's work to be done."

...

...With that, the two of them follow their leader back home.

The journey is quiet. Lisa starts a few topics with Rinko, but... Lisa's evidently worried about Yukina, and Rinko hardly feels the... the courage, to respond herself. If Lisa wasn't here, she'd probably be scared, even; the wolf's abruptly voided aura feels suffocating. The silver mane serving as their guide begins to blend in with the forest fog, endless trees towering over on all sides.

Eventually, they reach a clearing, and join back onto the road leading to the shrine. As her leader opens the gate and heads up the stairs, Rinko... can't help but glance, at those amber eyes, from the side. Tomoe's words echo in her mind, reminding her of a graceful field in half-an-hour's sun. The repeat crescendo of a symphony, blooming flowers over days and days:

Can she do anything to help? She's unsure. It's true that there's been... a few other occasions, where Yukina suddenly chooses to stop enabling the discussions of others, accusing everyone of lacking dedication; even Sayo. And that conversation just now was definitely worse than usual. But... i-it could just be that Yukina's stressed today... and that's not surprising... considering Roselia's current goal. Even their leader probably has off days.

Is she jumping to conclusions based on one argument? She doesn't know. But she's... enjoyed being with the other members of Roselia, so far. All of them are supportive and caring in their own way, and... Yukina's nearly always monitoring them, looking out for them, and listening to their worries. She's a person who feels strangely... distant, and disconnected, but she's helped Rinko a lot. She's the reason Rinko was able to take her next step. So maybe... she could use some extra support.

"L-Lisa," Rinko starts, approaching the building, "do you... want to study with me, today? I want to see... what cards you've been researching..."

"I'd love to~! You're okay with that, right Yukina?"

"I have no objections." Yukina opens the door and immediately heads to her room. "Make sure your time together is productive."

"Roger that!"

"Is Rinrin back?!" The bubbliest face of her life bursts out from one of the doors. "Rinrin, welcome back!!! Can I check something real quick?"

"U-um," she recoils, trying not to get lost in the joy of hearing 'Rinrin'. There's a pair of crimson eyes gleaming near her face. "Y-yeah. What is it?"

"Can I feel your arm for a sec?"

. "H-huh?!" Wh- who- why- that's?!???????????????????! T-this is new... usually, their contact is mainly h-hugging! "Um. S-s-sure..."

"Yay!"

Knowing Ako's going straight for it, Rinko stifles her breath completely and tenses tight as a doornail. She's half-expecting to spontaneously explode at the contact, but miraculously she's... well, alive, when she feels... her f-friend's touch. It's kind of soft, even. It's...

"Whooooooaa♡."

...pleasant.

"Rinrin, that's SO cool! You levelled up!" Ako tenderly squeezes a bicep. "I can feel some muscle beneath your shirt! Man, I wish Yukina'd let ME try all that parkour stuff."

"...fufu." She smiles. "It'll... probably fizzle out... once we finish our mission."

"I'll treasure it in the meantime then!" Ako links their arms together. "Um, speaking of our dark mission though; did you ever manage to ask Yukina about that thing? I tried, but she didn't tell me. She's just being all cool and silent."

"I don't know either... it's worrying me a bit."

"...Uh-oh. A-are you gonna be worried when we move out, too?" Ako clings to her. "M-make sure you're safe before we start, ok Rinrin? If you feel scared while you're whooshing around, then... um, think of Lisa's cookies! ...Wait, no, that'd probably just make you nause-"

"Ako."

The two instantly jump; w-was Sayo sitting at the dining table this whole time? She's... hard to notice lately.

"Have you finished your homework?"

"Urk. No."

"Then get on with it now. We have a lot of practice today. I won't have you disrupting our schedule, nor will I let you be underprepared for my tutelage this evening."

"R-right! Sorry..." 

The dark lord sulks for a split second, before crawling back to her room. "G-good luck, Ako." Rinko then turns to Sayo. "Um. H-have you- Sayo, has Yukina acted... different, this morning?"

Sayo takes a bit to respond. Her expression doesn't change. "...If she's feeling ill, I haven't noticed."

"A-ah. Right. And, um..."

Silence. Sayo's stare doesn't reveal anything. But this mission has to be weighing on her, right?

"...are you okay-"

"I'm fine." Sayo immediately looks back at her phone. "Get to work."

...That didn't go so well.

She lets the smallest of sighs escape her as she heads to the conference room and sits down with Lisa. She did intend for them to research together, but there's another reason she wanted to talk to Lisa too.

"Feeling okay, Rinko~? How's the morning been so far?"

"I've... been fine with it. Thank you for asking," she smiles. "Can I talk to you about Yukina?"

"I figured you would." Lisa's smile weakens a bit. "For some reason, she's been weirdly stressed these past few days."

"Has she?" That's surprising. She hadn't noticed...

"I think it started on Wednesday. Do you remember when we headed back to base that evening?"

"Yeah... Yukina wasn't there when we arrived, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. She went out during the afternoon, without telling Ako or Sayo where she was going," Lisa says. "And when she got back, she definitely looked more stressed; there's always a very particular frown on her face when she's got a headache."

"Really? I... didn't realise..."

"I'm not her childhood friend for nothing~!" Hands on hips. "Don't worry about it; she has a bad habit of hiding her troubles, so it's not easy to notice."

"I see... you must... care a lot for each other." Rinko responds. "...I... this might just be a hunch, but... I think Yukina and Sayo are hiding something from us, regarding their plan. I want to... talk to them."

"A-ah."

"Oh. Is that not...?"

It's been a while since she last saw Lisa look downtrod. Though after the Cairngorgon duel, it's become apparent... that Lisa has trouble expressing her feelings, sometimes. "W-well, it's just. I agree with you, but I don't think they're going to answer you..."

"Is it... something they can't trust us with?"

"N-no way!" Lisa waves her hands. "Well, I don't know what Sayo's thinking right now; but Yukina trusts Roselia, honest. T-that's not the problem. I just... think Yukina's trying to stop herself from, um..."

...

"...n-nevermind. Don't worry about it, okay? She'll probably be in full gear again by tomorrow!"

"But-"

"Get it? 'Full gear'? I-I thought I'd make an Ako joke," Lisa stammers. "O-oh, by the way, how's your secret sewing project going? You've got everyone's measurements, righ-"

"Lisa."

The words screech to a halt. "...ah. Sorry." She sighs in dismay. "You're the one who's risking her life for this plan. I'm not being considerate of you."

"It's okay," Rinko responds. "I'm not the only one who's stressed about it. I think... everyone is, to some extent," she manages. "That's why we need to talk to Yukina. This isn't a good time to feel tense... so I want to help everyone stay calm."

"...God, you're so sweet~." Lisa gives a thumbs up. "Got it, then! Want me to try and dig the info out of her?"

"I-it's okay." How does she word this in a way that doesn't sound rude...? "Um... since I'm the candidate this time around... I think she might be more willing to open up, if I talk to her."

"You sure you'll be alright with that?"

"N-no. I'm a bit scared. But... I want to."

"Then I'll leave it to you," she responds. "I'll be right behind you; don't hesitate to lean on me if you need it, okay?"

It's... really dazzling, when Lisa smiles like that. "Thank you."

"Any time! Now," a few articles, laptops and stacks of Duel Monsters cards are placed on the table. The pair of them nod. "Let's get to some research!"

They spend the next 45 minutes studying processes that relate to how and when card effects can activate. Rinko makes sure to cover everything slowly; no doubt it's a little daunting for Lisa at first, since some cards haven't had their descriptions updated to match modern formatting. Halfway through, Ako leaps out from her room and enthusiastically joins the two of them... before promptly having her head melted at the concepts they're covering. She still tries her best to understand, though. Ako's been... really determined to learn more. She used to rely on 'Rinrin language' a lot to understand things, but now she's becoming even more and more captivating, all on her own. It's been this way ever since Sayo encouraged her...

...Rinko sneaks a few glances towards Sayo. Sayo, on the other hand... doesn't look too good lately. She hasn't noticed a lot of the things happening around her today. In fact, she's barely even moved her eyes off from her phone. She's... normally a studious person, so it makes sense for her to be concentrated, but... she also looks out of it. Maybe it's... because of how hard she's been training. Even harder than usual. It really shows in how strong her dueling's become, but... it's also worrying. It's actually been kind of frightening to duel her this week. She gets... evidently frustrated, when she loses, even if she tries to suppress it.

There's something on her mind. Something that's burgeoned into a malicious shackle. And Rinko can't help... but think it has something to do with...

"The news is rife with incidents surrounding the SDA." Yukina steps out of her room. "If the cause of these incidents is a person like I suspect, then we shall not move out today. Any action taken by our 'Black Star' group will not receive sufficient media focus."

"Understood."

"Got it!"

"Whew. Guess that means you can take it easy for a bit longer, Rinko~."

"...Right."

She draws in a deep breath. It doesn't feel like there's any merit to delaying this confrontation, so... she stands up from her chair, and...

...

"Rinrin? You okay?" Ako's immediately at her side. "You look really tense."

"Rinko." Lisa stands up too. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"..."

Half of her says she does, and the other half says she doesn't. But she's already resolved to follow the first half... so, the question is... can she actually succeed in making Yukina tell the truth...?

She doesn't feel like she can.

"Psst, Ako! She's about to try something really brave. You gotta encourage her~!"

"I-is she? What's going on?" She fervently whips her head between Lisa and Rinko. "W-well, if it's black magic Rinrin needs, I've got all the, uh... reserves in the world!" A squeeze of the hand. "You can do this, Rinrin!"

...Maybe she can.

The sensation's the same every time; the path she treads feels treacherous, unpleasant, unnerving. But she wants to reach her destination, step by step; so she takes the compassion and joy she feels instead, and drives herself with it.

Rinko approaches the center of the building, the wall adorned with the rose portrait at the end of the entranceway. An amber wolf stands solemnly in front of it, deep in thought.

"U-um... Yukina."

"What is it?"

Her heart momentarily freezes; amber eyes lock her down without a hint of hesitation. When those eyes are on your side, it's reassuring... but when you stand against them... it's...

"If there's something you want to ask me, then ask."

"...R-right."

Their conversation captures the entire base's attention. Lisa, Ako and Sayo are all watching.

"...Y-Yukina..." she manages. "You and Sayo... have already finalised the plan... haven't you?"

There's no response. The room turns silent, save for Ako's nervous mumbling.

Rinko looks at the grappling hooks on her waist. "Please tell me. Tell me more... about why I need these. Tell me exactly what our plan involves. I think... I have a right to know."

"Do you need to?"

"Of course. That... should be obvious, shouldn't it?" She says. "...During the Exhibition, you... gave Lisa clear instructions. I feel like you're deliberately avoiding that, this time around..."

Silence.

"And I'm worried by it."

"Worried?"

"...Yes."

There's a fair few reasons she's worried. But one is standing at the forefront of Rinko's mind right now. She doesn't know if it's the truth; in fact, it may very well... not be. This is all conjecture. But it's the only possibility her mind can echo, when Yukina doesn't give anything away.

So she asks: "Yukina... does the plan involve something you think I wouldn't agree to?"

...

"I have my... guesses. You haven't detailed how Hina will follow me, but... with the way you've set this up... I'm worried... that you plan to put her in danger."

...

Rinko gazes at Sayo for a moment. There's no response from her. She definitely seems troubled, though. And if she's troubled because Yukina's half-heartedly decided to put Hina in harm's way... then Rinko wants to avoid that.

"This is a frivolous detail."

"...!"

Yukina's response cuts clear.

"H-hey! That's not frivolous." Ako protests meekly. "Hina is Sayo's sis! We're not gonna hurt her, are we? I thought Rinrin was just gonna... go WHOOSH, and zap! And make everyone go 'whoa'!"

"...Yukina..."

"If you're that concerned over this, then I question your devotion towards Roselia."

.

Rinko feels paralysed.

"Hey, don't be like that." Lisa cuts in. "You know as well as we do that Rinko's been an amazing help. You don't need to insult her just becaus-"

"Are you saying I'm wrong?"

"I-!" For once, Lisa actually looks frustrated. "Yukina...! There's no reason to act like this. If you're having trouble planning, then ask us for help-"

"Please drop this subject."

The air chills. Everyone turns towards Sayo. There's no change in her tone, but her hand grips the phone a bit tighter.

...

"...No..."

Sayo blinks. "Excuse me?"

"...No. This is for everyone's sake. I... don't believe we should be ignoring this," Rinko says. "Yukina. Please... Roselia needs to work as a team. We can't... withhold information. Not for any reason, and especially not for an operation like this. You're... aware of that, don't you? There's just... some reason you're insistent on hiding the truth from us."

"..."

For the first time since she joined Roselia, she sees an expression on Yukina's face other than neutrality.

Strain. There's a seed of conflict. As if a heart-cut silver maiden has risen from the ground and taken the wolf's place.

"...I have no intention of answering your questions."

"!" Rinko grits her teeth. "B-but we need to be able... to execute this at any moment!"

The wolf grips her fist.

"...You're right." Sayo stands up. "Yukina. To be honest, I see no reason not to tell them."

Amber becomes bloodshot.

"I've already made it clear I'm fine with your decision. And I do not believe the others will think less of you for it. So please, explain how Hina will-"

"WE'RE DONE WITH THIS TOPIC!"

Rejection.

The flame of rejection.

Nothingness has become a scalpel of fire, cutting the arteries. A closed door, one that couldn't evidently be locked any tighter. 

Under the weight crushing her shoulders, Rinko looks to the other three. They all wear the same distraught shock on their face, not a clue as to why their leader is in distress.

...

"...A-ahaha... u-um, guys!" Lisa tries to speak up. "Maybe we're too burnt out. Stakes are high right now, so we need to chill. Let's just sit down and... relax for a bit, okay?"

Ako's expression changes to those words. "Y-yeah! Let's, uhhhh, brew our dark malcontents away, over this, uh. Um."

"...hex of an hour?"

"Yeah! Over this hex of an hour!"

...

...There's no verbal response. But the agreement is clear. Each member of Roselia finds a place to sit in silence, trying to breathe.

...

...The clock ticks. Ako can't stop shifting on her chair.

Someone's phone buzzes.

"Oh!" Lisa pounces. "That was your phone, wasn't it Sayo? Who messaged you?"

"N-nobody did. That was... just a notification."

"Ah. R... right."

...

Not a single person in this room looks comfortable right now. Left to her own thoughts, Rinko knows she'd only succumb to the fear of her task... so she focuses on the others instead. Ako and Sayo seem to be stable, at least (it's good to hold Ako's hand, in case that'd help), but... Lisa's staring intently at Yukina, and... Yukina looks...

...angered.

There's something Yukina's... bottling up. Something eating at her chest. Maybe several things. With the way she distances herself, nobody could possibly know what it is, but... it's not just a passing thought. At least, that's Rinko's guess.

...

...

This is a bad position to be in. In the gravity of their current mission, they can't afford to quarrel and lash out. But... what can she do, that'd help relieve this tension?

"U-um... um..." Ako ends up voicing it before she does. "...Hey guys! Why don't we, uh. Play something together? Do something fun, like. Uh...... video games!"

...

"...We've no need to engage in such frivolities together," Sayo responds.

Lisa's there to back Ako up, fortunately. "B-but we DO need something to lighten the mood!"

"Such as?"

"Uh."

Everyone's eyes are on Lisa. Rinko utters a silent prayer her way, as her sign of support.

"W-well..."

...

...

...

...

...

...

"...A-ah! I-I-I know! W-why don't we, uh, find a cat! And play with it!"

.

"A-a cat?"  
"Excuse me?!"  
"WHAT?!"  
"H... huh?"

Any sense of tension has just spiralled into a fever dream.

If it weren't for the shock on Yukina and Sayo's faces, she'd believe herself the most flabbergasted of everyone. "L-Lisa?"

"Rinko, Ako, I'm sorry, hear me out," she pants. "Yukina's very single-minded and she loves cats, a-and this was the only thing I could come up with!" She leans in and whispers; "We're trying to do this to make her open up, right? Trust me, she absolutely loves cats, so i-it'll work! ...If we find one!"

"Uh.... u-um! Couldn't we just... look up videos?"

"I-I'll do that, sure! But Yukina loves seeing them in person, and she hasn't done that in ages, so it's a surefire solution! T-trust me!"

Rinko's brain fires confusion on all cylinders. But... this is Lisa talking, isn't it? She definitely knows what Yukina likes, s-so...

...r-right. If her love of cats is somehow strong enough to break this deadlock, then! "Okay. We'll... we'll do it!"

"Do what?" Sayo blurts.

Rinko stands up with the barebones courage she can muster. "W-we'll... find a cat and play with it here. I'll, um... ask someone if their cat can visit us!"

"Yeah! That's a great idea, Rinrin!"

"Are you out of your mind? That's a terrible idea. What irresponsible owner is going to let their cat fall into the hands of a group of strangers? What purpose does such a wasteful activity even-"

"P-please, I'm begging you, Sayo!" Lisa falls on both knees and clasps her hands together. "I know this sounds silly, but trust me!"

"...You're eerily stubborn about this."

"You bet I am!" Lisa stares right at Yukina. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but we need a distraction, or we'll never regain our focus. Um, that's what I think, at least!"

"L-Lisa..." Yukina murmurs. "I-I don't even like cats. O-or petting them."

Sayo scowls. "Which one of us would go? I have no intention of wasting my time on an animal hunt that will undoubtedly fail. And I refuse to risk Ako being identified in public a second time."

"Hey! Well, you're right..."

Lisa starts. "It's ok! I'll go and do it-"

"W-wait!"

Everyone turns to Rinko.

"Lisa... stay here, and... watch over Yukina," she says. "I'll... I'll find a cat. For Roselia's sake!"

"R-Rinko?! Ah, wait!"

It's with that completely and utterly absurd line that the most surreal mission of her life begins. Before Yukina can raise an objection, she rushes to her room, equips a new set of clothes, grabs her bag and bursts out from the door. "Good luck, Rinrin!" echoes from the base as she bolts away.

It's as good a time as any to figure out how to befriend cats. This kind of lightheartedness... she's never seen Yukina engage in it before. It might be just what Yukina needs!


	36. Last Respite (Part 2)

This was the worst decision she's ever made.

Maybe doing things in the spur of the moment like Ako does isn't a very good idea. Now that she's stopped to take a rest, all she can think about is how pitifully low the possibility is that she, of all people, will succeed in... a-asking someone to let Roselia play with their cat. Or finding a stray, maybe, but honestly... that's even more remote. The only reason she hasn't gone back home yet is because it'd be embarrassing to return empty-handed after all the arguing... 

Rinko look at her FACE!!!!!!!!!!! It's so CUTE♡!

rinrin!!!! think of me hugging you if you're scared, okay?!??!?!

..well, that, and these two keep sending her pictures of Yukina being very... interested, in cat videos. For some reason, she's now seen more emotional expression from Yukina's face in the past day than she has for the rest of their time together. 

Oh. Wow. It just hits her, actually; Yukina has... personal interests. Preferences. She's already shown them a bit when it comes to food, but this feels so much more real. If it wasn't for the fussy eating, it'd be easy enough to label Yukina as some otherworldly, near-emotionless being... and yet here she is. Her cold and cool amber eyes look genuinely awe-struck at the sight of a videotaped cat.

...

S-so, judging by those pictures, and by Lisa's guidance (it's hard for her not to trust Lisa), bringing a cat to Roselia really might actually succeed in de-stressing everyone. Somehow, in some way, this menial quest could potentially be what ends up keeping her stern and strict dueling group intact! ...Right?

Uh, maybe don't think about it too much. This is just her life now, it turns out. I-if she told her parents that her current schedule involved swinging through forests and bringing cats to secret bases... how would they feel?

Unsurprisingly, the quest... hasn't been a success yet. This is probably going to be more difficult than any escort mission in a Mystery Dungeon game. She's only ran into one cat so far, and it seemed to be a stray with zero intention of getting near her, so... she's just decided to sit at this park near Central City, and... rest, for a bit. Without thinking about what on earth she's doing. 

"..."

Breathing, in and out. Sometimes the basics help well enough. The park's relatively quiet, so she lies back on the bench and gazes peacefully at the Sun, who's trying its best to shine through all the murky clouds... it's a screen of illuminated grey, stretching behind the buildings. Like with many parks she's been to, the gravel is crusty and crumbling beneath her feet, and the winds rushing through the trees are the only noise around. For someone like her, it's... always the perfect place to relax, if she needs the fresh air.

Quiet, quaint, and normal.

...

...

...It's then and there that she realises; Roselia's current mission is too big a step for her. She may be able to fly across forests, but if she can't even ask around the neighbourhood in search of a cat, she definitely won't be able to muster the courage to communicate with an entire-

"Where ARE you, you little fiend?!"

Rinko learns it's possible to jump while sitting in place.

W-who said that? Her hair practically flops itself into her face, forcing her to shake it off so she can find the source of the noise; there's a girl around her height, practically cannonballing herself into the park and screeching to a halt in a mess of floppy pink. S-she's... really loud. "Urgh, the ONE day Meaniepants lets me look after you, and you run off! She's gonna chew me out for this, y'know? Just come back!"

Run off? Could it be? "U-um," Rinko immediately gets up from the bench and steps forward. "Are you looking for-"

.

...W-wait, why is she approaching a stranger?!

"Oh! Have you seen Catsith?!" The lively girl's already rushed over. "Please say you have! She's small, cream-coloured and MEAN as all h-"

.

"Whoa. Whoaaaaa..."

For two seconds, she flatlines looking at Rinko. Her gaze is... i-is kind of overwhelming.

"Oh my god... she's so PRETTY... my heart's beating really fast..." There's a bit of a blush on the stranger's face. "Ack, I'm really out of it, aren't I? Get it together, Himari! U-um. What was I saying?"

...Himari? Has she heard that name somewhere before?

"Hey, earth to gorgeous girl? Are you okay? You look a little dazed!"

"O-oh! I'm... sorry..." Rinko shakes her head. "Um... are you looking for your cat?"

"Whoa, how'd you know? Are you psychic? That's amazing!"

"N-no-"

"Well, she's my stuck-up big sister's cat and not mine, but same difference." Himari's aura is positively radiant; it's like she's looking into her complete opposite. "Have you seen that little devil running around? She could probably sleep on a road and not get hurt, but I'm still worried about her."

"U-um... I haven't... but..." She gulps. "I... I could... help you look for her, if you wan-"

"Seriously?!" Two pools of green glow like gems. "Oh my god, you're so sweet! Thank you!"

She blinks. "Eh? Are you sur-"

"C'mon, let's go! Follow me!"

"O-okay!"

Wow, that was fast...! She didn't even question why Rinko wanted to help her... her pace is ferocious. Hopefully keeping up with her i-isn't going to result in fainting...

"Let's head to Memorial's End Park; I've found her lounging around there before!" Himari says. "Oh, by the way, what's your name?"

"U-um... it's Rinko..."

"Nice to meet you! Can we take a selfie? I'm really buzzed to have a partner for my cat hunt!"

"A s-sel-?!" Don't panic, don't panic- "...sure?"

Wait, that was the WRONG answer "Woohoo!" Fortunately, Himari doesn't touch her when the picture's taken; her nerves would've killed her instantly if that happened. "God, I feel like I'm blessed by an angel now. You're my savior, Rinko!"

"R-really? But I haven't... done anything yet..."

"Pshaw! Of course you have! It's so reassuring, having someone as pretty- I mean, gorgeous-" Himari nearly spits on thin air. "S-sorry! I don't mean to sound weird, so don't get the wrong idea; I'm not gay, I'm just tired-" Another second's silence. "...Oh no, I already uploaded that picture, didn't I? I hope nobody thinks I'm on a date... I don't want to look like I'm betraying them!"

B-betraying? Who? And wait, did she just say uploaded-

"Oh, stick with me, Rinko! I'll protect you!" She didn't even realise it, but they're already entering another park. It's taking all her effort to stay conscious and endure the storm of incoming information right now, and it's really, really wearing her out. "This park's basically a forest thanks to Memorial's End towering over it; gets real dark in some places. I'll make sure you don't get lost, okay?"

"U-um. Thank you?" Is she... doing anything to help, then?

"She complimented me! My heart's skipping a beat!" Himari blinks. "Oh, I completely forgot; my name's Himari Uehara! Nice to meet you~!"

"Yeah. H-hi. I'm Rinko." W-wait, she already said that too- "Um... w-why are you out here?" Wait, she already knows the answer to that, and that wording was horrible, and-

"Oh my god, you don't mind listening to me? Thank you so much; I'd love to talk about it!"

"E-eh?"

"See, I'm out here looking after Meaniepants'- I mean, big sis's cat, all on my own because I'm a big idiot!" Himari sighs. "I was supposed to hang out with my friends today, but there's someone I wanted to search for, so I told them I'd meet up with them later, and then Meaniepants saddled Catsith on me, and now Catsith's missing, and- argh!"

"I-I see." At least, she hopes she does. "So, um, then... is Catsith not the only thing you're searching for?"

"Yeah, I had a mission before she came crashing into it! I'm trying to look for one of my friends," Himari says. "Her name's Moca. She's being really weird and distant lately, and none of us can find her now!"

.

Wait. Isn't Moca also the name of the friend who used to tutor Ako?

"Everyone else says we've gotta sit and wait for her to come back, but I'm the leader! Like, they're not wrong, but... it just bothers me so much, leaving things like this. It's my job to keep everyone together, y'feel me?"

"Y-yeah..."

...Oh no.

Her name's Himari, and she's mentioned a Moca.

That means she's from Afterglow,

The group that really doesn't like Yukina right now

Meaning she'd absolutely get into an argument if they went to Roselia's base

and she'd probably hate Rinko too unless Tomoe's talked about her

has tomoe talked to them about roselia

does himari even realise who she is

she doesnt does she oh god,

oh goddddd

"I just wanna drag Moca's clown butt back home and chew her out. I can't stop thinking about her, and I'm really worried about her, and it's really frustrating me, and..."

help

"...Rinko? You okay?"

"O-oh! Um!" she needs an escape, NOW "U-u-u-uh! I-I was thinking... maybe we should... split up, to c-cover more ground?"

"Eh? Are you okay with that?! Will you be safe?"

"I-I'll be fine." She blurts out. "I'm just, uh... r-really worried about Catsith's safety-"

Himari immediately squeals. "Rinko, you're an AN-gel~! Alright, let's scan this entire park like we're a submarine!" She flashes a peace sign. "Just shout my name if you're scared, okay? I'll be your knight in shining armour and come rushing in to protect you! I'll move mountains for you!"

"O-okay! Um!" Ako please help "I'll go left from here and you go right!"

"Got it! Catsith, I'm going to drag you back home right now! Chaaarge!"

...

...And there she goes.

Rinko immediately leaps over a fence, catapults into a foresty area of the park and leans on the back of a tree, pausing for breath. That was probably the most overwhelming situation of her life, b-but... she's alive. Thank Arceus.

Breathe in, and out.

Whew.

...

...Oh god, oh no, oh god oh no; this is both a miracle and a curse. She's actually managed to find someone who might be willing to bring her cat to Roselia, but of course it couldn't be that simple, because of course it had to be someone from Afterglow! What is she going to do? If she brings Himari to the base, everyone might become MORE tense instead of less...! And wait, what will Sayo and Yukina say to her if she lets someone else discover where they're hiding?! She didn't even consider that! Oh no, oh no, oh no, this is a complete disaster... everything's going to go wrong like this! 

...W-well, she and Himari've split up now, so... uh... w-what if she just ran back to base now and forgot about everything? Yeah, let's do that, let's...

...but... the mission...

...

"...Ako."

Think of Ako, Rinko. Think of Ako's smiling face. Think of her hugging you and squeezing your hand...

...

C-come on, Rinko! Let's do this; there's a lead right in front of her, so now's the time to m-move! Besides... she.... doesn't want to let Himari down. Himari seems really nice and really kind... even if she's also really intimidating. S-so, let's...

"...let's do it!"

Maybe it's just because her brain is fried right now, but she decides to pour her best effort into finding... Catsith, right. That's the cat's name. She has cream-coloured fur, she's below-average size... a-and maybe she'll be friendly? Who knows. 

"C-Catsith?" Will calling her name work?

...

...It's not working...

Right. This IS a hunt for one lone cat in a dark forest, so... maybe it'd be a good idea to take it slowly. This isn't going to be easy. I-it's probably going to be very hard, actually, especially since there's a 90% chance the cat isn't here at all... but she's tired and everything is confusing, so she'll... just give it a shot.

...Still...

...This forest is pretty dark. It, uh. Might be better to. F-find a lighter area. 

Good. There's a patch where the sky shines down, and it seems to be near the pathways. She can actually see Memorial's End between the trees, towering over the park. It's far from the biggest arena around, but it definitely sets a striking impression; it's built like a tightly-knit castle, impenetrable in its grand aura. It's rather calm here...

...or not. If she focuses... she can hear yelling. Has something happened nearby?

"Who's there?!"

Her heart stops.

She immediately turns to her left; there's an SDA student staring at her, quaking in fear. "Don't come a-any closer! I don't know where The Dragon is, okay?!"

"-!" Run, run, run now-

"H-hahaha! There's no point in dueling me here anyway!" The student smiles, but there's a drop of sweat. "Nobody's around to see it! You can't humiliate me anymore!"

Rinko feels faint. "I-"

"O-oh. Oh, wait, my bad. I'm completely mistaken; s-sorry for freaking you out. Um, really."

"...huh?" Is it... safe?

"I mistook your hair for a hood, as weird as that sounds." The student scratches her head. "I'm really on edge because of that punk. She used my own monster against me... b-but!" An arrogant exhale. "S-she just got lucky! There's no way she'd beat me that easily if I fought her again! No way at all! I'm one of the strongest duelists around; I've got connections lined up in the industry, and everything!"

"I... I-I see." 

...Wait a second. This person; Rinko recognises her face. Isn't she... Rank 3?

"Right, well, I'm not a fan of scaring people, so I'll peace out. Not good for my rep." The student waves. "This spot's yours now. Oh, and yell 'Blue-Eyes!' if you find someone scary in the park, yeah? Secret tip from me."

"U-um. Right."

The student starts to leave. "Maybe I should pull some all-nighters... that'd probably let me train more. I am NOT gonna let that goody two-shoes Hikawa beat me again if she ever comes back to the Academy..."

...

...On second thought... m-maybe it'd be better to find Himari. This is... too much for her.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Oh no, oh no oh no oh no. T-that was the student, wasn't it?!

...

...It's silent. She doesn't hear anything else. The noise came from... t-that part of the forest, didn't it? It's... really dark in there...

...but for some reason, she actually walks in. She regrets it the moment she does, but... if the student got hurt, she'd feel awful... she was the one who made her move elsewhere, after all... so she doesn't really have a choice...

"...H... hello?"

Step, after bated step. She hides behind each tree she passes, making sure she's quiet as humanly possible. If it weren't for the training and advice Yukina gave her, she'd probably be crying right now.

...Isn't she alone? There's nobody here to support her. She didn't realise it until now, but... she only has herself to rely on here. A-and it's so dark. She can barely see the figure of each tree. Only a few glints of light are reaching each blade of grass. "N-no, it's okay... t-think... of Himari... she said she'd come rushing... to protect you... if..."

"Ah. So that explains why the cat's here."

Danger.

It was bright, when she ran into Himari. It was bright, when she ran into that student.

It's dark here.

"...!"

She falls to her knees.

"A-Ak-"

"Over here. Don't worry, buddy; you're safe while I'm around."

W-where? Where's that v-voice coming from? She whips her head left and right, but it's too dark to find anything, it's too dark, it's too dark, and... no, take a deep breath. "T-think of Ako..." ...Another deep breath. F-focus. Just stay calm, and...

...over there. On that tree. Somehow, this person's cloak is... even darker than the surroundings. "They really should bring a lawnmower to this place. That student tripped on like 3 vines while she ran from me."

"W-who... are you?"

A movement. "Not telling! Unlike you, I lose all my attractiveness when people know who I am... isn't that right, Rinko Shirokane of Roselia?"

"...! How do you-"

"Your deck's pretty interesting. Witchcrafters're a neat bunch."

W-wait. Is this person shuffling cards? Rinko checks her pouch, and- "U-um...! Did you... take my deck...?! Please-"

"Relax, I'm your friend! I'm not stealing it, promise." A few're flipped through. "_Witchcrafter Sculpteur_, _Witchcrafter Edel_... oooooooh." There's the glint of a smile. "**4000ATK** on this one, huh? I bet a certain special someone of yours loves this card. She's always into the 'epic gamer' numbers."

T-the stranger's approaching. Rinko takes in a sharp breath as a void approaches her, unable to tell if her eyes are even closed.

"Don't mind my shenanigans. I've got a thing for good deckbuilds, is all." Something's held out. "How about a copy of _Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss_ as a peace offering? It'd make a good gift for said special someone, wouldn't it?"

"U-um." She takes it, partially out of fear. "Okay."

"It's not mine, but don't ask where I got it from. Oh, and here's your deck back; grab your phone's flashlight and check it's all there, if you want to."

"I'll... believe you. Thank you." If only because she fears the prospect of seeing this person's face. "Um-"

"So, did they pick you to duel Hina?"

Her heart stops.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm just making the obvious assumption; Lisa's probably tired, Sayo definitely wants nothing to do with it, Ako's a baby, and this Yukina person's in hiding like an overdramatic edgelord," the stranger continues. "You gonna use that Witchcrafter deck? Or will it be something else? Lisa didn't use Gem-Knights when she dueled Chisato, after all."

...

T-this person.

Just who is this person? "H-how... do you know all this?"

"Beholders wish they had the eyes on my back," is the chuckling response. "Oh, don't bother telling the Roses about me; they'll just be confused. None of 'em even know I'm out there."

"..."

"I don't plan on stopping your little crusade, anyway. _My teeth'll be sinking deep into her neck, savouring every last drop her blood,_ by the time you find her Number One... so I'll kick back with the popcorn and watch your show play out."

A chill runs down Rinko's spine.

"Ah, my bad. Don't mind the morbid one-liners; they're just my way of coping." The stranger tilts her head. "Hm. Maybe you'll be less scared of me, if I tell you I've got what you're looking for?"

"W-what?" Rinko stammers. "What... do you mean?"

"Here, hold this." Something small and circular is placed in her palm. "Psssspspspspspsss."

Meow.

That's... that's a cat!

"Here, lil' Catsith. You've got a new friend! She even has a treat for you."

Meow.

"Don't 'meow' me, buddy. That's just bad manners. She doesn't bite, promise!"

Meow.

...S-she's more worried about being the bitten one, at this rate.

"Okay, fine, I'll sweeten the deal. TWO treats."

Another treat's thrown into her hands, and- "E-eep!" what's presumably Catsith hops right on and snags them. "U-um..."

"Turn right and head straight forward; you'll be back on the path in no time. Don't worry, she'll stay in your hands for at least that long." 

A cape billows. Darkness can't navigate through its fabric.

"See ya."

"W-wait!"

...

...But there's no response. The stranger's already left.

...

Meow.

"Nobody outside of Roselia should know about its plans. Who... did she learn this information from?"

Meow.

"...I... really think I'm going to faint." She sighs. "U-um. L-let's get you back home, Catsith..."

Turn right, and go straight ahead... right? She really hopes she'll be safe. All she wants to do now is... bring this cat back to Roselia... don't lose focus yet, Rinko...

"Rinkoooooooooooooooooooooo! You around here?!"

"A-ah!"

She peeks out from a clearing, and Himari's fortunately directly in front of her. She's never been more glad to see a person she's only known for half an hour. "Oh my god, you're okay! Thank god; I heard a huge scream and I was worried about you, and-" Himari blinks. "CATSITH! You stinky brat!"

Meow.

The nonchalant offender's handed over. "Oh, do I have some WORDS for you later!" Himari beams. "Thanks so much, Rinko! Where'd you find her?"

"U-um..." Well, that's hard to explain. "I... found someone in the forest... who was looking after her..."

"Really? That's incredible! Normally Catsith HATES strangers," Himari says. "Well, I guess that makes you pretty amazing too; after all, she didn't mind you carrying her here!"

"R-right." 

"Gggmrrgr. Why can't you be that nice with me, brat cat?"

...

...It's been too long a day. Let's... cut to the chase. "Um, Himari... can I ask a... favor?"

"A-a-a-a-a-a favor?!" ...Why is she blushing? "W-wow, I'd be happy to! Himari Uehara, at your service!"

She's almost grateful for how tired she is; if she was any more conscious, her brain would... probably be at maximum panic from what she's doing right now. Taking someone who has bad blood with Roselia right into their lair, huh?

Well, here goes nothing.

"It's..."

\---

...

...Okay, she has to tell her.

She did not, by any means, realise how shifty this looks. She's taken Himari to what's essentially a remote, isolated location, under the reasoning of 'my friends need to play with your cat to de-stress'. Maybe being a daily visitor to here makes you think it's a normal place to live... but it's so shut off from the rest of the world, isn't it?

God, she really just needs to lie down in bed, and... dissociate for a while by playing Pokemon, maybe. 

"Are we there yet, Rinko?"

"Y-yeah. There'll be a set of stairs to our left soon..." she responds. "Um... it's a pretty long staircase... so be prepared."

"Nothing I can't handle!"

Himari's been so readily accepting of this, for some reason. Maybe she's tired too? Urf... this situation really does feel sinister, the way it currently is... it's bringing on a migraine already. Let's just save some trouble and be honest instead.

"So, Rinko, what're your friends like? When they're not cat-craving, at least."

"Well... they're very diligent, but very kind too... and, um..."

They stop right at the gate.

"...um, Himari. I'm taking you to Roselia's secret base."

"Ohhh, I see. Lead the way, then-"

.

"WAIT, WHAT?!?!?!?!"

Rinko opens the gate. "Ako's here, too, if you want to see her..."

"Wait, wait, waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait!"

"I-I'm waiting."

Neurons are firing in Himari's eyes. "YOU'RE Rinrin then?! I've heard so much about you!"

"Y-you have?"

"This is a crazy coincidence! I could actually visit Ako!!!!" There's a bead of sweat. "What do I do, what do I do..."

"I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry, honestly," Rinko somehow manages to respond. "I c-couldn't find a good time to bring it up until now. Um, if you want... you don't have to go."

"Hgggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......................"

...

"Argh, I don't know! I know Tomoe wouldn't want me to, but I haven't seen my precious little Ako in ages! It wouldn't hurt to check up on how she's doing, right-"

Meow.

Himari stops cold. 

"Um. Are... you okay-"

"Wait." One blink, two. "Hang on. It's not just Ako. If this is Roselia's base, then does that mean... S-SHE'S here, too?"

"S-she?"

"That settles it!" Himari immediately starts walking up the steps. "I'm heading in!"

"A-a-are you...? Ah, wait for me!"

"C'mon, Catsith, use your nose!" Himari yells. "You've only met her a few times, but by GOD do you remember what her perfume smells like, because I know *I* certainly do! So tell me, is she here or not?"

Meow.

"You're actually useful for once! Thanks, you jerkass!" Himari fistpumps. "Let's mosey on up, Rinko!"

"Um? O... kay..."

...Why is Himari less nervous about this than she is?

Well, regardless of how nervous they are, Himari's definitely more exhausted by the staircase, at least. Her exhausted face reminds Rinko of herself when she first had to start scaling this thing... all that training really came in handy, didn't it...? She probably would've passed out from today's events if it wasn't for that...

The sky's cleared a bit more once they reach the shrine grounds. "Whoa, this place has an AURA to it." A few gung-ho steps. "So this is my nemesis's lair! The base of the fiend who's stolen my cherished, sweet Lisa!"

Wait. "L-Lisa? You know Lisa?"

"Duh! She's one of my, uh. Uh.... b-b-best friends!" She wipes a drop of sweat. "You have no idea how grateful I am to you, Rinko. I'll happily let Catsith mess around in this place if it means I can show that black-hearted maiden who Lisa's REAL leader is!"

Uh-oh. For some reason, she has a BAD feeling about this.

Well, it's... too late for regrets. They're already at the building, so...

...let's...

...open the door... woohoo...

Crrrrrreak. "I-I'm back. And I brought a cat..."

"Oh my god!" Speak of the devil... Lisa's immediately at the door. She looks exasperated, but also extraordinarily happily; has she been... laughing? "Thank god you're here, Rinko. Ako's trying to set up Fortnite on her laptop, and I've already ran out of content to distract Yukina with-"

Meow.

"...Is that you, Catsith?!" Lisa nearly balks upon seeing the cream feline at her feet. "You've gotten rounder! Wait, that means-"

"LISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Argh! Ahahaha~!" Lisa nearly topples over at the force of the hug. "Whose voice could THAT be, I wonder?" She looks down to a mane of soft pink. "Can't believe you came all this way to see me~. I feel like Cinderella waiting in her tower."

"I missed you, I missed you, I missed! You! So! Much!" Himari shakes her back and forth. "Ohhh my god, I'm safe and back in heaven with these beautiful, semi-toned arms! Lemme rest in these forever, oh my god; Lisa, I've had the worst day today!"

"There, there~." Lisa strokes Himari's hair. "I'm in a great mood, so I can handle some venting. Why don't you tell me all about it?"

"THANK you... it all started this morning when I was a big idiot, and..."

...

"...Rinko."

O-oh. She's awake. "Yes...?"

Sayo's standing next to her. "Are you feeling alright?"

"U-um. Sure."

"That was rhetorical. Please sit down and recuperate now," Sayo says. "I've never looked after a pet before, but I did some research while you were out. I can handle things from here. You've done enough as-is."

"Oh." She... lets herself be escorted to... what appears to be Ako's room. "T-thank you... I'm sorry."

"Why? You've been nothing but a boon to us today."

It's... automatic, how her mind deflects it. "B-but... I thought you'd be... annoyed by all this."

"Normally, I would be. But even I can tell when my leader is stressed. So get some rest, and let me help her in your stead."

...

...It's... rather hazy, all of a sudden. Like the strain has been gently moved aside. Her thoughts begin to fade away, and she lets the strength in her body lie dormant, falling against Sayo's arm.

...

...

"...I once had peaceful times I could enjoy with company." 

Sayo's voice echoes.

"Those days are gone to me now. I swore to throw them away... and so did Yukina. But... perhaps it'd be alright, for her, at least, to experience that warmth again. I believe she deserves it."

And her consciousness fades away,

drifting into a nightscape's restful city dream.

"...After all, these past few hours have made me certain; she is not the person I thought her to be."

...

"Yukina Minato is human."

\---

Ourgh, Lisa's always so comfy...

It's heaven. The face of Gay Jesus can be seen smiling in Lisa's shoulder. God, she's missed hugging Lisa so much; everything has just gone to the dumps for Himari Uehara right now, and this angel is her blinding solace. All of a sudden, it feels like the 3 tearful sodas and 10 crying, binge-eaten cupcakes at 4am were a trial she had to endure the nauseating consequences of, just so she could land into Lisa's loving arms...

"...and then Rinko saved me big time by catching the insufferable goblin, and now I'm here!"

"You've been on a bit of a ride today, huh?" Lisa lifts her head up. "Sorry, babe. Can't imagine I've helped the mood much over there."

"Hey, we're past that! Just work up the courage for Tomoe when you can, okay?" She strokes a curl of Lisa's hair. "Besides, the entire world's falling apart over here! You're not the only reason some of us are crying, I'm telling you!"

"A... ahaha. I'd be glad, but that doesn't sound too good."

"It's fine, it's fine. Never mind any of that for now! Let's focus on chilling ou....uuuuuuhhh..."

Wait.

"...hhhhang on, I can't be chilling! There's a reason I came here!" She shakes her head. "Sorry Lisa, but it's time I met this Yukina person once and for all-"

O-oh.

Lisa's, uh. Just put a finger to her lips. Sorry, which way's up again?

"Gimme a few minutes before you do so... okay~?"

N-no, she can't be having sudden gay thoughts now! This is important! "Sorry, Lisa; y-your finger's very soft, and kissable if I were gay maybe, but I can't let what she's done s-slide!" 

Lisa pulls back and lets her look at Yukina. 

"I've got to confront her and-"

...

"Pssspspspspsps. Psss... psspspsps..."

"-...uh... fight her?"

She blinks. The person who's been described to her as a sister-kidnapping, Lisa-harming abomination...

...is desperately mewling and whispering for Catsith's attention.

It's quite the first impression. Like... look at those eyes. T-there's nearly tears falling from them. They're so... gleamy, from just looking at Catsith. Catsith's literally just making that face where she contemplates whether shitting on the rug's a good idea, and this Yukina person is going goo-goo-ga-ga over it.

"Pssspssspss."

It's almost tragic. She's doing all she can, because apparently seeing one cat is saving her life or something, but Catsith's barely even paying attention. 

"Himari." Lisa wraps an arm around her. "I haven't seen her make a face like that in years."

...

"Things have been really stressful for us lately. Seeing this is making me happier than you could believe... so I want to treasure it for a bit longer, first."

"W-well..."

Oh, god, please don't look like that. That's, like, the most soft and tender expression she's even seen from Lisa. There's a whole tearjerker play behind it, isn't there? ...Gosh darn it.

"...O-okay."

"Thanks, babe~." Lisa gives her a friendly push. "Why don't you go and check up on Ako in the meantime?"

"She's HERE-?" Wait, she's gotta whisper. "-Oh my gosh! Thank you, I'll do just that!"

Himari gives one last flip-off towards Catsith for all the pain she's caused her, before rushing in the direction Lisa's pointing. Is it... that room? Oh, no, it's that room; thanks, Lisa! Let's-

...

...yeah, let's go for it. Ako's probably scared... but if Himari gives the biggest smile she has, she'll show her there's nothing to fear. No need to take a deep breath; she wants to see her friend again, and she'll do just that!

Knock knock!

"Ako? You in there?"

Oh, she recognises that yelp. That's the yelp she hears when a certain someone hasn't done their homework. In other words, Ako's DEFINITELY here!

Knockity knockity knock knock knock! "Cross my black skull and swear to blaze! ...Lemme in, Ako!"

"...Is..."

Oh?! The door's opened just the slightest bit! C'mon, c'mon;

"...is that really you?"

"Ako!" God, seeing one cutesy crimson eye is the biggest relief in the world right now. "Oh my god! It's been ages-" The door nearly closes. "W-wait! Don't shut me out! Akoooo!"

"B-but! I'm scared!"

"Be scared without crushing my fingers! C'mon Ako, please? I've been so worried about you! Lemme see your face!"

...

...The door slowly reopens a bit.

Aw, it's as she guessed; Ako's got a big sad frown on. "You're... you're not mad at me, then?"

"Of course not!" She gives her big, happy smile as a counter. "I mean, I am sad you and Tomoe argued, and I DO think you need to talk to her at some stage, but! More than anything, I just wanna know if you're okay! And I wanna talk to you again! It's been quiet without you around."

"...Urk."

And it's open! Time to pounce!

"I-I'm sorry... this whole time, I've been making everyone wor-"

"C'MERE, AKO!"

"W-wha?!" That's what people in the manga business call a GLOMP! Full force, straight into Ako's room! "Argghhhhhhhhhgfffh! Himari! I'm gonna choke!"

"Oh my god, you have no idea how much we've missed you! I'm so glad to see you again!"

"W-wha? B-but!" Ako stammers. "Aren't you gonna yell at me because of Mom and Dad and- warhghghffhg!"

She interrupts immediately by squidging Ako's face with her hands. "Nope! There's too much going on with Moca disappearing and Lisa being stuck here, so I'm just electing to not think about all that! I want to be happy that I'm seeing you again!"

"W-wait, what? Moca's-"

"C'mon, c'mon!" She pulls Ako over to sit on the rug. "Give me the goods, Ako. How've you been?"

"...Y-you're... okay with just hanging out?"

She smirks. "Did I not make myself clear the first time?"

"N-no, you made it clear! C-clearer than the dark eye of the abyss!" THERE we go, that's a good smile! "...Thanks for checking up on me, Himari. I'm doing okay, though! I've got my Switch, and Rinrin gave me a small laptop, so I can still play games, and I've played tons of Duel Monsters, AND," Oooh, what's that pose mean? "I've actually been studying too! Thanks to my lupine companion Sayo!"

"Eh? Is she the green- uh, blue, or uh... TEAL, that's the colour! Is she the teal haired one?" This is a good convo' flow already! Just like old times. "She seems kinda scary."

"Hey! She's- okay, yeah, you're right actually. She's REALLY scary. But she's nice beneath it, I promise. And that's why you don't have to worry about my grades plummeting entirely!"

"God, I wish that were me... " Himari sighs. The idea that Ako of all people's doing better than her in schoolwork right now terrifies her. "Where can I find a pretty girl to tutor ME?"

"Don't worry, Himari! You're the cool leader of Afterglow; you'll definitely find someone to help eventually!"

"A-Ako!" Oh god, she missed this too; Ako's the only person around here who actually gives her the respect she deserves! Ran and Tomoe could learn a thing or two from her. "Yeah, that's right! I'm the coolest leader there is! Ah-he-he-hem," she continues, "and that means it's my job to make sure my friends are all safe. So, you've been eating healthily, right? Getting to sleep on time? Making sure you're not slacking off?"

"Check, check, and check; my dark scripture misses not a single note!" Ako grins. "...Are you guys doing okay? You said Moca was missing..."

Hmmmm! Probably best not to bother Ako with anyone else's problems right now. Maybe she'll think she's being treated immaturely, but tough luck for her. "Yeah, that's right. She's gone hurtling off to god knows where, and she didn't tell a single one of us. But don't worry; even if I don't drag her back myself, she'll probably cry her butt down home anyway. You know how she is!"

"Lemme know if you ever need help searching for her!" Ako waves. "Everyone else's okay too, right? Ran, n' Tsugu, and... uh."

Ah. Oh no.

"...Um. B-big sis and... Mom, and Dad... t-they're all doing okay, right?"

Urk. "W-well!" Himari sweats a thousand miles. "T-Tomoe seems alright! She's staying in contact with us and all, and we're still hanging out... u-um, she DID run from school yesterday, but Tsugu went and brought her back, s-so it's all fine!"

...Crap. She should NOT have mentioned the running from school part. "...Tomoe..."

"I-it's okay, Ako! She understands. And you can call her at any time, okay? She doesn't hate you, I promise! And your parents don't, either! ...Although we haven't told them where you are, so they are pretty worried-"

Shit. That's ALSO a bad thing to say. "Ah."

Good friggin' job, Himari. You dunced it up again.

"I-I guess it makes sense." Ako tries to smile. "Y-You can tell the truth, Himari. They're probably really mad, aren't they? I ran away when one of their friends found me last week, even."

"N-no! Honest, Ako! They're just, um... sad because you're gone, is all! Really worried, and everything."

...

...

"...Right. Yeah..."

Urgh. What can she say, even? Not knowing that Ako's safe has gotta be killing her Mom and Dad. That's just the fact of it. How's she supposed to sugar-coat that?

Oooo. Oooo, this conversation's taken a really bad turn, and they both know it. No thanks to her.

...But screw it. She came here to cheer Ako up, and by god she's gonna pull that off. "S-so! You've finally met Lisa then, huh! What's she like!"

"O-oh, yeah!" Whew, there we go. "She's really nice, just like big sis said! She's always watching out for us; sometimes it feels like we wouldn't know how to keep talking to each other if she wasn't there. She's like a, um... opal-encrusted knight, whose rainbow flames bloom upon the earth!"

"Rainbow..." Himari shakes her head. "W-well, I knew you'd like her! There isn't a person in the world who DOESN'T like Lisa! Aside from that beanhead Yukina, but who cares!" Ako gulps at that, for some reason. "She's just... god, she's the best. Lisa's the warmest person alive. I wish you could've met her when she was with us in dance club, but this works out too! Now you know how amazing she is!"

Ako nods fervently. "Yeah, yeah! She can cook so much tasty stuff, and she's really strong, too, and she's always kind, and she gets Sayo off my back sometimes for me... and she was so cool when she went to the Skyscraper an-" She cuts herself off. What does she mean, went to the Skyscraper? What Skyscraper? "Uh, and she can even sew and make scarves and stuff too! Don't tell anyone, but she's working on some super secret costume project with Rinrin right now, and I'm so, so, SO excited about it!" 

Ohhh, here we go. Himari's been waiting for this alllll morning. "So we FINALLY hear her name."

"E-eh? You mean R-Rinrin?"

"Don't think I didn't notice that twinkle in your eye, young lady! You practically jumped from the carpet when you brought her up!" Himari smirks and immediately goes for the kill. "It's about time you told me ALL about Rinko."

"D-do I have to...?" Why's she so shy NOW? "I mean, I tell you guys about her all the time, anyway..."

"That's exactly why I'm curious! You talked so much about her, I couldn't help but be! And I'm not disappointed, either," she rambles on. "She's SO nice... she really is an angel like you said."

"Right?! Rinrin's the coolest ever!!! Did you duel her or anything?!" Uh oh. Has she let something flood? Ako's hair is, like, raising itself. "She's so, SO good, and she's so cool, and... and she does it all so gracefully, and like, wha-BAM and whoooooooooooooooooosh..."

"R-right..."

"And then like, kaaa... BUM! WA-BA-BAM!" What a pose. "That's the best way I can describe it!! There's no other set of words that could tell you how many good things there are about Rinrin; name ANYTHING, and Rinrin's good at it. Trust me!"

Himari leans forth. "Challenge accepted! Let's start with, uh... sweet-baking! How about that?"

"Rinrin once made a BUNCH of evil eyeball cupcakes for me on Valentines' Day." Oh, wow. She's jealous. "They tasted great, too! So definitely a yeah on that!"

"Um, physical activity, then!"

"Fufufu." Ako snickers. "A formidable attempt, abyssal leader. But recently, Rinrin's been exercising! How about that?"

"No way!" Himari's jaw drops. "Um, um. Haircare routine?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

"Drat! Um, speed-eating!"

"She devours any feeble snack when our grandiose gaming goes intense!"

Gosh, she's got nothing but compliments for Rinko, has she? "Wow... how about prettiness, then? Just kidding; she's so so OH so pretty, isn't she?"

"...Y-yeah! She's really, um... gulp... s-she's ultra amazing pretty! Prettier than- w-well, you know what I mean, right? Kaboom!"

Ah, yup, here we go. Ako's blushing, juuuuuust as she suspected~. Even to someone like ol' Himari? Who WOULDN'T be able to tell? Gosh, look at liddle Ako twiddle her fingers like that... it's so cuuuute...

"H-Himari? What's with that look?"

"Hm... just HOW much do you like Rinko, Ako? Gimme a figure."

"Like a mega-bazillion-trillion-giganta-mancernationzer!" She pauses immediately. "...H-hey! I feel like you're making fun of me, Himari."

"Don't mind me, don't mind me~. Us old cronies have to project onto others, 's all."

"...But you're only a year older than I am."

"Gah, don't remind me! I'll find my special someone one day, you lucky devil! ...And if I don't, I'll still have Tomoe!" Ako tilts her head in confusion and- oh, forget it. "Still, I'm glad you've got those two watching over you, Ako. I don't know what I'd do if we left you with a bunch of strangers."

"A.... ahaha... mw-mwahaha. Y-yeah!"

"That's some funny laughter. What's up?"

"U-um, Himari... you don't hate Roselia, do you?"

...

...Grr. How could she NOT hate Roselia? All they've done is throw a pile of bombs into Afterglow, blow it up to smithereens, and then act like the damage they did doesn't even exist! It's audacious as hel- heck, for that Yukina person to just waltz into their lives and hurt Tomoe and Lisa that bad; SHE should be the only one allowed to step on their landmines! A-and not even she'd do something that malicious on accident, let alone on purpose like Yukina did!

"Himari? You ok?"

That Yukina. Ourgh, that YUKINA! It's all her fault, isn't it? She's where this whole mess with Ako running away started! And she made Lisa, sweet angel darling goddess LISA, help her with it! And she's supposed to be Lisa's childhood friend?! Pah! Some way to treat your childhood friend that is!

There's only room for ONE leader in Lisa Imai's heart. And it's NOT Yukina's.

"Sorry, Ako. But I've put this off long enough." Himari rolls up her sleeves and stands up. "Come out here and watch me take this silver-haired nerd to town!"

"E-eh?! Hold on a sec!" Ako immediately grabs her shoulder. "Yukina's really cool too, Himari! She's like the coolest person ever! She's helped me so much, and she nearly always encourages me, and she's like the strongest person in the world, and she always understands how I'm feeling, and-"

"And she's using you!"

"No! I'm helping her on purpose. She's my one and only leader!"

"Ohhhhhhhhh. Iiiiis she, now?" Himari musters her maximum grump mode possible. "Well, alright then. Maybe she's cool to YOU, at least. But I still have a bone to pick with her, okay?" She releases a big sigh and pats Ako on the head. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna fistfight her or anything, even if she does look really dweeby. I'm just gonna give her a good ol' verbal smackdown!"

"U-um... okay." Ako nods. "Don't fight too hard, okay? It'd be so cool if you got along... Yukina's like, the biggest most awesome dark necromancer there is!"

Well, she has a LOT of work to do if she wants to prove that.

Himari steps out of Ako's room and sets her sights on her original target. Rock that energy, girl; this is serious talking time. Even someone like her can set a strong and intimidating impression when it's needed...

...right?

Urgh.

"H-Himari? You ok?" Ako asks.

"I'm fine! Don't worry!" Okay, keep moving, whatever; so what if she's not all that intimidating? That doesn't mean she should be ignored. Let's mosey on over! 

Where's that fiend Yukina, where is she- oh, that was easy. She's still right in the center of the base; s-she's kind of... striking, actually! Really beautiful... like a magic princess, breaking free from that rose portrait behind her and striding into reality...

...uh, BAD thoughts! Don't get all flustered over the ENEMY, Himari! Although it's not like her enemy looks all that intimidating right now, either. She's got the softest, most mewling expression in the entire world on her face; it's so soft that Lisa's cooing and taking pictures beside her, and-

"Cute... cute kitty..."

-WAIT, she's got Catsith in her arms?! Oh, how dare she! "Catsith! Get over here!"

Meow.

Figures the little brat wouldn't respond. Lisa balks and sweats upon seeing Himari's here, but Yukina doesn't even hear her. Those over-indulgent amber eyes are just eating up that cat, aren't they? Compleeeetely oblivious to anything else. Talk about a poor sign of leadership! ...Well, it's not like Himari doesn't have those moments herself, but-

...urgh, stop having doubts! Lisa and Ako're watching! "Catsith! You heard me, young lady!"

Meow.

"Out of her arms, now. She's the type of owner who'll get cold feet over raising you 3 days after she adopts you. So break your self-indulgence and get your butt back here, missy!"

Catsith grumbles, and hops out. There we go; at least one animal here knows what makes a good carer. 

Yukina blinks; the dazzling sparkles in her amber eyes fade as she realises her little playtime is over, and...

...HERE we go. Now she's looking directly at Himari.

"Who are you?"

"Wha-" Himari nearly falls over in shock. "Y-you... you'd say that to me?!"

"I just did."

"...Gulp." 

W-well. She sure is to the point, huh? She's like the confident no-nonsense nerd at the back of every class. Don't be intimidated, don't be intimidated... just, like. Try to imagine her in one of Ako's corny demon outfits!

...Oh no, she's still hot!

"You never introduced yourself." Gah! Wake up! "I assume you're the owner of this cat? Petting it has proved very enlightening for me, so I'd like to thank-"

"T-THAT'S the biggest identifier you have for me?" Himari cuts in. "You don't even recognise the face of Afterglow's leader?"

Finally, she gets a reaction of some kind. Yukina's expression breaks from its wonderland, thrown back into tension. Ako and that pretty teal-haired girl're staring at this whole scene, too... a-actually, almost everyone is. She's basically staring down her enemy's entire group... s-stay strong, Himari.

"Uh-oh," Lisa murmurs.

"...The leader? I assumed that position belonged to Ran Mitake."

"Oh? And why's that? Pink not your flavour? Do you think our leader has to seem as 'cool' and 'edgy' as you do, or something?" 

"I said no such thing. I merely used dueling skill as my metric."

Urk. THAT'S a blow. This person's known her for 5 seconds, and already has the audacity to make that kind of dig. She needs to toughen it up. "Well, you, uh... judged by the wrong 'metric'! And Ran's not even that edgy, anyway! She's a softie at heart, unlike you."

"H-Himari..."

Yukina's pupils narrow. "Lisa. She's...?"

"Hey, over here! Look at me when I'm talking to you." Himari grumbles. "Because believe me, I've got an entire list of receipts for yo-"

She stops.

She can't move.

Amber bores into what feels like every fiber of her being.

"a-"

T-that gaze... it's so intense! Holy crap, that's way too much! Why does she feel like she's being held on trial by the grim reaper?

...Ugh, okay, shrug that off! Cold mean jerkbags are NOT her type, so she's not going to stand here and get bored to death by those eyes. "S-stop bullying my friends, you jerk."

"..."

"H-hey! I'm not someone you can just ignore!" Himari points her finger out. "I'm not leaving this place until I get an apology from you for what you did to Ako and Lisa!"

Everyone else is silent. "And that would be?"

"Don't play dumb with me! You made Ako run away from home, and had Lisa help cover it up from us! Do you have any idea in your icky skull how worried Afterglow's been about them?"

"I hardly see any fault in myself for your group's conflicts. Ako and Lisa follow me of their own volition."

Lisa blinks. "Yukina?"

"If that's the only reason you're barking at me, you've made a completely pointless effort," she continues. "Now that your cat is back with you, leave this place. I don't make a habit of wasting my time on unproductive arguments."

Oh, that DOES it. What is she? A cartoon villain?! Who on earth's this deliberately rude and cold for no reason?! "I'm not budging one bit!"

Yukina's expression doesn't change.

"I was right; you really are the meanest person I've ever met. You should feel ashamed to call yourself Lisa's closest friend!"

"...Sayo. Ako. Continue your practice until lunch begins. Don't let this commotion distract you."

"E-eh?! Um-"

"Stick it to the man, Ako!" Himari yells. "Don't listen to her if you don't want to. It's not like she'll listen to anything you say in return!"

"T-that's not true! She always hears me out..."

"Same evidently can't be said for Tomoe!"

Ako steps back. "Urk."

"A-ahaha... I knew it," Lisa murmurs. "This is gonna get ugly..."

"She's not denying it, is she?" Himari points at the offender in question, before turning back to face her. "You're a brick wall who just shoves herself forward until she gets what she wants. You don't care what your members think, and you don't help them when they're in trouble; you just give them enough attention so they'll continue getting good at Duel Monsters and be more useful to you. You..." she declares, "are the WORST kind of leader there is!"

...

There's a drop of sweat from Lisa.

...

"...Um..."

It's not Yukina who answers that, unfortunately. Instead, it's... "...Rinko?! Rinko!" Himari waves. "Are you feeling alright? You seemed a little pale earlier!"

"I'm... okay. I just... wanted to say..." 

She gulps. Poor girl; she evidently still looks a bit tired.

"...Yukina... cares about Roselia. She always... tries to help us with our problems. And that includes Lisa-"

"No. Himari Uehara is correct."

Rinko blinks in shock. "Y-Yukina?"

"Unlike you, I don't have time to waste managing the burdens of my team. I expect them to resolve their issues on their own. Personal feelings are not a factor in Roselia's operations."

Himari grits her teeth.

"Y-Yukina, you-"

But Lisa's cut off. "Roselia is a group dedicated to the competitive pursuit of Duel Monsters. It is not a friend circle like Afterglow, who only uses the sport as a way to pass the time."

'Competitive pursuit?' She roped in Ako just for THAT? "Oh, you... you...!"

"Waste as much of your energy on anger as you want. It does not concern me," Yukina cuts. "Unlike you, I prefer pursuing my goals over engaging in fruitless arguments. That, no doubt, is why I have the power necessary to keep my group loyal to me... while you don't. Afterglow's internal discord is proof enough of your decadence. Compared to me, you are hardly a leader at all. You're merely a beacon on nobody's radar."

Rejection.

That's the impression she gets. Murk crawls down her spine, reminding her of who's controlling this conversation. It's the leader who's serious; the leader with grit to make her opinion seem genuine, the leader who doesn't waste her time on idle self-indulgence. All of a sudden, she remembers what Ako thinks of Yukina; Ako considers Yukina a friend. Ako sticks by her side despite everything. Because Yukina's 'cool'. Yukina's 'strong'. And Himari can practically feel the texture of every word Yukina speaks. If Yukina wanted something done, she'd get it done, wouldn't she? She's already succeeding in swatting Himari like a fly. 

...No. No, no, no. She only LOOKS serious; she's just pretending to be charismatic so she can draw people in and get them to do what she wants. That's neither a good friend nor a good leader!

"You blare and shine obnoxiously, pursuing your frenetic aims with hardly any guideline to speak of. Such a blinding light will only drive people away, regardless of whether they are your friends or not. Instead of lambasting me for the failures that led to Afterglow's collapse, why not focus your efforts on reconstructing it instead?"

"You...! I've had it with you, fiend!"

Himari stomps forth, knowing just how weak she looks. Sure, maybe nobody ever takes her seriously, because she looks too frivolous and flighty for her own good. Sure, maybe she messes up constantly and ends up failing all the goals she sets for herself... a-and sure, it probably doesn't help that she completely sucks at Duel Monsters when it's the main thing Afterglow does. But she's gonna ignore that! Because there's NO way she's gonna sit here and take this, when all of Roselia's 'members' look so reluctant hearing Yukina's words!

So she just spitballs it. "Y-your group STINKS! Roselia's gonna collapse on you before you know it, with your stinky attitude! Sure, you may THINK you're getting what you want, and none of your friends are objecting, but... b-but..." She points as hard as she can. "...Th-that doesn't mean you're a better leader than I am! At least, that's what I think- no, I mean, it's the truth! Afterglow's got years of friendship and love behind its back that makes it stronger and better off than you, and that's because I've been the one leading this entire time! You're nowhere near as cool as us; and I-I bet you're not even good at Duel Monsters either, loser!" Urk. Good job, Himari. Really solid argument you've got there...

"Is that so?"

"You know it!" She points again just to drive it in. "Why don't we have a leader-to-leader faceoff to prove it? I challenge you to a duel-"

"Rejected."

Himari nearly chokes on her words. "What?! Why?"

"Pointless, and meaningless. You have no reason to duel me, and stand no chance of beating me."

"Y-yeah, but... it'd sure feel nice, knocking you off your high horse!"

"Is that all Duel Monsters is to you? Just an ego war?" Yukina says. "You have no need for this sport. There are countless other hobbies that could keep Afterglow intact. Why not use one of those to bring your so-called friends together, instead of challenging them to duels?"

"H-hey! We've got a drive, okay? Our love and friendship expresses itself SUPER strong in dueling, and stuff; that's why we love it so much! I-it's a reminder of our bonds!" She ignores the part of her brain mocking her corny speech. "T-that's why we all promised we'd go to the Cup and place as high as we can together! And Afterglow never breaks a big promise like that!" ...Even if Moca probably already has...

"Your bonds are irrelevant; you won't place even the slightest foothold above pools with a skill level as tawdry as yours. You'll only drag the rest of your group down. This 'promise' between you and them is a waste of time."

"Oh yeah? Then I'll just get better!" Himari declares. "Just you watch; I'll up my game and thrash you sounder than a cymbal at the Cup! There's no way you can refuse me if we face each other there!"

"If we even do."

"Urk!" 

"This conversation has dragged on far too long for my liking." Yukina takes a step forward. "Leave our base now, and never come back. If you truly believe the power of Afterglow's bonds translates into any skill at a sport... then prove it to Roselia at the Cup with your own two hands. Prove that your fretting over the concerns of your friends can arm you with a blade even remotely capable of matching mine."

"F-fine! I'll d-do just that!"

Don't start crying, Himari. DON'T start crying. Start walking out, instead. Don't bother thinking about whether this declaration'll actually lead to anything that solves your fifty-thousand problems; because who cares? It's not like you ever know what the right solution is, anyway! If you waste more than a second thinking about what a mess you are, that's a second less spent on proving this bully wrong!

"Just. You. Watch." Himari opens the door. But before she leaves, she stares as hard as she can back at Yukina's eyes. "I'll t-train mega-hard, by practicing with my FRIENDS! Friends that you don't have. A-and then I'll show you how our duels bring us together! They'll be so heart-racing that they remind Lisa and Ako of all the good times they had with Afterglow; then they'll discard your flashy elitism, and come right back to their real home! They'll never even THINK about hanging out with someone as horrible as you again!" 

She slams a foot down.

"T-t-this is war, Roselia!"

"Farewell, Himari Uehara." Amber gazes with untamed neutrality in return. "You should pray that your resolve matches your audacity... lest you achieve nothing at all."

"Count on it! Pbfbfffhht!"

She slams the door with her burden in tow, and starts walking away. She doesn't even remember to say goodbye to the others before she leaves.

...

Step after messy, shaking, hyper-speed step. She's running as fast as she can, but it isn't fast enough to leave this shrine all that quick. This accursed place's too big to reach the staircase that quickly.

So she's forced into being alone with her thoughts and the crusty wind, for a few seconds too long.

...

She stops.

"...Great. Just great. Ako and Lisa probably feel worse now, the way I insulted her. So much for cheering them up... I've just gone into landmine territory again..."

Catsith is annoyingly heavy.

"Did I move her at all? I just threw 'leadership' into that argument because I didn't know what to say..." Himari grits her teeth a bit. "...I didn't do a thing, did I? Fat chance I'd move that jerk's heart, when I can't even move Afterglow. I didn't even learn why Lisa's so insistent on staying with her... I didn't accomplish anything."

It's a little cold, still.

"...I just don't get it. Isn't the leader supposed to solve big, messy problems like this? Keep everything together when people leave left and right? I know those two need time, but... what about Moca?" She sighs coarsely. "Why am I here, even? Just to yell at people? I already knew nothing was gonna change about Ako until the Cup ends... ugh."

Left alone, she can only descend down the endless staircase.

"Maybe Yukina's right. W-well, maybe. At the very least, there's still something I'm missing, I think... a-and I probably need to change that!"

\---

Sunday, the 21st of February.

Rinko stands 35 feet in the air.

_"I apologise. The fault of this morning's conflict lies entirely with me."_

_"...H-huh?" _

_The rest of Roselia turns towards Yukina._

_"Pay no mind to why I hid the truth. The cause was merely a childish and impractical perspective of leadership I shouldn't have humoured... it was ridiculous in every way," she says. "I have no further intention of continuing it."_

_..._

_The other 4 members look at her in stunned silence. It's gone from distance, to mewling, to antagonism, then back to that calm, nonplussed gaze, all in one day; seeing Yukina wear her usual expression, after all that, feels..._

_...strange._

_"This is an abrupt change," Sayo says. "So, you're now saying we can tell them?"_

_"Yes. You made it obvious earlier; we cannot afford to insufficiently brief Rinko on such a perilous mission. I do not wish to sabotage our efforts."_

_"R-right," Lisa blinks. "S-so... we're all good, then! I guess the cat really worked!"_

_"Yeah, yeah! High five to Rinrin!"_

_"A-ah. High five..." She's primed on reflex to raise her hands when Ako comes barrelling in. "Um... Yukina... I'm glad... that you've had a break."_

_"...Yes. I-ignore to my childish display around that... that cat. It was l-likely a consequence of my stress." Yukina shakes her head. "I will not repeat my obfuscation. I promise you that."_

_G-good. To be honest, she's... still a little worried, that Himari left on a sour note. But Himari seemed lively about the prospect of facing Roselia, at least, so... she might be fine. Let's focus on the task at hand instead._

_"Please gather around," Yukina says. "Allow me to answer your earlier question, Rinko."_

_This is it, then. What was making Sayo so stressed, exactly?_

_"There is a reason I've given you two hooks."_

CLANG!

SWIIIIIIIIP

Rinko sails through the air. Mid-flight, she presses a latch, and the hook comes flying back. Near the apex of her rise, she fires it out towards another tree; that's when the true loop begins, and the retracting rope preserves her storm in a head-pounding cycle,

swing, 

after swing, 

after swing. 

She knows what to do. In a sense, what she's doing isn't too far apart from rehearsal; so if she just repeats this when the time comes, she should be fine... right?

_"I... see."_

_"That's the current state of our affairs," Sayo continues. Her breath is slightly hitched. "...Hina has previous experience in acrobatic performance, so I do not consider this an impossibility. But we will have to be extremely careful."_

_"If you're worried, let's have a huddle over the plan this evening~! After you and Ako're done with math, that is," Lisa says. "Surely there's some ways we can improve on it."_

_Yukina nods. "I was thinking the same thing. In fact, I would like to propose a rather lenient schedule over the next two days for that very reason. Today's events have helped me realise it will not do for us to feel strained."_

_"HECK yeah! The dark lord agrees!" Ako poses. "Forget all the stealthy stuff; let's just spend tomorrow fleshing out our dark schemes!"_

_"And dueling," Sayo adds. "I hope you're not planning on using this as an excuse to game with Rinko the whole day."_

_"U-urk! Not THAT much!"_

_"Indeed. This is not a full break. Roselia hardly has the time for that at such a critical juncture," Yukina continues. "But I failed to sufficiently prepare you up until this point, Rinko. It is unlikely we would execute this mission well if we deployed so soon... and that would be fatal for you. Consider this respite as an opportunity to review the information you have learnt, before confirming whether you are determined to see our mission through."_

_"T-thank you... I'll do just that."_

_"That's all."_

_Ah. Yukina's getting up. Now that she feels a little more composed, she realises; it'd be best to inform Roselia of *that* now._

_Somebody else knows about their plans. _

_"Um..." She raises her hand, before her leader leaves. "...I know we'll be having a discussion this evening, but... there's something really important I found out today, while I was searching for the cat. I'm... not sure how... consequential, it is, but... you should all know about it now."_

_Amber has fully renewed its resolve; wherever that resolve may be pointed. "Very well. I'm listening."_

CLANG!

SWIIIIIIIIIIIIP

She flies forward, forward and forward, from one landmark, to the next, to the next. 

Her pace is unrelenting, ruthless; terrifying.

She should be fine, as long as she repeats what Roselia's taught her.

Right?

...No. Somehow, she has a feeling that won't be enough. Despite everything, Rinko still doubts. It's always, always been in her nature to doubt. But her doubt isn't something she can mindlessly push through this time around... since certain mistakes in this mission could easily mean death.

As the winds batter, she realises; every time she 'did as rehearsed' in the past, she choked on her words and fell. There's something else she's missing, still. Something she needs, to be able to send a message to an audience while she soars so high in the sky.

And... she still doesn't know what it is. Even after all she's done.

...Even after every push Roselia's given her.

_The atmosphere isn't too affected, fortunately._

_"I see. Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Yukina starts. "It's as I thought. There's a person behind this recent string of events."_

_"What do you think? Should we change our plans?"_

_"To be honest, I don't see a reason to let this scare us. According to Rinko, this person has no intention of interfering with our plans. If that's the case, then we need only factor the impact of her actions against the Academy itself."_

_"I suppose this short respite is very much in order, then," Sayo frowns. "I'll spend some time looking into this matter, just in case."_

_The door shuts rather promptly._

_"Rinrin!" It's only a second after that Ako's back on her arm, and her nerves gradually settle. "Let's play something together tomorrow! It's been too long... a-and if I hold you really tight with my necromancer's hands, then you'll feel a bit safer for when we move out, I think!"_

_She smiles. "Fufu. I'd... like that. But... can we do it in the evening? I'd... like to practice a bit more in the woods tomorrow, too."_

_"Really?! Are you sure?" Lisa exclaims. "Tomorrow's supposed to be a day to chill out. There's gonna be a huge frown on your face if you stress yourself from juggling all that work."_

_"Let her. No practice is wasted when it comes to a mission as dangerous as hers." Yukina turns to Rinko. "...But I will be supervising you. Understood?"_

_"I'll be there too!" Ako jumps. "I-it's gonna be a little nerve-wracking, watching you that high... but I want to cheer you on!"_

_...Why is she blushing in response to that? It's just the same kind of encouragement Ako always shows... "A-ah... you... don't have to..."_

_"B-but I can't just stand here! Not when y-you're doing something that dangerous! I-I'll stand below you so I can catch you if you fall-"_

_"You'll only break your limbs if you do that, Ako. I'll incorporate other measures for her instead."_

_"Well, I guess you're dead-set on this, huh~?" Lisa says. "...You work so hard, Rinko. If you ever need my lap, just rest yourself right on it, okay?"_

_"O-or mine!"_

_They're... all so kind, in their own ways. Even as dissonant as Yukina is, she's still supporting Rinko too, through every step. "...Thank you. Don't worry... I promise I'm not overworking myself," she manages. "I just want to make sure... I get this right."_

_"Well, we'll make sure we're there for you every step of the way, then!" Lisa gives her a dazzling smile. "Stay safe out there, Rinko!"_

_"I believe we've covered all the ground we need for now. Let's get back to our training."_

_With that declaration, Yukina stands before the rose portrait once more._

_"And remember this, now that we all know of our mission."_

_There's no sign of a maiden in her eyes._

_"From this point forward... our lives are at stake."_

CLANG!

They wish her nothing but the best. They've done everything to prepare her for this. They've even overcome their arguments, and banded together after Rinko helped them stay calm. They went out of their way to give her extra time to prepare... out of their way to supervise her practice right now, all of them confident she'll make Roselia proud...

And yet she still doesn't feel confident in herself. 

CLANG!

She still hasn't found a reliable answer.

CLANG!

She needs to quell her fears. She has to; even if it's reasonable to have them, being choked by them in mid-air could spell her end. She has to find a way to overcome them, at least to the point where she can perform in front of the world without fearing its gaze. Otherwise, she's destined to fail.

CLANG

But how can she push them aside? It's not a logical chain of thought that leads to her fears. That's exactly the problem; it's in her very being to automatically cower. Her enemy is a sensation no rational argument can defeat. It's the very product of internalising the terror she's felt in her life, year after year after year. Faces leer out of every screen and every corner in her mind, malicious intent caking their grips. Even if she dissuades or ignores them, they never truly leave. 

CLANG

Rinko Shirokane is fundamentally fated to feel fear.

CLANG

And she doesn't know how one stops that fear from phasing them.

CLANG

CLANG

CLANG

...

...This... this is too big a step to handle at once, isn't it?

"...!"

All of a sudden, the wind feels like it's killing her.

That's the cue to stop. For her own sake, and for everyone else's. 

She throws herself higher and higher, her heart desperately fighting the gale. Her momentum carries her up into the sky, until it gradually peters out; then, she makes one last retraction and shoots the hook again, 

CLANG!

SSSWWWWIP

...gracefully carrying herself to the treetop. It's a precarious landing... b-but she manages it.

"..."

"Rinrin! Are you okay?"

"Rinko. You should return now."

"..." She tries to breathe. "...Right..."

She hooks herself on the tree trunk and slowly descends, back to Planet Earth. Her feet land upon a horde of leaves. Is it really possible for someone like her to pull this off? Even if Yukina says she can, she's...

"Rinko. How are you feeling?"

"Ah!" Her friends have already caught up with her. "I..."

"Rinrin." Ako immediately grasps her hand. "I-I'm here for you."

"...Thank you."

"You're still plagued," Yukina says. "Tell us what's ailing you. There's only improvement to be gained from doing so."

...

...Right. If they want to lift her up, she shouldn't reject it. "...I..." 

She can feel her scowl grow. 

"...I think I... can't find the right mindset, for this. When I think about how many people will be watching me... and what I'm doing... I start to panic."

Ako looks at her with a heart-crushing worry.

"I'm... sorry, Yukina. I feel like I'm still missing something. I've... always feared being in front of crowds... to the point that I can't go near them. And that... still hasn't changed. Sometimes, I feel like it never will."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You're already on the right track by self-evaluating."

"Yeah, yeah! Y-you can do it, Rinrin!"

"But..." She shakes her head. "I can't do it. Not this soon. I... don't think I can pull something as dangerous as this off. I'm sorry."

There's a few seconds of silence.

She's just had to let her friends down.

"Rinrin." Ako closes her eyes. "Okay. Nothing matters if you're not safe, so-"

"Before you give up, I would like to offer a suggestion."

And yet Yukina reaches out again.

The two of them stare their leader in the eyes. "...Do you... know what I'm missing?"

"I cannot relate to your struggle. But I am not attempting to resolve it. To be honest, a part of me understood it would be impossible for you to take such a large step this early. Even performing at the Qualifier Cup itself would be less anxiety-inducing."

"I-I'm sorry-"

"That is why I offer an alternative instead; what if you weren't the one taking that step?"

"...Huh?"

"You mean we should have someone else be the candidate?" Ako asks.

"No. I mean that, rather than have Rinko perform in front of the world... she pulls the puppet of the one who does instead."

Yukina's coat billows, one with the gale.

"I am suggesting that Rinko adopts another personality."

.

An alternate path to the skies opens up.

A foothold, of some kind. "..."

"E-eh? That sounds so cool! What do you mean by that, though? Is Rinrin meant to transform?"

"The best way to imagine it is like a mask. Something that takes one of your aspects and exaggerates it. Depending on how you manifest it, you can use it to obscure or even hide your true self."

"One of my aspects..."

With the wolf's words, Rinko's mind carries the wind too.

"...I think... I understand. I could... take a part of myself that represents Roselia's viewpoint... and give it a character of its own," she says. "That's... what I'd use, to communicate with the world... right?"

"Precisely."

Hiding your true self.

Adopting a persona, one that becomes your shield; a shield more capable of taking those malicious gazes in your mind than your true self. Through that method, you could... endure your deepest fears. Not by dispelling them, but rather by detaching yourself from them.

"...I'll do it."

"Whoa?! Really? Are you sure, Rinrin?"

She nods, violet crackling through her eyes. "Yeah. Actually... I'll need your help for this, Ako."

"M-me? Really?" Crimson lights up, and Ako's fangs blare. "Mwahaha! If it's the um, master of masks you seek, then, um... look no further!"

"Thank you. I'm... really grateful to you, Ako. Always," she says. "Yukina. I know today... is meant to be a break day, but-"

"It's fine. I don't mind," the wolf responds. "So long as you feel capable, I will not stop you from seeing this through. You are the centerpiece of this mission, so we will give you all the support you need."

"..." 

She breathes. 

It works. It's... not her solution. It's not the path Rinko herself needs to see through.

But it's the small sideways step, for which she desperately needs a respite. And if it sees Roselia's mission through... she'll take it.

"...T-thank you."

"You have no need to be grateful. This is merely what Roselia's goals entail," she responds. "And to be honest, I have every confidence in my belief that you will succeed. You are an extremely talented individual, Rinko. You truly are capable of carrying us ever higher."

"Yeah, yeah! You're amazing, Rinrin! If anyone can do it, it's you."

She heats up on the spot. "A-a-ah... I... i-it's nothing that special, really..."

"May I ask a question?"

"...Huh?"

Amber dares her to look head-on. She barely manages it.

"...O-okay."

"I do not intend to dissuade the idea that the SDA has contributed to your fear. However, I still believe you to be the least afflicted by their world of us all," Yukina says. "So... what drives you to put in such constant effort for Roselia?"

"O-oh. Well... it's nothing extraordinary, really. It's not a large goal, like yours. I... I just..." 

She can't help but shuffle when they look at her so confidently. But she manages it, time and time again. 

Because they're with her.

"I try my hardest... for my friends."

Yukina processes the response with an unblinking eye.

"When I think of all Roselia's done for me... and everything I've enjoyed by being with them... I want to help them as much as I can. I want to get rid of... the things that scare us all. That's... all there is to it. I'm sorry it's nothing that special."

"No. That kind of quality is exactly what makes you shine."

"Yeah, yeah! You're the kindest and coolest person I know, Rinrin! It's what I love about you, too!"

Her heart skips a beat hearing that word. 

But as Yukina starts to leave, she can't help but fix her eyes on the mane of silver, fading into the fog.

"That kindness of yours..."

The wolf looks briefly back at her.

"...I believe that is why people gather around you."

And with that, she promptly disappears, leaving Rinko and Ako in the forest.

"Hehe. She's so cool, right Rinrin?! Under the shining guidance of the, uh, wolf's image, we... um..."

For some reason, Yukina's departure fills her with a strange sense of loss.

But there's no time to contemplate on it now.

"...um... um..."

"...blaze our own stars?"

"You're always so good at that!" Ako jumps up and down; it's a sight she's often compared to... an excited, very pettable puppy. She can't help but stroke Ako's hair, actually... "I know I can definitely blaze my own star when you're with me, Rinrin!"

"Yeah. Mine... too," she responds. "And... now, I'll need your help again. Because the idea I'm thinking of... is something I can only... enjoy... because it comes from you."

Ako flushes a bit. "E-eh? Really?" Her smile's adorably large. "E-ehehe. Ehehehe... I-I'm really happy to hear that..."

"You're really cool, Ako. There's so many things I love about you," she responds. "And I... want to channel some of them for this mission. So can I... ask for your help again? Like every time before?"

Ako holds her hand tight. "The answer'll be the same, every time! I'm always here for you, because you've always been here for me!"

...

...The eyes of crimson, soothing her disjointed nerves. They always... aim so far forward. And yet... they also let Rinko go... at her own pace.

Without Ako... she wouldn't even be here. With that in mind... how could she not think of everyone she cares for... and continue her journey?

"...Thank you."

It's the only set of words she can possibly muster, to vocalise that fireflower of gratitude.

But deep down, she dreams:

One day... we could perform together. And we'll show the world that we will never fall.

"Ako." Rinko's gaze ignites. "Let's... give this all we've got."

"Yeah! I'll summon the strongest demon to fight by your side!"

She means it as a burst of support.

But little does she know,

that's exactly what she'll do.

\---

...

...It's cold. Numbness stings her.

If Hina or Kaoru felt this way, they'd probably make an entire drama out of it. Maybe even equate it to death.

"...I'm exhausted."

The last hour of Monday, the 22nd of February.

How seemingly simple these past few days have been. It's been so quiet that her shell screams at her to move. Every cell in her body lambasts her negligence, lambasts the way she's currently slumped in the corner of her office. Every last particle and fiber of her being beg her, sobbing at her knees, to do something that would restore her reputation back to what it was; to bring The Dragon back to glory, and regain her social power.

It fails utterly.

From Chisato's point of view, it seems like the Dragon is... receding. Maybe even withering.

She has no idea why she's so immobile. Her mind is a complete vortex when she tries to think about it; she feels frustration at the idea she must cling to her callous facade to move forward, a feeling locked in a fight with her frustration at neglecting it. She feels desperation to endeavor for social survival, a feeling locked in a fight with her desperation to pursue her own dreams. The latter screams at her to leave the building and return to the Academy, fighting it from the inside once more, while the former screams at her to stay hidden; for the media would flock to her if she was spotted in public right now, and that could spell her end.

Fight the wretched Corporation, or protect yourself. Now she understands; it's become a choice. What was once a balance she could maintain has been torn asunder by the Moonlit Rider. It's impossible for her to invest in both now.

And it's not in her nature to let go of either.

"..."

For the fourth time that evening, her brow creases. It's an endless cycle; her mind howls at her to take action, then begs her to stop. There isn't even the monotony of work to distract her anymore. Her schedule's become too sparse since the fallout of the Exhibition. All she can do is stare at the impossibility of walking both paths at once, and lie down in resignation.

"...What should I do?"

Her limbs are flattened by the compressor of lethargy, but she manages to rise. Walking over to the window, she stares out into the dust-tinted night sky, looking for an answer. Because there's one thing she knows for certain; sitting around here, doing nothing at all, is something neither side of her can accept.

...So why does she feel scared, at the prospect of returning to the Academy? What is it that frightens her? "Have I always been so weak?"

The sky lacks a clear answer; just like it has for the weekend prior. With her movement being monitored, it's impossible to ask anything other than the empty air for guidance. And that action is as useless as any other she's made since her duel with the Rider.

...She's been completely useless.

"No. I have to be patient..."

It fails to calm her. Her wolf screams at her whenever she gives that reason. Even though it's the truth; one more mistake, one more controversial article running through the tabloids, and the Elder Council could decide her fate then and there. If she really, REALLY wants to fight the Corporation, then she needs to stay put and do as the agents say, until she's finally gained enough of their favor to defy them again. That's... all there is to it. That's all there's always been to it-

A figure wrapped in black flashes into her mind.

"...! No... why? I can't..."

Chisato scowls.

"My image is at severe threat. The Dragon is in danger of collapsing. That is without a doubt the truth... so I must stay put. I just have to be patient."

"Chisato! I've come to report in!"

Her limbs wake from their nightmare. Immediately, her irises regain their composure, sharpening their blades. "You may enter."

"Good evening to you!" A braid of white brings a current of air with it. "Are you okay, Chisato? There's a few bags under your eyes. Please do not neglect your health at a time like this!"

"I'm fine. I do not need your empathy." ...She looks at Eve's resolute sky-blue, 12 hours apart from the night outside. "You should be more worried about yourself; you're carrying quite the set of baggage too. There is no need to work yourself to the bone."

"I know it's a lot to handle. But I am willing to make the extra push right now."

"And why is that?"

"Because of Star Breaker."

Her right arm winces.

"She has heartlessly exposed insecurities in the Bushido League during her attacks. Many of its members now fear they will fail to secure a career from the Qualifier Cup, and a few have even gotten into fights... so I'm giving my all to try and support them!"

"I see. You're attempting to purify their scales once again."

Eve makes a softer smile. "Chisato, please let me know if there is anything I can do to support you too. The media talks very negatively of you as a result of the recent incidents; if you feel frightened, you can speak your mind to me!"

Don't.

Don't waste your concern on a pile of sludge as wretched as me. I've done nothing to deserve you. In what way have I ever helped you? What is it about me that causes you to keep smiling when I mock the hand you offer me?

"...I'm perfectly fine. I have no need for your pity," she responds. "...You seem rather determined to counteract Star Breaker's effect on the Academy."

"Of course." Eve frowns. "The damage she has done is immeasurable. She's enraged hundreds of students to attack each other and even members of the public... she's hurt countless. What she's doing isn't helping anyone; I understand why she may resent the SDA, but she should not resort to such vile methods when fighting it!"

An internal enemy of the Academy, opposed to the tactics of an external one. "Your moral code is strong. I'm rather surprised you continue to support me in spite of it."

...

She's being scanned. What is this warrior searching for?

"..." Eve shakes her head. "If you truly were the person you claim to be, I would not offer my support so freely. But your actions speak louder than your words, Chisato. Nobody besides Kanon has been expelled from the Academy since the start of the year... and even she somehow managed to remain employed here. That is not all, either; even during the Exhibition, you took the risk of speaking in Aya's def-"

Magenta bleeds. It's automatic; the response runs in like a survival knife at Eve's camera-captured words. "How biased of you. Has this one spot of mercy blinded you to the countless expellations last year?"

"Were any of those students expelled by your hand?"

"I am part of a system, Eve. I am part of a draconic hand known as the Shirasagi Corporation. And that hand has expelled plenty."

A flock of crows howls past the office.

It's silent. The cold air brushes dangerously against the window, trying to grasp it by the edges so it can peel it off and devour what's inside.

"...I see."

That's the only response she gets. The two stare at each other with tense concentration. For a moment, Chisato tries to understand the warrior's intentions; is Eve truly foolish enough to believe she's worth any kindness? It is in her pre-ordained nature as The Dragon to cast kindness away; any efforts made toward her are a waste. Even a love as strong as Hina's could only bloom an isolated flower in her heart. She's, for all intents and purposes, a callous spine of steel designed only to impale others. In her current position, nobody other than Hina could fool the Elder Council's eyes to even the slightest extent and support her-

...Hang on. If that's the case...

...will she... ever gain new allies at all?

"Chisato! Please, I must see you immediately."

Time wrenches her gut down.

It's too late to contemplate that line of questioning any further. 

"That voice..." Chisato turns to the entrance. "...Kaoru? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

"Please, come in!" Eve responds. "We're not busy right now."

"I'll accept that invitation, if you don't mind." Kaoru opens the door and promptly rushes in. Her typical luscious prose belies her evident exhaustion. "My apologies, dear Eve, but we must converse later instead," she bows. "I have dire news, Chisato. I've come here on orders from the agents."

No. 

Not now. 

Please, not right now. 

"...The reason being?"

"Somehow, our saboteur has discovered the confidential practice session at Starlight Tower. She's provoking the students there as we speak."

A pair of fangs press down on Chisato's neck.

. . . . . . 

<strike>. .. . .. . ..</strike>

...Why? 

Why now, of all times?

"Saboteur." Eve frowns. "Do you mean her?"

"Indeed, my lovely kitten. Star Breaker has made her appearance right here in Hanasakigawa, mere minutes from the location we reside. And I'm afraid I've been ordered to send The Dragon there immediately. We are to head to Starlight Tower and meet her ourselves as soon as possible."

...Chisato's right hand grips the cold skin of her left arm, covering as much of it as she can.

Grave scarlet eyes seek Chisato's own. "...What is your response?"

She can't hide any longer.

"If we refuse, the agents may-"

"We don't have a choice," Chisato manages. "If... if we are ordered to subdue her, then we must. That's all there is to it."

Kaoru's expression tenses. "Are you sure?"

"My own opinion plays no part in this."

"...Of course. Very well, then."

Kaoru opens the door, letting a tunnel of nothing bleed through.

Nobody knows what alien awaits.

...

...Chisato stands still. Kaoru and Eve watch her.

When Hina's blade ran through her, a new side of her bloomed.

When the Rider's blade ran through her, the older side cracked.

...The ways they changed her couldn't possibly be understated. So why is it that the edge she stares at now feels so much sharper? What threat could the nonchalant, egotistic blade of Star Breaker possibly pose? 

...

She doesn't even want to know if she has the answer to that question. 

"Kaoru... take me to the roof."

"Right away."

Before long, she'll be finding out anyway. She can no longer ignore the call of the abyss.

The Dragon's time has run out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	37. Star Breaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warnings:  
-Graphic depictions of violence on background characters.  
-Physical and metaphorical body horror.

Stardom,

made through competition,

founded on finance's back,

tempts dehumanisation.

The world above is another realm. One with its own set of rules, laid out by the eyes watching from above. You do not form a constellation; you only associate. You do not connect; you only shine in tandem when needed. There is no warmth across thousands of miles; only light. The blazes you make must stay within your own confines; it cannot burn hot enough for another star to embrace.

It's an environment that changes any impressionable youth. It contains less obstacles to a callous mind, for animalistic acts often come without consequence. Driven knives, murderous stares, ruthless wars... they are all permitted in this realm, so long as your shine can justify them. That which would dim another is as viable a tactic as any, to keep yourself bright.  
Immorality is an accepted norm...

...and when you are told you must shine, or else be snuffed, immorality suddenly seems lucrative. Fear tempts a destructive self-preservation. The light that comes from immorality is brighter than any other, your exemplar says; would it not be best, then, to remove your compass and your desire for connections? If you did, you would not have to care for the way immorality dims others. All you'd be able to see is how much more it would benefit you, compared to bearing the weight of those others. 'Others' can stop being burdens, and start being tools; tools worth recharging when they would charge you in turn.

Thus begin the scales. Most commonly, ice becomes a shield, fire becomes a sword, and lightning becomes the hand that wields it. Elements that once held kindness become callous blades, and the stars will draw these blades at each other's throats, for their own cursed sakes. The pillaging of light becomes a pleasure, a fuel... a desperate substitution for the discarded, 'worthless' desires. To save themselves from their self-isolation, the stars will convert the pain of being monsters into joy, just to keep themselves sane.

That is how an infection spreads, carrying the cosmic puppeteers' strings.

Slowly but surely, those who ascend to stardom on finance's back all learn the cost of failure. They are taught, by those of their infected kind, and by those who watch from above, that their individual success is the only thing that matters. That the rest of the accursed stars in the sky are only enemies, fated to be locked in a battle of light in order to make humanity gaze upon them. There are no friends to encounter, no love to be had; kindness must be discarded. Only a facsimile of it is acceptable, would it turn a profit.

It's a dogma that will change you for as long as you let it. And the longer you do, the more the scales devour you. You feel driven, to ignore your repeated immorality... lest your beating heart beg for its compass, only to be crushed with guilt.... lest you revive your long-lost longings, beat the dead horse of your desires, only to find none who reciprocate them... lest you desperately reach out to others, genuinely, with such cursed, scaled claws, and inevitably fail until you cry. For who could possibly want you? Give that fear of rejection long enough, and it will reach the point where it stops any attempt at reconnection ever again. For light-years, and forever, for as long as you remain in this realm. One can only do whatever it takes to destroy the positive facets of themself, facets destined to fail, and become a heartless, self-contained monster, until they do not even see themselves as one. Because as long as they accomplish that, they will never have to reflect on their inflicted scars. The peril of their life, and the sadism of their mind, become 'human' to them, like Darwin's imposter intended. The mandate of competitive destruction will bring them joy, and keep their 'philosophy' a livable farce.

...

But what if something sped all the way across space, and bulldozed into you,

just to remind you how monstrous you are?

"We're ready to depart, my queen."

She wakes.

Frenetically fanned air rushes through her ponytail and slams her ears, bringing her back to Earth. The voice is Kaoru's, standing by the open door. "If you're prepared to meet Star Breaker, then you may board."

"...Very well."

Midnight brings forth Tuesday, the 23rd of February. There's about 10 metres of distance between her and the helicopter on the building's roof. Nothing else. The glinting tarmac beneath her feet is a gateway, to a world where everything she doesn't know awaits. The world of the Academy's post-Exhibition wake. A world that'll shatter the normalcy, repetition and monotony she's been drowned in since, pummelling it all away.

Once she closes this distance, there's no turning back.

...Chisato begins to walk.

The first step. The sky is devoid of everything save for black.

...

The second step. The lights on the helicopter are unbearably bright.

...

The third step. In some seconds, she can't see those lights.

...

The fourth,

... and the fifth. Why does she have to fear this meeting?

...

...If she gave it some thought, she'd know why.

The sixth. The answer's just out of reach.

The seventh. It's an answer that terrifies her.

The eighth. She doesn't want to know it. She wants to avoid it, more than anything.

The ninth. But at the same time, she knows she has to meet it.

The tenth. In fact, she wants to know it.

The eleventh. She doesn't, and yet she does.

The twelfth.

...Kaoru is looking at her concernedly from the cockpit.

The thirteenth, and last.

She stops. Which 'side' of her wants to know the truth? Which 'side' of her doesn't? Which part of her mind is The Dragon speaking, and which part of it is herself? Which words belong to the mask, and which words belong to her?

She can't tell anymore.

All she can do is let the agents' orders take her to her predetermined destination.

Kaoru offers a hand. Chisato reaches for it, ready to be pulled in.

"Please allow me to come with you!"

"..."

She pauses and turns. There, standing right beside her in the wind, is Eve Wakamiya. "I would like to meet Star Breaker as well. I cannot let her rampage any longer!"

She looks at the agent sitting in the pilot's seat. The agent nods.

...It's pointless, really. After all, she's the one Star Breaker is apparently after. Eve will likely be ignored. Still, she supposes it couldn't hurt. "Very well."

Eve is given instructions regarding passenger safety once they board. Kaoru sits in the front next to the pilot, while Chisato and Eve lie in the dark of the back. The flow of information is a good distractor.

But then the door's closed.

It's cold. She can't focus on liftoff. The second the lights were shut, her nerves spiked enough to drown sound out.

...

The entire dual-district looms beneath now.

...

It's completely silent.

...

...There really is no turning back now, is there?

The anomalous bite on her neck becomes a grip, refusing to let go.

Digging and digging, desperate to go beneath the skin.

"..."

Digging, until it pierces that skin,

"...My queen."

and lets out the flow of bottled blood inside.

"My queen. Would you like to learn more about Star Breaker?"

Chisato looks up. "W-what?"

Kaoru smiles from the front. "Well, it is hardly novel. But perhaps you might humor the distraction of my memories, no?" She winks. "I'd be joyed to regale you the tale of my encounter at Memorial's End."

Distraction. Distraction.

She never thought she'd actually want to hear more of Kaoru's ridiculous prose. "I suppose it could pass the time. V-very well, then," she says. "I assume your attempt at subduing her failed miserably."

"A... haha. It was shameful of me; the most formidable hit on the head was what I received, despite your warnings," Kaoru responds. "If I had to describe her style of combat, it would be... holographic subterfuge. Such evasiveness and savagery makes her truly worthy of the word saboteur. It is because of her ferocious agility that the agents have failed to captur-"

"Yes, I know. She wouldn't be busting into arena after arena if they actually succeeded."

"If you have met her, then that means you've seen her interact with the other students, correct?" Eve interjects. "May I ask how she behaved towards them? They have all sorts of testimonies when I inquire."

"Hm." Red eyes glint in the dark. "I could make many a scripture about her actions... but the word that fits her above all is 'manipulative'. She has quite a way of unveiling the fears you keep under lock and key. And considering how many of the students' fears are founded around their careers, it's no surprise her unstoppable blade has caused so much... ignition, shall we say."

"...I see."

Chisato nearly gulps.

For what reason are the agents sending her to meet this person? Is it to portray a 'superior' image? An image strong enough to make Star Breaker seem like nothing more than a fly in the Academy's world, in spite of all the damage that name has already done? And right after the Exhibition, too; could this be any worse a time to attempt such a maneuver? Why not ask Hina to do it instead?

...Would The Dragon fade too far out of relevancy, if Hina did such a thing in her place? Is that how perilous her position is?

"If you are still curious, allow me to testify on my experience at ground zero. Why, I remember the sheer ferocity, and unbelievability, of her movements, as if it was yesterday!"

Kaoru's never been subtle. She's evidently noticed Chisato's distress; that's probably why she ends up going on a whole flowering spiel, about how she promptly got thwacked on the head when she tried to restrain Star Breaker, just so there's some kind of noise breaking this unlit silence. Just so Chisato can think about anything other than her dire situation.

She wishes she could say it's working.

"We've arrived. It'll take 3 minutes to land."

Chisato looks up. There lies Starlight Tower, one of the most expensive and decoratively flourished arenas in the dual-district. Until last week, its grand, sloped structure was complete with a giant planetarium at its top, free for only SDA affiliates to visit. If the Haneoka Haven Stadium is the highest point in all of Haneoka, then that planetarium was the highest point in all of Hanasakigawa.

It's since been removed.

"..."

She's ran out of anything to distract herself with. Discussion doesn't work. Any sentence made by Eve or Kaoru is a mess of phonemes that can't parse their way through her pounding head. The flow of blood is blocked, floodgated, as if a part of her's desperately trying to stop certain patterns of thought from existing.

But somehow, she knows; with the sinking fangs, it's only a matter of time before that floodgate crumbles. All it would take is one push...

...for the entire thing to fall apart.

The helicopter hovers in place, preparing to descend. It's been so ridiculously long, from her point of view, waiting like this. Every second she spends in here is another second she has to spend looking at whatever hatchet hides inside Starlight Tower. She can't run right in; no, she has to sit here while the helicopter prepares to land, and gaze upon how sharp the metal is, just so she can fear the flood all the more.

She can't take it. She can't.

She'd rather perish on the spot than hide from this any longer.

"..."

Chisato focuses her eyes on the windows of the tower's third story; it's the typical location students use when booking it, since the arena is massive and well-liked for its unique style. If the commotion's happening anywhere at all, it's right there. So she undoes the seatbelt, thrusts open a nearby compartment and hauls up a hefty suspension rope.

"...Open the door."

Kaoru's expression breaks. "C-Chisato? You can't be serious."

"Open the door."

"We will land and enter the tower from the ground floor," the agent says. "Do not-"

She undoes the emergency lock, hauls the tempest in, makes sure the rope is firmly docked,

and throws herself out.

"Chisato?!"  
"Chisato!"

Halfway across, Chisato closes her eyes and lets go, launching right into the window.

** _SMASH!_ **

The resulting impact could easily wreck an ordinary limb.

"...Ggrh."

But she's never been allowed to live an ordinary life. That's why it hardly feels ephemeral, hearing the gusts of wind and the hum of the halogen lights. This is all as she expected.

Tutting, she gets up from her wreckage, shaking the glass shards off her left arm. As she thought; it's completely undamaged. This thing could take a wrecking ball and come out unscathed.

Well, enough wasting time, then. Where lies what she's looking for? Chisato whips her head around, scanning the tiled floor. A lot of the arena's fancier lighting arrays are disabled, but the ones on the ceiling are still functioning. Most of the students haven't even noticed her; meaning they're probably focused on *that* person. Ignore the ones staring emptily above, and follow the gazes of the others... where is she? Where? Quit teasing the guillotine, and let me meet it outright-

"Ooooh, that's a shame. What was it you said? If I lose even one game, I won't look as threatening?"

"...!"

She was right.

This is the conquered lions' den. Her worst nightmare is there, leaning relaxedly in place on the other end of the arena:

The nonchalant annihilator herself.

A holograph of _Ancient Gear Chaos Giant_, strangely coated in monochrome grey, dissipates from her side of the field. Her cloak looks even more tattered than it did when Chisato and Hina last met her. It billows and breathes, tangling in and out of its knots as she smirks and watches the willpower of her opponent fade away. "Hate to say it, but I understand dueling's wars of fame better than you do. It's brittle, isn't it? How one convincing-looking loss means you're no longer the superstar in the crowd's eyes." A sneer. "I bet you know how that feels now."

"Shut your mouth!" The student yells, bringing back his blade. "Duel me again! I swear, all it'll take is one beatdown for you to start crying!"

Star Breaker yawns. "Pass. I'm bored of you. Do me a favour and go wallow in your loss elsewhere, yeah?"

Every word makes the steam build all the more. Catalysing, further and further.

"Wow, you sure look desperate. Why do you want to stay at the top so bad? ...Oh~. Ohhh, I know. Is it because if you lose, you'll have hurt everyone for nothing?"

"H-hurt? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Sad story, isn't it? The hungry tiger devours everything in sight, killing whatever he finds for the sake of his promised victory. But it turns out he'll never get that victory at all. His career path," Pop. "has become a dead end!"

The student grits his teeth. His body tightens as he takes a step forward.

"All the friends you threw away, all the nights you spent without your family... all the innocent newcomers you got expelled, just so you could boost your own score... in the end, it'll all have amounted..."

She smiles.

"_...to nothing._"

"SHUT UP!"

The student charges, desperate to dig his fist into that smug face. The same rage that fueled so many students before is firing him forward, right towards the only perceived spot of relief in the wreckage he's met.

It's an illusion.

Star Breaker slips around him, and

**TWHACK!**

slams a boot into his back, without a shred of mercy.

"Ggah!" The tiger's shout becomes a squeal, his body tumbling across the floor until he hits the railing. "Agh... y-you..." He trembles, trying to get up. "Y-you piece of shit..."

"Aw, come on. I'm only acting in self-defense," Star Breaker waves. "We're all civilised people here, so take a chill pill! Relax! You don't have to be so immature, and violent~, do you?"

"I swear, I'm going to-"

But his futile attack is stopped cold in midair. "Control yourself!"

"S-Sayo?! Wh-" The student blinks. "No, hang on a sec... y-you! You're Eve Wakamiya!"

The warrior enters the field, Kaoru in tow. Her grip lightens. "Leave this place and head home."

"I..." He's let go. A tear falls down his cheek. "...Fine."

...

"...!" Chisato snaps out from her trance. Her eyes have been fixed on Star Breaker's cloak-blotted back, up until this very point. Only now do the approaching footsteps of Eve and Kaoru direct her attention anywhere else, for even the slightest moment. "...You two."

"Are you okay, Chisato?!"

"My queen! Please do not attempt such bold stunts-"

"Quiet."

They pause. Quickly, they turn to the direction she's facing.

Star Breaker stands with hardly a hint of tension in her frame.

...Chisato doesn't move. She feels like a prey cornered by its natural predator, desperately monitoring its movement. Wishing there was an impossible way out. The saboteur's hole-riddled form hides a thousand and one ways to sink its fangs into others. Even the slightest sound feels like it'd distract Chisato from the various, subtle, split-second, monotonous and uncaring ways she could be dug into by this person at a moment's notice. She can't even blink.

They've never met. And yet, she feels a strange sense of familiarity; an unnerving one.

...

"Well, look who we have here. If it isn't the bootlicker who thinks herself a hero."

Chisato keeps her breaths hidden.

"I thought you wouldn't remember me. Turns out black cloaks are a dime a dozen, nowadays. But I guess I didn't have to worry about that."

The nemesis turns around...

and reveals a casual, joyriding grin. "Hey there, 'Chisachi'. Finally had enough of sitting up on your throne?"

"..."

"It's so brave of you to be stepping into the ring. I'm impressed! Must've been REAL scary, trying to raise a finger against me when your oh-so-precious reputation's at stake."

"...Were it not for my orders, I'd hardly waste my time meeting you at all. I'm rather busy."

"Spoken like a true performer!" She exclaims. "You're really used to your role, aren't you? The obedient, demure little servant of the Shirasagi stakehold. Their enfant terrible of a queen. The _leech_ on the Supernova's body."

Chisato's stomach tightens.

Star Breaker fakes a shrug. "What's with that frown? Already losing your cool? Oh, your majesty, I'm sorry for being so rude! I guess your obnoxious regality spiel made me forget all about that little inside rebellion you're experimenting with."

"...W-what?"

Her nerves choke. This person's seen right through her mask. It's then that she realises:

...When did she go from welcoming the SDA's opposers, to fearing them?

She flushes that thought out the second she has it, drawing the same callous knife she's always used; "Rebellion? Do you consider me a captive princess, little worm?"

"Oh, please; you're no Cinderella. You and I both know you're nothing but The Dragon deep down. Even if you claim it's only your mask."

Blood flows to her head. "What on earth are you babbling on about?"

"You're a coward."

Slowly, she can feel her rage build too.

But it's not directed at Star Breaker.

"Oh, woe is me, the Shirasagis' shining star! I do everything in my name to rally resistance against the grip of our corporate overlords! ...Yeah, right," she spits. "Big words for someone who'd rather keep making antidotes, _than stop spreading poison._"

The words throb like they come from her own mind. "I-I've lost any understanding of your rambling," Chisato cuts. "You're running solo in your academic pandemonium. I'd be grateful if you stopped dragging me into it."

"And miss out on the chance to crush you? The self-proclaimed double agent? No way."

She nearly flatlines when she sees Star Breaker draw that blade again. That blade, that completely ordinary, plain-blue blade; it poses no physical threat, sure. But the social threat... the threat to her image... how much does it weigh, in that regard? Even from afar, it's already torn apart the Academy she represents. She presumed there wouldn't be much extra risk up close... but...

"Come on, Dragon. I'm bored of trouncing all your half-rate lackeys." The saboteur waves her disk around. "Duel me. I want someone who can at least pretend she's putting up a fight. Even the next strongest person in this academy only lasted as many turns as her rank!"

"...Quit being a pest. I've had my fill of obnoxious strangers asking to lose."

So she says. But she looks around, and realises the agents watching them aren't lifting a finger.

That means...

"I don't really think you have a choice, 'Chisachi'."

SLAP!

A white glove lands on the ground beneath her feet.

Her wake-up call, and her death knell.

"..." The wound finds a crack in her head. She can't even express shock. Somehow, she always knew that one day, her insistence on maintaining her image would come back to bite her.

"I can't hack a dragon arm, sure. But it's not like I need to. Don't you get it?" Her reaper asks. "The staff's already given up on trying to capture me; that's why they're serving you for my dinner instead. They're hoping you'll wave a magic wand and win this duel, so all their dejected students will miraculously cheer up. Y'know, all that 'restore the glory' crap. Good ol' Dragon's here to slam her boot down on this criminal, remind everyone who's the best at Duel Monsters! The Dragon's here to save the SD-day!"

She feels cold. That wrathful, delightful fire that would give her adrenaline and comfort begins to cease.

"That's why you don't have a say. Look at it from the students' point of view; if even The Dragon's career is at risk, what hope do THEY have in this dark and gritty world? Most of the dolts who aren't suicidal enough to try usurping you will probably just give up. And you wouldn't want that now, would you? Imagine alllll the lost sponsorships from the lack of SDA tournament participation. Imagine all that lost revenue!"

Chisato grips her draconic arm. "Y-you..."

"Chisato," Eve says. "Don't get pulled in by her."

Kaoru frowns. "...It would be lovely if she had the luxury of rejection. But the Shirasagi family's image as the monarch of Duel Monsters will crack if she refuses to engage with Star Breaker. The Corporation won't accept anything but her victory."

"Come on, Dragon. _Thrash_ me. _Dominate_ me. Should be easy for you, right?" The words jeer. "There's no _way_ a professional like you'd _ever_ lose to a third-rate nobody like me. You can just step all over me and be done with it. So come on already. Let's. Duel."

The abyss beckons.

The order is simple. Defeat Star Breaker. Present the image of the infallible Dragon, so the students are spurred to aspire once more. Present the image of the infallible Dragon, so more animals can be lined up for the profitable slaughter.

This is the only path she can take if she wants to keep her valuable image intact. In its current state, failure will not be tolerated. The fact that she's been sent on such dire circumstance means that this is the Elder Council's last straw. Break it, and she'll fall.

Break it, and you'll fall, Chisato.

So win.

You have to win.

That's... that's all you have to do. So you can live to see another day in your corporate position, from which you can destroy your corrupted empire.

That's all you have to do.

...

...The white glove stares at her. Like a hand, rising from the pit, dragging her down from her perilous tightrope into the darkness deep below.

An SDA student does not refuse a duel thrown by the glove. Her fate is predetermined. She has no option but to walk.

"..."

Walk.

...Walk, Chisato! Draw your ridiculous blade! Play your bleeding fool again, blind the masses again, just so you can save your own hide! You have to; it's the only way you can fight!

Or have you already realised how far you were from Earth when you fell?

"..."

Chisato trembles.

She wants to step forth. She wants to move her arms. But no matter how much The Dragon wills it, Chisato cannot draw her blade.

The students begin to murmur. The agents are looking at each other. "What's this?" Star Breaker immediately jumps; "Oh, no... could it be?!?! Is the big bad Dragon scared of little ol' me? That can't be good~!"

"...Be silent."

Kaoru frowns. "Chisato..."

"You could shut my mouth right now if you really wanted to! Go on. You've won so many times in your life already; what's another empty victory?" Star Breaker casually slacks her shoulders. "That is, unless you don't think you'll win."

The murmuring increases.

Her pathetic hesitation has made her already-stained image take a brutal blow. The aura of regality can hardly afford such a hit. But she can't muster a response. She's frozen. That sharpened, confident grin, plastered all over Star Breaker's relaxed face; it paralyses her.

"Hah. You already know, don't you? It's so clear on your face. That's why I'm gonna relish this." Her reaper takes a step forward, hacking into her scales. "See, I've really got nothing to do nowadays, and I have a lot of pent-up anger I can take out on you. That's why I gave myself the fun little goal of slamming you into the ground. It'll make a good distraction."

The challenge is unavoidably made.

"Go on. Draw your blade, Dragon."

Don't do it.

Don't do it.

She has no choice. But Star Breaker's words ring in her ears, freezing her from taking any step forward; what would emerging victorious even bring? A return to the cursed normalcy she's always known? Month after month of being the wasp queen, so all the little infants can learn how to sting?

Pathetic. She calls herself pathetic so often; pathetic for being half a step too slow against the Council's machinations, pathetic for dragging people like Hina into an all-seeing ire only she should know. But perhaps she's simply always been pathetic. She can't even fix this ridiculous mess anymore; she spent an insulting eternia locking herself away in an office, just for her own safety, instead of doing anything to stop Star Breaker, or relieve some of Hina's newfound burden.

No. In fact, she's been running from more than just that.

"Chisato..."

"Clock's ticking, 'Chisachi'."

Such constant cowardice truly does make her worthy of the title 'Dragon'.

The wound left by Star Breaker's fang festers. The idea of accepting this duel, the idea of trying to win it and validate her own cowardice, makes her sick. It's a nausea powerful enough to numb her sense of self-preservation. "...Ha... ahaha," she whispers. "Perhaps she's right. What if I'm not as separated from my mask as I think?"

"..."

...She looks up.

Whether she wants to accept or not, people expect a response. Chisato stares at an entire arena, full of every kind of ally and enemy she's ever known. Save, of course, for the one ally she wants by her side the most. For all the time she's spent above Earth, she's never had the luxury of embracing the Sun for long, has she? And that's her fault too. Because of her cowardice, the Sun spends so much time alone without her embrace.

That's the worst part of it all. The one genuine connection she let herself have, no, the one genuine connection she couldn't help but have, the closest kind she could possibly be blessed with, the kind that pulsed lightning through her veins... and she squanders it.

Star Breaker's right to call her a leech.

"I..."

She looks at the ground, shaking at the choice she must make.

"...I..."

"Chisato..."

"I..."

...

...

...

...Ultimately, her cowardice wins. "I-"

"I accept your challenge!"

.

There's a few gasps from the onlooking students. She slowly turns to her right, watching the glove be picked up. Wondering who could possibly be bold enough to beat her to the punch.

Ah. Of course.

It's Eve.

A braid of sky-white illuminates the shaken arena. "Throwing a glove at a group indicates that you have issued a challenge to all of them. Among this trio are two students; myself, and Chisato. Therefore, I can, and will, be the one who accepts it first!"

Star Breaker's smile disappears. "Oh. Right. It's you."

It's surreal. Eve has decided to protect her. Again. She strides in front of Chisato, establishing the boundaries of the arena between her and her opponent without a single opening in her expression. Her left hand perches on the hilt of her katana. Before she takes her last step forward, she looks at Chisato, smiles, and nods.

"...Why?" Chisato asks.

There's no response. Eve simply wills resolution as if it were innate and faces forward, leaving Chisato with only her back. "I will be your opponent, Star Breaker!"

"Uh-huh. Neat. You know you don't stand a chance, right?"

"I have no intention of facing you with anything other than my full strength. There's much I need to learn about you."

"Uh, hello? Learn? This is just Duel Monsters, buddy." An exaggerated sigh. "Fine, fine. I'll trash you if you really want it that bad. Here; you can even have your precious Shien back." A card's tossed into Eve's free hand. "Won't make a difference. What's your Rank again?"

"5."

"...Huh. What a coincidence. Alright, then..."

The blade of the unfathomable finds another target.

"...let's see if you're as good as your predecessor."

The undefinable cloak hurls.

"I've heard plenty about you and your little league, Bushido girl. People never shut up about you. Can't help but wonder if all the public adoration's given you an ego." She shrugs, tutting and shaking her head. "I bet you think your squad's all clean and proper, compared to the rest of the Academy. And boy, would I _love_ to prove you wrong."

Eve closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

CLACK!

_SLICE!_ In one beautifully clean motion, the air is cut to a legacy of ribbons. The sword of Bushido's Inheritor glows. "To carry lives with respect, step forward with sincerity, and honour your duty and liege with every action you take... this is my code!" She declares, opening her burning eyes. "You face Eve Wakamiya, Rank 5 of the Shirasagi Duel Academy and duelist of the Bushido League!"

"What a load of bullshit. The only thing I'm facing is a deluded idiot."

One blade locks down another with a callous demeanor. A ragged black cloak, streaming with black-hearted hate, readies to strangle its earnest and kindhearted challenger. The stage is set for a star to be broken.

Chisato can only watch, as the brutal aftermath of her cowardice begins.

"**<---DUEL!--->**"

"**<---Duel.---> If you could even call it that.** _Wanna see what you're up against first?_"

Star Breaker smirks,

"_Then say hello to the Graydle Impact._"

and simply lays a card down.

#  **WARNING!**

#  **WARNING!**

#  **WARNING!**

#  ** WARNING! **

A UFO crashes into the Earth.

Only the blaring siren gives any indication that something so gigantic would eviscerate the students' lair in a split second. Everything is torn apart, broken and spat upon by coughed up boulders of metal debris. The holy regal steel and encrusted streams of Starlight Tower's 3rd floor are ravaged and bored into by a vehicular behemoth; without any logical reason or purpose, it bleeds the very light dry from a structure whose history was as grand as any True King that stood upon it.

And from the devastating wreckage...

...arises.... 'something'.

Some 'things' are moving.

Slipping, snaking, squeezing.

The alarm evidently still rings in everyone's minds; students scatter left and right from the holograph's devastation, terrified by the seeming sheer force of the collision as much as they are by the 'things' that emerged. Eve merely watches.

"No need to be scared! It's not like these piles of goo swallow people whole, right? Here; I'll summon _Graydle Eagle_ so you can ask it."

Standing in the center of the pandemonium is one person; Star Breaker. A cloaked figure with no discernable or comprehensible identity, relaxing inside a twister of smoothened grey matter. The matter twirls as a thin, segmented, long continuous 'tendril', effortlessly curving and moving, being manipulated and modified as if it were one with Star Breaker herself.

Darting in and out around her shoulders at a distressing speed, it eventually clusters into something; a **1500ATK** mock-up of an identified avian, the form hardly even complete. It splits from its source and splatters onto the ground. Unblinking.

"T-that otherworldly appendage... i-it cuts her quite the menacing figure," Kaoru stammers.

"That card..."

Chisato opens a piece of her left arm.

\-- BEGINNING SPECTATOR MODE -- "...!" As she suspected. "So that explains the reports of her fighting style. But I don't understand," she says. "Eagle's effect activates upon being destroyed by battle or monster effect. If Star Breaker had set it face-down in defense position, she could've hidden its effect text from Eve and baited her into attacking it."

"And yet she's summoned that h-horror face-up instead..."

Eve doesn't seem fazed.

"How about I make things simple for turn 1?" The backstabber stands nonplussed. "I activate the continuous spell _Supply Squad_; a free draw for every turn my monsters get destroyed tends to help, after all. Then I'll leave these two face-downs here and call it a day." A piece of the tendril coagulates into a new card. "Oh, and don't mind the _Graydle Slime Jr_; _Graydle Impact_ let me add it to my hand at the End Phase. So, what've you got, Bushido girl?"

"_My turn,_" Eve declares, flipping a new tool from her katana's hilt. "I activate the continuous spell cards _Six Samurai United_ and _Shien's Dojo!_ Then I shall summon _Legendary Six Samurai - Kageki in attack position!_"

It takes only a moment for the Bushido League's leader to declare her war. Ramparts of a furnished wooden castle thrust out in perfect sequence at her back, the sigil of the Six Samurai blazing high in the air. From the call of its thunderbolt rises one past warrior of many, four arms and blades to their lone **200ATK** name.

An emblem sized in two crossing blades emerges over the holographs of each of her spells. "Whenever I summon a Six Samurai monster, United and Dojo gain 1 Bushido Counter each. With that, I shall charge forth!" Eve begins to fly her cards out. "When Kageki is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon another Level 4 or lower samurai from my hand; come, _Secret Six Samurai - Doji!_ And with the presence of your comrades on the field, arise; _Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan!_"

The first backup is led by a grizzled soldier, **1700ATK** rifle of old muzzled with neon lines anew, in adaptation to the passing eras. In comparison, the second squadron is led by none other than the famed adjutant of the true commander himself; an unchangingly lost warrior, questioning the purpose of their **1800ATK** blade. At their appearance, the former fires up a gleaming flare from his rifle, signalling a request for reinforcements.

"With Kizan's summon, Doji has sent _Secret Six Samurai - Hatsume_ from my deck to my Graveyard. Now..."

Eve slips what appears to be a smoke bomb from beneath her wrist.

"...I shall use Kageki, Doji and Kizan as Fusion Materials!"

She breaks it upon the ground, summoning a cloud of black mist that engulfs her side of the arena. There's the movements of countless warriors, pooling into a vortex.

"It would appear she has already settled upon her strategy."

Chisato's brow furrows. "...Indeed."

Soon, any hint of the samurais' glowing armour disappears in a haze. Star Breaker cheerfully stares down the spirals of the obstructive forest, from which the enemy's moves can only be deduced, not seen...

Until a mirage begins to appear.

"Ancient disciples of the Attributes, combine the tactics you've laid for your lords so we may face this new threat! Through your powers, recreate Shien's deadliest shinobi, and mystify the opposing force through his seeming appearance!"

Any warrior would recognise the knives attached to that person's wrist. What techniques were used to create such lethal weapons, only the creators of this illusion know; but to the enemy, their image seems as real as any other on this battlefield. They who should no longer wander these fields has lent their power to a new warlord.

"_Fusion Summon! Level 5!_" The sound of a clean swipe, and the haze is cut cleanly in two. "Bring the legend back to life; _Secret Six Samurai - Rihan!_"

**2400ATK.** The mark of the Yellow Butterfly, furling on Rihan's robes, is a death pact on any unfortunate soul's back. No samurai would ever wish to fight such an opponent. A neon-clawed hand declares its ferocious intent at its smirking opponent, a sleek katana held further behind.

The shinobi's master brushes a stray hair from her braid and reclaims her blade. "By sending _Six Samurai United_ to the Graveyard with 2 Bushido Counters, I can draw 2 cards. And by sending _Shien's Dojo_ to the Graveyard with 4 Bushido Counters, I shall bring forth _Secret Six Samurai - Kizaru_ from my deck!" **1900ATK;** a charismatic swordsman enters the fray. "When Kizaru is Special Summoned, I can add a samurai from my deck to my hand, as long as I do not control a samurai with the same Attribute as it. With _Secret Six Samurai - Fuma_ added, my plan is now in place!"

Star Breaker makes a taunting motion with her hand. "Go on then. What's your little fruit ninja gonna do?"

"My strategy is simple," she responds. "If destroying your monster would cost me, then I must remove it from this realm entirely instead. That will open the path I need to strike you!"

Eve points her katana to signal:

"I shall activate the effect of _Secret Six Samurai - Rihan!_ By banishing a samurai from my hand or field, I can target 1 card my opponent controls and banish it! I call upon Fuma's Wind... to banish your _Graydle Eagle!_"

Chisato watches very closely.

The card in Eve's hand splits into an outward vortex of winds, spiralling into Rihan's blades. Imbued with one of their many shadows' powers, they bend their knees and hone a pair of razor-sharp eyes towards their globulous target, marking it for death. Their aura could cut any human being's will down; but the 'Graydle' has no will to express. Its beady eyes don't even blink as it observes the technique.

Rihan leaps.

They burst all the way to the ceiling, gripping it with the ease of a spider, and ready a set of knives to-

"**_...!_**"  
"**_...!_**"  
"**_...!_**"

Chisato freezes.

...

...

...The knives tumble onto the arena floor.

She can't believe what she's seeing. She looks at the card that was flipped.

Rihan is caught.

That 'tendril'; no, those tendrils that shot out from Star Breaker's back. They've strangled Rihan's torso and joints. The shinobi's sweltered strength can't break them free of the tightening chokehold, no matter how hard they struggle; all they manage is to shake.

The tendrils yank Rihan's limbs. They shudderingly leap down to the ground again, and...

...start 'walking' towards _Graydle Eagle._

"Hey, Bushido girl. What'd you say Rihan's effect was?"

"Eh?" Eve sweats. "It was... to target and banish a monster."

"Hm. I don't really like the sound of that." Star Breaker grins. "How about we change it?"

She snaps her fingers.

"Rihan's new effect now... is that it _destroys Graydle Eagle._"

"W-what?!"

But it's too late to voice any complaints; Eve's monster has been forced into making a furious swing.

SLAM!

The ground cracks. Chisato can feel her stomach churn as she watches Eagle's form splatter. Its segments float motionlessly in the air...

...and then converge... onto the blade. It's travelling up Rihan's body now!

"Confused? Alright, alright. You'd better listen well, because I'm only going to explain once." Star Breaker gleefully slaps the holograph of the culprit card. "This baby's the counter trap _Graydle Combat._ When a card or effect that would _affect_ exactly _one_ of my Graydle cards is activated... I can do a little rewriting," she tuts. "By that, I mean I can either pull a 'negate and destroy' on the card that's aiming at me... or I can do what I did just now, and make its effect 'destroy that Graydle card' instead. Got it memorised?"

Chisato mutters. "That's outrageous...! She can modify the effects of other cards?!"

"I think you know what's coming next, don't you? Here's where the fun starts!"

The clock of dread starts ticking, as Star Breaker throws out her arm:

"_Graydle Eagle's_ effect activates; when Eagle's destroyed by battle or monster effect, I can target one of my opponent's monsters, equip Eagle to them... and bam! Take control. I hate to say it, but what's yours is now mine!"

Eve gasps. Without any further warning, the matter engulfs Rihan, allowing no resistance.

The shinobi lies completely still, drowned in the contaminated sea.

...

...The matter settles onto their form.

It's the possession every defeated student knows. Golems, warriors, dragons, deities; they all get stolen and used against their wielders. Rihan's appearance is the same, but they're coated in a sheen of grey, lifeless of the colour they once had. Whether the being inside remains isn't even known, but the surface moves... turning to point their katana at Eve.

"...I don't like the way this is going," Chisato says.

Star Breaker retreats her tendrils, letting them hang from her body as a wall of bending pipes. "Oh, and thanks for the free card, by the way. Eagle's destruction let me draw from _Supply Squad_," she says. "So, uh, this strategy of yours. Where is it? I've been waiting for the whole 'striking' part, y'know."

"..." Eve stays focused. "...I activate the spell card _One Day of Peace._"

"Oh?"

A warm yellow light emits from each of their duel disks. "When _One Day of Peace_ is activated, each of us draws 1 card... and becomes unable to take damage until the end of the next turn."

"And that's your 'strike', is it?"

Eve shakes her head. "I need more knowledge of your deck's capabilities to mount my offense against you; that is why I've prevented you from damaging me next turn. I need time to observe you."

Star Breaker snorts. "You really think giving me a free card is a good idea, just to protect yourself?"

"No matter what you do with it, you cannot defeat me next turn. No matter how formidable you might be."

"Hah! God, compliments from your mouth aren't worth a thing."

...It's amazing how Eve can keep her cool against this person. The warrior merely arms her blade and bows; "I set 3 cards face-down, and end my turn."

"_My turn. I'm going to show you just how big a mistake you made,_" Star Breaker says. "Your so-called 'army' of a board; it may have all those bells and whistles, but it's fake and useless at the core. Just like you, Bushido girl."

"..."

The clock of dread destroys its brakes, veering into disarray. The tendrils stretch out and loom from far above; "I'll start by activating _Contamination's Surface._ This spell card gives me a free Level 3 or lower Aqua monster from my deck; come on out, _Graydle Cobra!_"

A faded pool brings up a putrid, bubbling mass of grey matter; a **1000ATK** mock-up of an identified serpent. At some places, there's festering globules where there should be snakeskin, crawling across the ground.

"Surface makes it so it can't attack, or use any effects on the field, or be used as material for anything, blah blah blah... but that doesn't matter to me. I'm only interested in destroying it, after all," she grins. "Let's start picking that field of yours apart!"

Star Breaker snaps her fingers. A pulsing core wreaks havoc on Cobra's insides, throbbing until the spiked nerves can handle no more. Without even a screech to indicate pain, it ruptures, violently splitting in two.

"First comes _Graydle Split_; this trap card lets me destroy the Graydle I attach it to and Special Summon 2 more from my deck. And you know what happens when a Graydle gets destroyed!"

Chisato can only watch the gears pick up speed. Some of Cobra's remnants coagulate into more of its kind; a **1500DEF** mock-up of an alligator, and a **2000DEF**... alien. "_Graydle Slime_..." Ironically, with its vaguely humanoid upper body seated on that otherwise pulsing mess, 'alien' is the best word to describe it with.

The rest of the remnants are crawling over to _Secret Six Samurai - Kizaru._ Star Breaker grabs another card from _Supply Squad_ and smiles; "When Cobra's destroyed by battle or trap effect, it gets to snag one of your monsters, just like Eagle does. And I'm choosing the last buddy you've got!"

"I chain the quick-play spell _Secret Skills of the Six Samurai!_" Eve declares, flipping a card. "By sending Kizaru to the Graveyard, I can target one of my banished samurai and revive it; come, _Secret Six Samurai - Fuma!_"

The warrior hides beneath a mask, disappearing in a puff of smoke, and a **1800DEF** shadow takes their place. "Aw, cute! You sacrificed Kizaru so Cobra's targeting of it failed. I almost wish it saved you," she says. "But I've got plenty more, don't you worry."

Another finger snap. The alien's body pulses, emanating... rings. Faded, crackling, dark grey rings, dancing on all sides; "A Synchro Summon?!"

"Let's see how you deal with this; I tune my Level 5 _Graydle Slime_ with my Level 3 _Graydle Alligator!_"

On contact with the energy, Alligator's form ripples, collapsing into three pieces. Each one slings and circles around Slime's body, until they violently squeeze into its abdomen.

There's a squelch. _Graydle Slime_ throbs. The second that abdomen twists and distorts, molding every body part with it, any impression one could have of this anomaly as a sentient being is thrown out of the window. The alien melts, growing and festering... pooling more and more of the volatile reactive matter it spews out, building itself up, growing... and growing...

...and growing...

...and growing.

Kaoru trembles. "What on earth IS that h-horror?"

"Well, dragons're all the rage in this Academy, right? Figured I could try my hand at making my own. How's it look?"

Eagle's wings, Alligator's head, Cobra's tail; well, that is, if it even bothered to make a proper tail. It's more like the alien has copied and pasted its understanding of the cobra onto a child's equation of a dragon. A simple matter of numeracy for baseless animals; stack a few, and you get a larger mindless beast. A mockery.

"Heh. I'm a sucker for having poor taste. Gets right under peoples' skin. So let's skip to the part where I beat the crap out of you with it; _Synchro Summon! Level 8, Graydle Dragon!_"

**3000ATK.** Instead of a roar, there's a gross pump of sludge travelling up the abomination's neck. It's a smooth, warping, levitating pile of matter, more slime than it would ever be scale. It's hardly even camouflaging itself as part of the environment; anyone's instincts could tell they're near something lethal when they look at this 'thing'.

Eve's frown fixates, facing an unknown for the first time.

Star Breaker declares; "_Graydle Dragon's_ effect! When this card's Synchro Summoned, I can target and destroy cards my opponent controls, up to the number of WATER materials I used to bring it out. Go on, show me the goods," she points. "Are you gonna chain either of those face-downs when I try to destroy them?"

_Graydle Dragon's_ face lunges forward.

"I chain the counter trap card _Musakani Magatama!_"

Eve thrusts a summoned necklace out in the split-second before Dragon reaches her blade. Light blasts the entire arena, ripping a gigantic hole through its body.

"When a monster effect or backrow card, that would cause destruction, is activated while I control a samurai," she explains, "I can negate the activation of... that card... and..."

She trails off.

The remnants of Dragon's body haven't shattered. It's shifting. Moving, reforming, regenerating.

"Is that all?" Star Breaker throws her hands out. "Once per turn, when a _Graydle Dragon's_ destroyed, I can revive another Graydle monster from my Graveyard; come on back, Alligator!" **1500DEF.** "Now I activate _Graydle Impact's_ effect; by giving up the ability to search a Graydle at the End Phase, Impact lets me destroy one Graydle card I control and one card my opponent controls," she drawls. "And I'm choosing Alligator and your last face-down; so unless you want it to be for nothing, you'd better activate it now!"

"!" Eve breathes in. "...I activate the trap card _Double-Edged Sword Technique,_ reviving the Legendary Six Samurai _Kizan_ and _Kageki_ from my Graveyard!"

**1800ATK, 2200ATK;** with two ferocious swipes of her blade, the air is cleaved, returning her warriors to fight alongside-

A now-engulfed Fuma. "Ah!"

"_Graydle Alligator's_ effect activates; when this card's destroyed by battle or Spell effect, what's yours is mine!"

"Oh, no..."

Eve can only watch as another of her strangled cards is taken. Encased in emotionless grey, a paused Fuma starts walking to the other side; then they turn, staring her down alongside the stolen Rihan. "And cha-ching; that's 3 out of 3 face-downs gone," Star Breaker says. "Gotta say, you're not very impressive for Rank 5! I can tell you don't even know what's next."

"W-what? What do you mean-" Eve gasps. "Wait, you can...!"

"THERE you go. It's time for a bit of samurai mutiny; I activate _Secret Six Samurai - Rihan's_ effect!"

Oh, no. Oh, no, oh no, oh no...

It's the exact same effect Eve used earlier, now being used against her; Fuma's shadowed blades, armed on the soulless Rihan. Chisato watches as the mocked shinobi's corpse leaps to the ceiling and mercilessly rains a quadrant of knives around Kageki, marking him for death.

With a perfectly recreated shuffle of Rihan's hands, a demonic pillar engulfs Kageki whole. Kizan can only watch, gritting their teeth as their last comrade is annihilated.

"..."

"Banished TWO of your pals in one go; now that's efficiency," Star Breaker gloats. "And I'm afraid it only gets worse~. I summon _Graydle Slime Jr in attack position!_"

Chisato balks. "All this time, she hadn't even used her Normal Summon yet?!"

**0ATK;** the tiniest piece of matter possible, right in the middle of the field;

except there's a storm of grey behind it. "When Slime Jr's Normal Summoned, I can revive a Graydle monster from my Graveyard. Say hello to _Graydle Dragon_ again!"

"...!" Eve takes a step back. "There is no way!"

"Oh, there is!"

**3000ATK.** From the back of the infant surges an entire horde of Star Breaker's tendrils, already forming back into that towering, terrifying mockery. Three monsters stare the lone Kizan down; an aimless samurai robbed of countless companions.

"...This is quickly becoming a disaster!"

"I saw your little trick there, Bushido girl. _Double-Edged Sword Technique;_ at the End Phase, that card destroys the samurai you use it to revive, and inflicts damage to you equal to their ATK... except with the _One Day of Peace_ you activated last turn, it's not going to damage you at all. Handy!" She smiles. "But it's like I said; you made a REALLY bad decision. Because thanks to your little peace treaty, I'm not taking any damage either! _Graydle Slime Jr_, attack her monster!"

Automatically, the alien throws itself headfirst at Kizan, barely giving them time to react; they raise their weapon on instinct, splattering it.

Eve stares wide-eyed. "...Ah."

"God, this is so easy." Star Breaker throws an arm out; "When _Graydle Slime Jr's_ destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon a Graydle right from my deck; so I'm bringing out a second copy of _Graydle Cobra!_"

**...1000ATK.** The alien reforms into another mock-up, boring its unblinking eyes into Kizan. Behind that alien lies the deadliest shinobi Kizan knows, and a murder machine straight from outer space.

Kizan stares an entire army down with their blade. On pure reflex, by no worthy motivation of their own, they begin what they believe is their last stand.

"If it wasn't for your little peace treaty, this'd be game. Cobra'd destroy itself on your samurai, possess 'em, and then give me enough total firepower to end you twice over," the saboteur gloats. "And you know what the best part is? If it wasn't for that peace treaty, I wouldn't have even drawn Slime Jr to begin with. You made your demise even worse than it already was!"

"...But there is no demise," Eve calmly responds. "That card is exactly why you cannot damage me this turn. I'm afraid you must wait."

"Fine by me. All you're doing is setting yourself up for an even bigger fall."

Star Breaker's cloak devours the sky.

"Guess in the meantime, I'll wipe the floor with the last monster you have. I'll take even the last piece of your pathetic army, and chew it right up."

Kizan immediately steps back and readies their blade.

"Let's get this party started; I attack your _Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan_... with YOUR _Secret Six Samurai - Rihan!_"

In reward, they're marked for death.

CLANG  
CLANG! CLANG!

CLANG!

A second in, and the sweat pours.  
CLANG!

KLklKLklKLNG  
They swing with all their contained precision, processing and desperately deflecting each knife as it zips towards their throat. Another

**CLANG!**  
skrrrrrrrr!KK!rrrrrkkrrrrr  
second, and Rihan's katana has clashed with theirs.

skkkkkKKKKKKKKKKKKKRRRRRRR**RRRRRRRRRRRR**kre  
CLANG

CLANKCLINGKL CLANK CLANGCLANK  
KLCLANK  
CLANK

Behind them,  
CLANK  
SCLNK CLANK CLANG CLANK

then right back in front,

_CLANG!_

Overwhelmed, Kizan leaps, trying with all their might to avoid the encoated steel;

KLklKLNG!

But with each meter they try to distance themself from Rihan, KLklKLklKLNG comes another barrel of knives, KLklKLklKLklKLNG adding and adding up,

KLKLklKLKLKLklKLKLKKL

they're endless. KLkl The assault's klKL far too fast KLkl for klKL their KLkl reflexes klKLKLklKL to handle; this blade doesn't stand a chance **CLANG!** KLklKL against Shien's deadliest shinobi.

** _CLANG!!!_ **

Their opponent moved instantly. Knocked ruthlessly from the ground by a clash, they're sent flying, and another set of knives head their way. This is the end-

"Doji!"

**BANG!**

...but instead of the end, they hear the sound of a rifle. They manage to land, only to see another set of knives;

**BANG!**

...being destroyed.

Rihan descends.

Kizan raises their sword.

CLANG!

CLANGCLINKCLANKCLCLCclclCL CLANG

CLANG CLCLcl

CLANG

**BANG!**

Someone's... supporting them. From the shadows, a fellow samurai is trying to keep this lordless knave alive. Why?

They don't question it.

They simply swing with all their might,

CLANG CLANGKLklKLCLANK

**BANG!** CLANKclCLANK

CLANG

CLANG!

CLANG

CLANGCLINKCLINK

  
_CLANG!_

ClcclclCLCLANG CLANG  
CLANG!

CLANG CLANG CLANKCLANG!  
Desperately trying to stay alive.

Rihan's emotionless gaze bores itself into their eyes; the shinobi's right in front, moving to execute. Even as a possessed specter, this shadow is a terror.

A katana is mercilessly swung down, and

** _CLANG!!!_ **

...Kizan parries it once more.

...

...The mark of the yellow butterfly disappears. Rihan has retreated. Is it-

"Uh-oh. You haven't forgotten _Graydle Dragon_, have you?"

The samurai can't believe their eyes.

It's a storm.

Hundreds of them. Hundreds.

How could they possibly survive this?

Kizan runs. And even as they retreat,

CLANG!

Those 'things' are trying to run their body through.

  
CLANG!CLANG!CLANG!

CLANG!CLANG CLANG!  
_CLANG!_ CLANGCLKCLANK  
CLANG  
The speed of those 'things' isn't human CLANG Each and every tendril robotically zips and bends, shooting directly towards them CLANKCLANGCLANK screeching directly at them CLANG coming straight for their life CLANK, CLANGCLANK They can't even **CLANG CLANG CLANGCLANG CLANG** see the source; only parry the storm.

CLANG!

CLANG  
CLANG  
CLANG  
CLANG  
CLANG

Focus. They have to keep their distance; parry, parry, parry, parry, running across the arena, they try and find a pattern to parry:

CLANG  
CLANG

CLANG,

A pattern.

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,

Three at once.

**CLANG,**

CLANG, CLANG,CLANG,CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

Two from the side, simultaneously,

_CLANG,_

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG,CLANG,CLANG,CLANGCCLANGCLANGCLANG

Two from another, sequentially,

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG,CLANG,CLANG,CLANG,

CLANGCLANGCLANG,

**CLANG**CLANG

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,CLANG,CLANG,CLANG, CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG,

There's no 'opening'. Nothing to 'retaliate' to.

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG,

It's nothing but endless murderous intent. Each and every angle, each and every corner, aimed to kill. Any single surging spear of this matter could end them.

CLANG,

CLANG,

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG,

It'd be impossible for them to try and dodge; the tendrils are all bullets,

CLANG, CLANG,

each and every one,

CLANG,

CLANG,

_CLANG!_

an endless army trying to stab their chest.

CLANG,CLANG,CLANG,

CLANG,

Each and every single one has to be parried by their desperate blade.

The floor is no longer safe; it's drowning. Kizan lets their nerves guide them, leaping onto the wall and dashing away from their devouring pursuer, defying gravity in demonic desperation. But they don't even have the luxury

CLANG!

of looking away,

CLANG!

from the neverending tsunami of spears

CLANG!  
_CLANG,_  
**CLANGCLANKCLANGLCLANKCGLANCLGLACNKCLANKCLANGCLANKCLANGCLANKCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANKCLANG**

CLANG CLANG CLANG

CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG

**CLANK**

  
**CLANG** CLANKCLANG CLANG

Their vision blurs.

CLANG! CLANKCLANG CLANG CLANG!

Their mind is too worn.

CLANG!

They can't keep up.

CLANG!

"Hatsume!"

chkCLANG!

chkCLANG!

chkCLANG!

chkCLANGchkCLANGchkCLANG

chkCLANGchkCLANG!

chkCLANG

...

...If they blink, they can see a flash of blue with every deflecting swing they make. Are those... kunai? Whatever they are, they amplify the deterrent of Kizan's blade, hurriedly denying each and every last tendril programmed to end the samurai's life.

chkCLANG, chkCLANG,

Right. There's no turning back. The protection of their hidden allies is a command; a command to stay alive. And when a samurai decides on an action,

CLANGCLANGCLANG!

It's as good as done.

chkCLANG, chkCLANG,

chkCLANG,

chkCLANG,CLANG,chkCLANG,chkCLANG,chkCLANG

chkCLANGchkCLANG_chkCLANGchkCLANGchkCLANG**chkCLANGchkCLANGchchc**__**hkCLANGCLANKCLANG!**_

They fall to the ground, finally grinding to a halt. And the second they look above, they can't even count how many lunging tendrils there are, aiming right at them, attempting to drown their life out and devour them.

But with their last furious storm,

...chCLchkCLANGchkCLANG_CLANKCLANGCLANKCLANGCLANKCLANG**CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANKCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANKCLclCLclCLclCLclCLclCLclCLclCLclCL**_

they deflect every last one.

**CLclCLclCLclCLclCL**

**CLANG!!!!!!**

Kizan's swing rips a tornado through the entire tower. Desperate gales, each as furious as the ferocity of their gritted teeth.

...

...

...The matter of 'Graydle Dragon' decides to stop.

...

...Kizan pants, trying to take in the air... questioning.

...

Chisato lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She can see Eve do the same.

"Now that's not what I was expecting."

And on the other end, Star Breaker stands like she's ordering ice cream from a cafe.

"You banished 2 of your Secret Six just to keep Kizan safe? Seems a little wasteful to me. Hm... well, I could just have Cobra attack it, and take control... but I'm not really interested in nabbing a random mook right now..."

Eve wipes her brow and stares forth.

"Y'know what? Sure, I'll respect that." Star Breaker chucks a few cards onto her blade. "Two face-downs. My turn's over. _One Day of Peace's_ about to expire, so if you're hiding some galaxy-brain one-turn-kill strat, you'd better use it now~."

"..._Double-Edged Sword Technique_ destroys the monsters it revives at the End Phase."

Kizan gasps as their blade suddenly surges with light, threatening another death.

"But when exactly one samurai would be destroyed, I can banish a Secret Six from the Graveyard instead. I shall banish _Kizaru_ from my Graveyard to prevent Kizan's destruction."

...And that death never comes.

They open their eyes. To the right, they briefly see the specter of a fellow warrior, winking at them before disappearing into the shadows.

...

...They're nothing but a lordless samurai. At some point, Kizan became aware of their scales, scales festering upon their skin like so many of their comrades; scales that made all become monsters of humanity. And they realised; they have none they can dedicatedly serve. Their history is a series of countless betrayals, leaving them with no ally they can trust. They simply fight alone, in war after bloody war between shogun after shogun.

So why has such value now been placed on their life?

"_I shall take my turn._"

Chisato can't look away.

Eve's expression is honest. It hides neither her uncertainty nor her determination. No matter how little she has to muster a strategy with, she's still pressing on. Even though she's only doing this to protect Chisato. She's only doing this to protect the person whose image spurs students into abandoning compassion. She's doing this to protect a monster.

"...Why?" Chisato's fist shakes. Eve's only facing Star Breaker because she was too lost in self-doubt to find a solution to this mess! The only reason Eve's doing this is because Chisato can't think of a better way to protect her own pathetic, disgusting public reputation! Why?!

"What's the matter? Can't come up with anything?"

Star Breaker gleefully stares Eve down with a comparative horde's worth of cards. Her bent posture and arms-behind-the-back contrast with the concentrated glare of her opponent; a glare looking through everything from _Graydle Cobra_, to _Graydle Dragon_, to the possessed _Rihan_ and the face-downs behind, desperately trying to think of a way to bring this back.

"This... looks to be her loss, at this rate." Kaoru frowns. "The advantage Star Breaker has over her is astonishingly overwhelming..."

"...Knowing her, she'll fight back anyway."

Eve scans her cards. Then, she nods. "I will start by activating a second copy of _Six Samurai United._ Then, I activate the effect of _Secret Skills of the Six Samurai!_" She swipes her hand out; at the glow of the Six Samurai sigil, an engraved mask falls, hovering at her front. "After a turn has passed since this card's use, I can banish it from my Graveyard and summon a monster from my deck with the same name as one of my banished samurai. Come, _Kizaru!_"

A shadow forms piece by piece until it makes a smiling figure; they take the mask, and their body becomes whole from the dusk flames, seemingly 'reborn' anew. Bolstered by Kizan's sustained presence, their ATK becomes **2100.**

"When Kizaru is Special Summoned, I can add 1 samurai from my deck to my hand. I choose to add another _Fuma_, and I will summon them in _attack position!_" **400ATK.** An entire army has regathered. "I send _Six Samurai United_ to the Graveyard with 2 Bushido Counters to draw 2 cards," she continues. "And now... 3 samurai are now on the field. This is my key; I activate the effect of _Double-Edged Sword Technique!_ During my Main Phase, by banishing this card from my Graveyard and paying 1000 life points, I can add a Normal Spell that mentions the Six Samurai from my deck to my hand!"

Star Breaker's nonplussed expression remains. But Eve powers a crackling thunderbolt from her hand, her life pumping the energy forth as it falls to **3000LP.** Once it finishes rippling through the ground, it pools and gives her a shining card.

"Has she found something that could even this treacherous playing field?" Kaoru asks.

Kizan and Kizaru draw their blades; the edges meet, and Fuma sharpens their shurikens on each, sparking waves of electricity through them both. "I activate the spell card _Six Strike - Triple Impact!_" Eve declares. "When 3 or more samurai are on my field, this spell allows me to destroy all monsters my opponent controls!"

Chisato gasps. "That's... perfect!"

The warriors leap, surrounding Star Breaker's field on all sides with a trail of lightning and gripping their weapons with surging intensity.

SHHNG

CLACK CLACK

"It'll destroy all of Star Breaker's monsters at once, including Rihan," she says, "and it's a spell card, meaning it won't trigger _Graydle Cobra's_ effect!"

Like a horde of thrusting claws, each samurai cuts the very air apart with three strikes each, overlaying and curving into a climax.

** KKKRB  
BOOM!**

The resulting set of impacts rips every piece of grey matter to gelatinous shreds.

"Does that mean Star Breaker's board is wiped out?"

...

...There's a relaxed smile on the other end, shrouded by that billowing black cloak. "Thanks for the free draw from _Supply Squad!_" The saboteur throws out a hand; "Oh, and in case you forgot; when _Graydle Dragon's_ destroyed, I can revive another Graydle monster. So have a _Slime Jr_ on the house."

**2000DEF;** the matter reforms, coalescing into something smaller despite the colossal damage.

"But I guess my field's pretty exposed. One monster won't protect me against much, will it?"

...Nobody feels safe for even a second hearing Star Breaker say that. "That's not all you have," Eve responds. "Those face-downs. What are they?"

"Why not try and find out?"

The air stiffens.

So far, it's been good. But what next? That's the question on everyone's minds.

"...!"

And Eve evidently has found another answer.

"I see. Then it's time. Star Breaker... I shall bring out the commander of the Six Samurai himself to face you!"

Her opponent doesn't respond.

The warriors look back at Eve. Two of them bow and embed their weapons into the ground. At that signal, the wind raises itself to carry Eve's hair. "...I tune my Level 1 _Secret Six Samurai - Fuma_ with my Level 4 _Secret Six Samurai - Kizaru!_"

Fuma and Kizaru's forms shift into shadows, leaving their blades behind. A conch sounds.

Lightning envelops the weapons, and the arena turns black.

...A figure approaches. From a portal of light, a single person strides forth, robes flowing around his waist. Beneath his ponytail-tired hair of deep, withered orange lies a crimson mask. He steps slowly and solemnly, until he reaches the battlefield...

...and raises the samurais' swords, entering their electricity.

Immediately, a revelation. Plates of armour slam into place around him, revealing his true identity for all to see. "Double of the shogunate warlord, he who matches evenly with the immortal conqueror; take that conqueror's armor and revolutionise the samurai as your own, carving a new path to your code! Inherit his image and write the next page of history with your blade!"

Shadowy flames lurk from beneath him; but the top of his form is gleaming, casted gloriously with his summoned steel.

"_Synchro Summon! Level 5;_ tell the future your story, _Legendary Six Samurai - Shien!_"

The rubble of the arena jumps and shakes at the swing of the lord's blade. Beside Kizan stands another lord they once knew, their 2nd leader, arisen from the darkness, striding unflinchingly forth with an empowered **2700ATK.**

"I activate the spell card _Monster Reborn_, reviving _Secret Six Samurai - Rihan_ from my Graveyard!"

The shinobi returns. Empowered by Kizan to **2600ATK,** finally purified of the matter that stole their body, they join with the others under Eve's banner. The cape of the yellow butterfly becomes Shien's wings. "That's marvelous... she has both of them on her field now!" Kaoru says.

"That's not all. Shien's effect is perfect for this situation; if Star Breaker activates one of her backrow cards, he can negate and destroy it."

Perfect. From nothing at all, Eve's resurrected an entire army, twice as strong this time. This really could be her chance to turn it around.

...

...Could it?

Eve isn't moving. She's staring headfirst into nothing, gaze sharper than steel. And that contemplation briefly makes Chisato hesitate on her chain of thought.

"Mm? You gonna do anything?"

"..."

"Sitting back on kind of field, without actually using it... that's the mark of a bad duelist," Star Breaker tuts. "Nobody lets a couple face-downs stop them from pushing for momentum, unless they know for certain it's a bad idea."

"...I do know what those face-downs could be, though."

"Oh?"

"_Graydle Combat._ I've based my strategy on accounting for this card. You cannot defeat me with it again," Eve states. "If I try to use Rihan's effect right now, you could use Combat to deny it. And due to the Spell Speed of counter trap cards, Shien would not be able to respond to Combat. But if I simply refrain from activating effects, and start attacking instead, I will not have to fear it. I can simply begin my offense and have Shien cut down any other kind of trick you would try on me. That is my answer!"

That's much more relieving, Chisato thinks. Eve's been looking further ahead than she has. "...Incredible."

"Fufufu. What a fleeting and inspiring solution, my dear samurai!"

Even some of the students begin to cheer.

Star Breaker's expression is blank. "Wow, you've got it all figured out. Good on you."

"I declare the beginning of the Battle Phase!" Eve swings her katana out, pose impeccable. "_Secret Six Samurai - Rihan_, attack _Graydle Slime Jr!_"

Chisato gulps.

Finally unencumbered of the grey matter that absorbed them, Rihan can now have their revenge; in a soul-blazing display, the movements of their hands make one katana appear as a clockwork of eight. Eight ferocious, nigh-instantaneous attacks to cut right through their enemy.

SW SW SW SW SW SW SW

SWWW_SHHNG!_

The resulting blow is devastating.

And...

...

...it succeeds. The matter's been removed from Star Breaker's side. The tendrils on her back have disappeared!

"Marvellous! Go forth, my fiery kitten!"

"I- Wait," Chisato says, "why didn't she summon another Graydle with Slime Jr's effect?"

"_Legendary Six Samurai - Shien_, attack my opponent directly!"

The warlord grips his blade and begins an unstoppable charge against the exposed target, who's wide open for an absolutely devastating hit. Kizan is ready to follow. The Samurais' victory is nigh.

Without a shred of hesitation, Shien makes sure his tactics culminate in the outcome he foresaw; his blade, about to strike his opponent down. The sharpest of samurai steel is raised above his head, and descends diagonally right down onto the saboteur.

It hits.

Everyone's hearts hurrah. Chisato, Eve, Kaoru and every student watching marvels upon the blow that struck...

...

...Star Breaker?

"W-wh..."

No. No, that can't be right.

Something is very, very wrong here.

Star Breaker's body is grey. And it's slipping apart. Molding, transforming... the head and torso's details disappear, making way for...

...a yellow eagle. With **500DEF-**

Oh, no. "That's not Star Breaker," Chisato says, "that's a monster card!"

"What unearthly event just transpired?"

"You guys're looking in the wrong place~!"

They all gasp. On the side of the arena railing, balancing and striding on its top, is; "Star Breaker!" Eve yells.

She hops right down onto the arena, looking gleefully at Shien from the side. "Looks like you've run into an obstacle, Mr Double Agent. What's the matter? Or should I say... what's the MATTER you're attacking right there? I thought you were supposed to be aiming for me!"

"What have you done?!"

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about, I promise! Just take a look at this, and you'll find your answer:" A holographic card's gestured to. "Say hello to the trap card known as _Graydle Parasite!_ Brought out _Graydle Eagle_ from my deck the second you declared a direct attack on me; neat, isn't it?"

Eve's expression immediately turns to panic, whipping her eyes down to her duel disk's display.

"Oh, don't worry. The fun doesn't end there." The newly formed alien lunges, slime gripping the warlord's sword hand with unnerving intensity. The entire pool of Eagle's spreading onto him! "See, when Parasite resolves, Shien's FORCED to attack the monster I summoned with it. So unless you wanna see that happen, you'd better think fast!"

"...!" There's a moment of clarity. "Right. I activate _Legendary Six Samurai - Shien's_ effect! Once per turn, when a Spell or Trap card is activated, I can negate the activation of that card and destroy it!"

Good. That's a relief; Eve's already factored this in advance!

The warlord's eyes glint:

CCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKRKRKRKL

Shien's blade surges with electricity, destroying any piece of matter trying to reach his body. Each molecule is completely incinerated on contact with its intense power. Slowly, he begins to break free, and-

**"Gotcha."**

A scream of tendrils strangle him in an instant.

"...!"

Every onlooker's heart stops cold.

The surging circuit is fizzled out. From Star Breaker's ruthless grip, the warlord's struggling body raises his sword above his head.

"Shien!"

The black cape hurls beneath an array of grey. "Like moths to the flame," the words gloat. "In case you don't understand, I'll be generous and give another explanation! Shien was planning to give a big fat 'nope' to my face-up _Graydle Parasite._ In other words... you activated an effect that interacted with exactly one of my Graydle cards!"

"A-ah!"

"Time for a bit of rewriting!" Star Breaker snaps her fingers. "Shien's new effect now... is that it destroys _Graydle Parasite!_"

With that one command, the trap's holograph breaks.

The clock is ticking. "B-but... what happens next, then?" Eve manages.

"Simple! It's a classic 'MST doesn't negate' situation." She throws her hands out casually. "Shien might be destroying _Graydle Parasite_... but he hasn't negated it like it originally would. And that means it's going to resolve. So hey, Mr Double Agent..."

Star Breaker's tendrils assume control,

"...dance for me!"

and the samurai's blade slams right down, destroying _Graydle Eagle._ "Oh, no...!"

Everyone can only grimace at what happens next. The matter begins to engulf Shien.

"Aw, don't take it personally! Because no matter what strategy you chose, it wouldn't have succeeded. I can see through any kind of tactic you try, Bushido girl." Star Breaker raises a hand. "_Graydle Eagle's_ effect activates! What's yours is mine; and this time around, I'm taking the grand prize!"

The commander of the Six Samurai's body is snuffed of self-will, lying completely still... until the parasite devours it.

...

"..."

Eve frowns. Rihan and Kizan step back, sorrowfully raising their weapons.

...

...The great successor shogun, Shien, encased in a surface of grey, picks up his blade and turns around... pointing it towards his brethren.

Chisato curses her own presumption.

"Thanks for the free once-per-turn backrow negate! Gonna come in real handy for me," Star Breaker chuckles. "What a shame. I'm in control of the very card I just gave back to you. Unless you have anything you'd like to say to that, of course."

"..." Eve lets out a shaking breath, and her frown grows. "...I'm sorry."

Kizan turns to Shien's deadliest shinobi. The two of them nod.

"...I activate Rihan's effect," Eve declares. "I shall banish _Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan_ from my side of the field... to target and banish _Legendary Six Samurai - Shien._"

Kizan's form disappears into the shadows. The energy of their blade imbues a faded, glowing blue onto Rihan's knives. Rihan takes a quiet breath, staring down the monochrome image of a true shogun...

...and leaps to the ceiling, dutifully firing a quadrant of knives around Shien.

With a shuffle of their hands,

a demonic pillar shoots out from the circle,

...and engulfs Shien whole.

Rihan stands as the lone monster on the field. A shinobi with no master.

Star Breaker gives an exaggerated little twirl. "Wow! My day just keeps getting better; I've only got the fruit ninja left to deal with now. So, Bushido girl, got anything else left up your sleeve?"

"..."

Eve raises her head, her expression wreaked with strain.

"...I shall banish _Triple Impact_, and two _Six Samurai Uniteds_ from my Graveyard, to add the Normal Trap _Six Style - Dual Wield_ from my deck to my hand," she declares. "I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"_About time. I was getting really bored watching you accomplish nothing._" Star Breaker rips a card out from her disk. "I thought it'd be fitting to see, considering how little you do anywhere else. But it just makes you look depressing."

"May I ask a question?"

"Hm?" She tilts her head. "You're not unmasking me, if that's what you're curious about. But go for it, I guess!"

"Why are you drowned in hate?"

"...What?"

Eve closes her eyes. "When I look at you, I see someone discontented with the workings of the Shirasagi Duel Academy, much like me. But your rebellion consists only of digging into the students' wounds. You direct your energy towards actions that drive people into despair, rather than those that give them hope. Why?"

Star Breaker sighs. "THAT'S your question? I didn't know this was going to turn into a preaching session." She shakes her head. "Look, Bushido girl. If you wanna play angel to these angry little children, go right ahead. But don't go asking the rest of us to ignore the bullshit they pull."

"Demeaning your opponents during duels, running them through with insults, making them lose all hope... is that not the very same kind of action you condemn when the students take it?" Eve responds. "That is the cycle the Academy perpetuates upon itself, and you are only amplifying it. You have taken the hatred the students have for everyone, and spiralled it even further!"

"That's the whole point, you idiot," she spits. "There's still too many people who see the SDA as some regal enlightened bastion. Even after the Exhibition, I see dogs crawling out of their holes to leap to your defense! All I'm doing is ripping that stupid veil from their eyes; every time I push a student towards their oh-so-insufferable heated gamer moments, the public gets another reminder that the people in control are living garbage."

"...And you have accomplished that very well. But your ends do not justify the means!"

Star Breaker yawns.

"What do you think will happen to the students' lives, if you continue to hurt them? You could endanger their futures... and you're endangering everyone affected by them, as well! Every member of the public attacked and injured by the students' hands is a stain of blood on you, too. I find it difficult to believe you are truly okay with that!"

"Uh-huh. Cool. Y'know, I wouldn't be resorting to this M.O. if your Corp gave enough of a damn to get its shit together. But nooooo," she rolls her head, "instead, we have people like you, claiming change is happening when it's not. Are you really saying kneeling before The Dragon's boot and trying to protect her is doing anything for the better?"

...Chisato grits her teeth.

"Of course not. It's nothing but hypocrisy. Protecting the people in power isn't going to make them more benevolent to us."

That's horrible.

Eve hardly has any say in the Corporation's decisions. And to claim that she does nothing but protect those in power... it's horrible. She's doing everything she can to help the students recover from how the Academy damages them. She's rallying an entire portion of the student body to promote change for the better. Eve may be idealistic, Chisato thinks, but she's doing all she can out of the kindness of her heart, working day and night non-stop for the sake of her goals. She deserves better than to be talked down like this!

...

...But it's... true. Eve's protecting Chisato right now; her, of all people. Eve's had to help her remain on her sin-laced status quo throne. No, it might even be accurate to say she's forcing Eve to protect her.

...

"And you believe your methods will rally the world, then?" Eve asks.

"Doubt it! But it's worth a try; got nothing else to do, after all. Who knows? Maybe I'll even expose your true colours while I'm at it." Star Breaker grins. "The public's perfect little cinnamon roll of the SDA... if they see she's lost hope in her way of changing the Academy, I wonder what they'll think."

"I understand now. You truly do dislike me."

"Yup! I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm bored, I'm frustrated as all hell, and I haven't found a cafe that makes a good cup of coffee in the past _three weeks_; so believe me, I've got plenty of spare hatred I can mindlessly throw at you. If you weren't such a bore to deal with, you'd be 2nd on my hitlist. Only a few hundred miles of resentment away from Chisato Shirasagi."

"Then please allow me to continue dueling you."

Star Breaker stops. "What?"

"I want to understand the reason behind your hate. I want to understand your pain."

Eve stares her opponent head-on, and gently points her katana to the side.

"If this duel will let me spend more time learning about you, then I will fight for as long as I can!"

...

...

"...I'll do you one better. _How about I tear you apart, right here and right now?_" Star Breaker holds her blade in front of her face, pointing it at her opponent's throat. "I'll end this duel with you as soon as I damn can!"

The wound leaves anguish. To Chisato, hell's flames have thrown themself over the Earth.

And she knows exactly why.

The realisation she's feared is slowly creeping into her head.

"I'll start by activating the spell card _Salvage,_ retrieving Slime Jr and Eagle from my Graveyard." Star Breaker slams the card down; "I summon _Graydle Slime Jr in attack position!_"

**0ATK.** A core of matter returns, bringing a massive, swirling pool with it. "When Slime Jr's Normal Summoned, I can revive a Graydle of my choice from my Graveyard... and if I have a Graydle of the same Level in my hand, I can Special Summon that one too! I'm bringing out _Graydle Alligator_ and _Graydle Cobra!_"

**1000ATK, 500ATK,** mutating, multiplying; it keeps growing and growing.

"Blast... not again!" Kaoru says. "Each of those horrors is another opportunity to steal Rihan!"

"I activate the trap card _Six Style - Dual Wield!_"

Eve holds her katana out in front, a solid step forward taken; from that blade spawns two gleaming copies, moving into Rihan's hands. "If I only control 1 Six Samurai monster, Dual Wield lets me target 2 of my opponent's cards and return them to the hand; farewell, Alligator and Eagle!"

The shinobi leaps forth with frightening speed, sailing the two blades in a cross-cutting stream; their sleek gale multiples into a force, holding the brewing matter at bay.

But Star Breaker's hardly phased. "Ha! You ended up using that little toy pretty fast. Now you don't have anything!" She then drags a card out from her disk and slams it down. "I activate _Graydle Slime's_ effect! By destroying _Graydle Impact_ and _Graydle Slime Jr_, I can revive this monster from my Graveyard!"

"Y-you... still have more?"

Like a raging flood, something smashes a hole through the UFO at the back of Starlight Tower. It's scrambling across the floor; that humanoid **2000DEF** alien fluctuates in and out of its shaking molecules, furiously slithering forth with a set of crackling rings surrounding it. "What, you thought you'd have a chance at stopping me? Get real." Star Breaker points to the sky. "When _Graydle Slime's_ summoned through its own effect, it can revive a Graydle of my choice in Defense Position. _So I'm gonna revive Graydle Cobra... and have Slime tune with it for another Synchro Summon!_"

"...! I have to brace myself!"

Waves of pulsing nerves make the entire pool shiver. Slime assimilates Cobra and dives into the matter swirling at Star Breaker's fingertips, making it all rise back into that anomalous monstrosity calling itself a drake. It hardly even remembers which colours it was supposed to have, as it clamors in its sharpened, tendril-comprised vortex. "Say hello to another _Level 8 Graydle Dragon!_"

**3000ATK.** The head resembles enough of a face to stare daggers into Eve.

"Well, would you look at that. Dragon's ATK perfectly matches your life points. Isn't that convenient?" She smiles. "All I have to do now... is crush the last two cards you have left! _Graydle Dragon's_ effect activates; I used 2 WATER materials to Synchro Summon this thing, so Rihan and your final face-down are saying _goodbye!_"

Terror streams forth; the alien's form breaks from its 'camouflage', sleekly transforming into a sphere of speeding tendrils. Hundreds and hundreds of them rush out and over the arena at a blinding speed, shooting and shooting and shooting as much as they can. The shinobi can do nothing but be devoured, leaving the rest to spiral towards Eve.

"You're finished, Bushido girl!"

"...No. I'm not done yet!"

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**

Light,

blinding light. It pushes every tendril back in an unfathomably searing surge. Rainbows of sigils slam down across the floor, illuminating a circle edged in countless symbols of the Six Samurai. Star Breaker tuts. "What is it now?"

Eve stands proud and tall in the centre of the rainbow, braid a blinding white. "I activated my trap card before _Graydle Dragon_ could destroy it; the trap card _Backs to the Wall!_"

With a resolute spin of her katana, she raises it in both hands, sweat dripping from her face,

"_...HAH!_"

and plunges it right into the spiralling horde of lights.

Waves of pastel water pool at the souls of the world. A calming, healing wave washes over the arena. Before Eve's gleaming eyes rise two of her comrades; Kizaru, **1000DEF,** smiling and holding their blade forth, and Fuma, **1800DEF,** brandishing their shurikens at each side. "By reducing myself down to **_100LP,_** I have revived every remaining member of the Six Samurai in my Graveyard!"

"...And, what? You only had 2 in there?"

"Because of you, yes."

"..."

Star Breaker's lively movements stop. She slowly slacks her shoulders, slowly leans back, and slowly lets out a yawn. An extremely slow, extremely long, extremely drawn-out, yawn. Eve stares without a single change in expression through the entirety of it.

"...Uh-huh. Right." Star Breaker throws another card down. "I activate _Dark Hole. Get out._"

The whirlpools of rainbow are dragged in.

A core devouring everything, from every monster to every piece of stability in the air, wipes out the last line of defense Eve had. _Graydle Dragon_ dissipates with it; but unsurprisingly, Star Breaker simply revives the other Dragon in her Graveyard using its effect, leaving her none the worse. In comparison, Eve's last resort has been shot.

There's... nothing left. Or so Chisato thinks.

"When Fuma is destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon another samurai from my deck! Come, _Grandmaster of the Six Samurai!_"

Someone's patience snaps.

**800DEF.** She can hear herself breathe a sigh of relief as Eve continues to fight. Now, the figure of Shien's famed adjutant, wearing the age of many years, rises from the ashes and draws their gleaming blade-

"_God, you really ARE infuriating._"

Chisato can feel her spine jump with her.

A swath of tendrils just snatched the Grandmaster and strangled them six feet in the air. Star Breaker takes a step forward as _Graydle Dragon_ suffocates the helpless, flailing samurai.

"I'll give you some credit, Bushido girl. I've met a LOT of persistent idiots among you guys, lining up to try and win some score with their peers by dragging out their defeat. But none of them have ever looked as calm as you do trying it," she smirks. "You're just so, SO brazen about your craving for the spotlight."

**SLAM!**

Star Breaker's tendrils rocket Grandmaster headfirst into the floor. Eve trembles and takes a step back.

"Oh-so-brazen. Oh-so-_holy._ Oh-so-_RIGHTEOUS._"

**SLAM!**

The tendrils drag up Grandmaster by the limbs and wreck them back down. The force is enough to cough up a gale.

"_You make digging for social status look oh-so MORAL, like the oh-so-priceless Angel Statue you are!_"

**SLAM!** Grandmaster is pinned; the tendrils take their katana and hatefully swing it through the ground,

**KCCKCKKCKCKCCSWHWHHWWHWWW**

firing a shockwave to Eve's right. A bead of sweat drops from her face.

"_You've got an entire horde of fans who WORSHIP you, because of how lovely you make yourself look!_"

**SLAM!**

"_You've pulled the wool over SO many people's eyes, deceiving them into believing you're some kind of shining saviour! And I'll be honest,_"

**SLAM!**

**CRACK!**

"_It even makes me sick!_"

**KRRKK!**

**SLAM!**

A pair of tendrils bludgeons the Grandmaster's back with the hilt of their blade. Another pair throws him against the wall.

"_You would not believe,_"

**SLAM!**

"_just how sick I am,_"

**SLAM!!**

"_of people sitting on their thrones,_"

**SLAM!!!!**

"**_acting like they're SAVING us when they're not!_**"

**SLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!**

...

...The monster's form shatters.

Graydle Dragon regains its shape. "Whew, much better! That's some good self-care."

"..."

...Eve's composure is incredible.

"I see. So you believe my efforts to help others are not genuine."

"Well, they could be genuine, for all I know! But they definitely aren't effective like people say."

"That's not tr-"

A student's jumped out from the seats. But her words are cut off, when Eve calmly smiles and shakes her head. "Now I have learnt more about you, Star Breaker."

Her hair and uniform pick up a small wind.

"...When _Grandmaster of the Six Samurai_ is destroyed by battle or card effect, I can add a samurai from my Graveyard to my hand. I choose Fuma once more."

A shuriken drawn from Eve's disk becomes a card.

"Have you completed your turn, Star Breaker?"

The saboteur smiles. She places one more face-down on her blade, and throws her hands out. "Sure, have at it. It's gonna be your last turn, after all," she says. "Any cornered duelist can have a second wind if they try. But whether they actually make a comeback is another story entirely. So let's see if you've got anything better to show, Bushido girl. You'll need it."

"_My turn. I shall show you the best I have._"

"About time."

Eve draws a card; and with it, an entire swing from her blade of a duel disk. Then...

...she's... looking at everyone watching. The students... Kaoru... and her, too. Eve looks right at Chisato. Then she looks at another section of the audience, and Chisato can't help but follow her gaze...

...directed at the agents.

The fear Chisato feels is automatic.

"I declare this now. I will summon every bit of my strength, and declare my intentions honestly without omission. Through this turn," the warrior declares, "you will see every last piece of the essence that is Eve Wakamiya!"

A turbulent gale summons itself against the nonchalant Star Breaker.

"I activate the effect of _Six Style - Dual Wield_ in my Graveyard! By banishing Dual Wield and discarding a card from my hand, I can add a Normal Spell mentioning the Six Samurai from my deck to my hand. I choose to add, and activate, _Shien's Smoke Signal!_"

A conch precedes the bells of war. Shien's successor summons the next army.

"This spell allows me to add a Level 3 or lower samurai to my hand," she explains, arming her katana. "I summon _Secret Six Samurai - Genba in attack position!_"

**500ATK.** A shadowed technician, armed with a robe of explosives, summons a portal to the beyond. "When Genba is Normal Summoned, I can add one of my banished samurai back to my hand," Eve continues. "I choose to add _Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan_... Kizan, with the presence of your comrades, rejoin the battlefield once more!"

Shien's adjutant returns.

**1800ATK.** With their determined visage, the stage is set.

"Now I activate the quick-play spell _Secret Skills of the Six Samurai!_" She declares. "By tributing Kizan, I shall revive _Legendary Six Samurai - Shien_ from my banished zone!"

Retreating into the shadows, Kizan leaves their blade to be struck by lightning; and from seemingly nowhere, the form of the land's greatest samurai returns, taking the blade as his own. A powerful swing erases any doubt that this **2500ATK** is a falsehood or illusion. "Every bit of your strength, huh." Star Breaker scoffs at him. "Does it look any better than this?"

"It does. I shall show it to you now."

Everyone is watching.

Suddenly, the forms of her monsters burst into pillars of light; a light so strong and so tall that it could bridge a constellatory path between every star in the sky. "With the strongest move I have, with the eyes of everyone watching me, be it level or above... I shall declare my motivations and intentions regarding the Shirasagi Duel Academy! I tune my Level 2 _Secret Six Samurai - Genba_ with my Level 5 _Legendary Six Samurai - Shien!_"

And no one can turn their eyes away.

Nobody could. It's beautiful.

The love of the constellations, watching over era after era, shines down upon the samurai. Shien plants his blade in place and dissipates into a holy shroud, Genba following him and leaving two golden rings around the burgeoning light.

"My name is Eve Wakamiya! 2 years ago, I learned of the Shirasagi Duel Academy; an overseas institution that had become the 'modern pioneer' of Duel Monsters. Though my father previously cut ties with the Corporation behind it, I decided to transfer here a year and a half ago to attend it."

A glittering swirl of gold expands from the portal. The remains of Shien's image take a new form.

"I chose to attend this Academy for two reasons. The first was my excitement at the prospect of moving to a country whose culture had fascinated me. And after making many friends and learning more about the lives of the people who lived in this dual-district, I considered that goal accomplished."

A spectral image of Eve's katana flies forth. A golden hand grips it.

"As for my second goal... the second reason I came here... was to confirm the truth of what I heard with my own two eyes. What I heard from my friend Hanne, who dueled graduates from this Academy, and what I heard from my father, who watched its students be expelled. And as I spent more time in this Academy, that goal changed, and furthered. Now... my goal is to help my fellow students!"

Waves of energy cover the ceiling. A glorious mantle of armour takes its place around the glowing figure.

"The Shirasagi Duel Academy does not operate by moral principles. It does not treat the students fairly like other schools in this country do. Instead, it uses students as a means to an end; that end being profit. All that operate under this Academy, from students to staff, are forced to think only for themselves if they wish to escape expulsion, so that they become a source of money for the Corporation that leads them. As a result, they stop caring for others, and bring fighting to become the norm. That is what I learned, after spending time with my new friends here. And that is why... I aim to change the philosophy of the Shirasagi Duel Academy, no matter what it takes! I aim to convince it to abandon its financial focus, and work towards the happiness and wellbeing of its students instead!"

A pair of sky-blue eyes gleams from beneath the helm. Eve holds her katana north-east. The samurai holds their katana north-west. Their determined stares overlay.

"And I shall accomplish that through leading by example. I shall do my utmost to become the kind of student others want to be... one who feels safe, and supported by those they can trust! One who feels they have the power to lend their hand to others! By following that example, and convincing those around me to follow that example, I shall unite all in the Academy under the banner of Bushido... until the staff, and even those above the staff, are convinced to follow that banner too! I will not rest until the entire Academy has become what everyone in the Bushido League desires it to be!"

Both raise their blades, and cut forth. The coalescence of energy comes to a climax, and the body will complete.

"That is my goal as Eve Wakamiya! And I will never hesitate in sharing that goal with everyone I meet, no matter who they may be!" She declares; "_Synchro Summon! Level 7!_ Arise, **_Divine Disciple of the Six Samurai!_**"

It resounds, chiming the bells.

**2850ATK.**

...

...How?

It's as burgeoning a question in her mind as it was in that office. Why does Eve not feel fear, saying that in front of a camera? Why does she not feel fear, saying that in front of the Elder Council's eyes?! Why does she act so recklessly, with no concern for her own safety, and declare her goals to the force that could expel her at any time for so consistently standing in opposition?! Why?

...And... why...

_"You're really used to your role, aren't you?_

Why... does it throb so much in her mind right now?

_"The obedient, demure little servant of the Shirasagi stakehold. Their enfant terrible of a queen."_

Why does she feel so aggravated at herself, so infuriated at herself, when she watches Eve oppose evil so boldly?

_"The **leech** on the Supernova's body."_

"...!"

"**Divine Disciple is unaffected by card effects!**" Eve states. "Now, I shall activate their first effect! When this card is Synchro Summoned, I can revive members of the Six Samurai from my Graveyard, up to the number of Synchro Materials used for Divine Disciple. All I must do is give up my ability to summon for the rest of the turn!"

CLACK! <strike>SLICE</strike> <strike>SLICE!</strike> CLACK!

"Return, _Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan_ and _Secret Six Samurai - Rihan!_"  
Shien's adjutant. Shien's shinobi. The warriors of eons loyally stand by the disciple's side. "And now, I activate Divine Disciple's second effect," she declares. "With the Strike Commander's Rallying Cry, the original ATK of all samurai I control becomes **2850** until the End Phase!"

The Divine Disciple draws their blade, sigil of the samurai burning high. Every warrior's blade glows with that same golden light.

"With Kizan's effect, Divine Disciple and Rihan also gain an extra 200 points of attack. In other words, the ATK values of my monsters are..."

**3050ATK 2850ATK 3050ATK**

...It's incredible to watch. Eve's hair glimmers with as many golden hues as the setting sun. Everyone is stunned. Except, of course, for her opponent, who watches motionlessly. "What next?"

"Prepare for my assault, Star Breaker! I will hit you with everything I have!" The warrior points her blade out. "I activate _Secret Six Samurai - Rihan's_ effect; I banish Rihan themself in order to target and banish _Graydle Dragon!_"

The shinobi-

Is gripped. They don't get a chance to even move this time. The tendrils stop their body cold on the spot. "Same song and dance," Star Breaker sighs. "I activate the counter trap card _Graydle Combat_, negating the activation of Rihan's effect and destroying them!"

With one ruthless fling, Rihan's form is slammed against the wall hard enough to leave cracks. They shatter. "...And now you are truly open."

"..."

Eve's eyes glow with ferocity. "You have no more face-downs remaining. _Graydle Dragon_ is the only card you control. In other words... this next battle is mine! _Divine Disciple of the Six Samurai_, attack _Graydle Dragon!_"

Millenia's Starlight Iai. The Divine Disciple retracts their blade. Without moving a single inch from their position, they crouch and remain completely still. A horde of demonically fast tendrils, veering out from Dragon's heartless core, take the perceived opportunity and shoot towards them, ready to snuff their life out in a single instant.

The onslaught lands. But nothing is hit; every attack phases through the Divine Disciple's body. It's as if their figure is simply ephemeral.

Uncertain, the tendrils then retreat.

CLACK!

_SLICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

...Somehow, they get cut.

They've been cut by the blade of that very figure they tried to pierce. The figure who truly hadn't moved at all, this entire time. The resulting impact tears the matter completely apart, sending a massive shockwave raising the hair on every student's end...

...A shockwave that rumbles even through Star Breaker's cloak, its riddled holes furrowing in the tempest. Her expression is blank.

...

...

The hurricane dies down.

The Divine Disciple retracts their blade. The wind settles from Eve's braid. She stares determinedly at Star Breaker, without any hint of hesitation, doubt or disbelief in her expression. Her gaze conveys nothing but complete determination in her path.

...And Star Breaker smirks.

"_Is that the best you could do?_"

...

...Chisato looks down at her duel disk.

**3950LP.** Eve inflicted a total of 50 damage to her opponent.

"I still have more. Kizan has yet to attack."

"Not sure that's a good idea!"

The saboteur snaps her fingers.

"Don't you remember? Dragon's destruction isn't just letting me nab a card from _Supply Squad._ It's also letting me revive a Graydle of my choice from the Graveyard. So let's bring back _Graydle Eagle!_"

Dragon's matter reforms. It was never fully destroyed, even by such a devastating attack. It almost feels unkillable. Its remnants coagulate no matter the blow they receive, and now bring back the soulless **500DEF** mock-up of an avian, yet again.

"You sure you wanna go any further? You know what happens when Eagle gets destroyed."

"I do. Legendary _Six Samurai - Kizan_, attack _Graydle Eagle!_"

"....Oooo~."

The adjutant nods, their determination and loyalty fully coalesced into their steel. They take an unfaltering step forth at the galactic abomination they face, take a deep breath... and rush forth. One ferocious, cleanly made swing cuts the matter's form in two. And with that last attack, they retract their blade and kneel peacefully.

Their only reward is the destroyed matter that consumes them.

"Suit yourself, then. _Graydle Eagle's_ effect activates," Star Breaker says. "Your shiny new action figure might be immune to card effects, but Kizan certainly isn't. So I'll just go right ahead and take Kizan!"

Eve watches as the samurai's form is devoured. As quickly as they had just went forth, they now turn around, and level their blade on their master. With their inspiring presence stolen, Divine Disciple's ATK falls back to **2850.** "...There is less you can do with Kizan than you could with Eagle. That is why I attacked."

"And that's the last move you're making?"

"..." Eve throws her hand out. "By banishing _Shien's Smoke Signal_ from my Graveyard alongside a Samurai, I can add a Six Samurai Normal Trap from my deck to my hand. I banish Smoke Signal and Shien to add _Six Strike - Thunder Blast._" She bows. "...I set one card face-down and end my turn."

"_Good. My turn._"

The tension in the air between them is thicker than a knife. Star Breaker is unusually silent, choosing to wear a grimace instead of a smile. She might be the only one grimacing for once, even; despite Eve's life point disadvantage, the defensive foothold she now has is relieving the minds of those watching her.

Chisato closes her eyes. The students are right to think Eve has that foothold. Even Star Breaker can't defeat Divine Disciple in an instant. Graydles can't take control of it, so they'll have to beat it down the old-fashioned way instead... and Eve's face-down will most definitely impede that. That monster truly is a strong countermeasure to a Graydle deck.

So, the students seem relaxed at Eve's position. That's not surprising. But what Chisato spares a second glance towards, as she watches the duelists stare each other down... is the agents instead.

Why are these agents so silent? Hasn't Eve declared war with them to their faces? They're simply watching, despite all of that. They haven't said anything to each other during that entire turn as Eve lambasted the Corporation they serve. It's nonsensical.

Right?

"I have a question of my own for you... Bushido girl."

The chill laced in that sentence immediately snaps her back to Star Breaker. "Ask me anything you wish," Eve responds.

"Is what you said really what you believe in? Is that the whole truth?"

"Of course."

"So, your aim's to change the Academy for the better? Convince the people in power that turning duelists into obedient, heartless cash cows isn't the right thing?"

"Of course."

"And you're going to do that, by having the student body show them what they should be working towards instead. You're going to show the staff and the public a world of friendship and peace, where people work together to keep each other sustained... so that they'll want to try and work towards that world too. Right?"

"Of course. That is my complete and honest truth."

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"...Pfft."

Everyone looks at Star Breaker.

"...ha. Pffhahaha..."

...

"...ahahaha... AhahahahaHA-haha-hah!"

She's...

...laughing.

What on earth is she laughing at?!

Star Breaker's practically bellowing into her hand. "Oh my god, that's _rich._ I can't believe how naive you are! No wonder they use you so easily!"

...Chisato can feel her stomach sink.

"Do you... doubt my intentions?" Eve asks.

"Oh, I believe what you said. You're honest to a fault, if nothing else," Star Breaker jeers. "_But the previous Rank 5 knew the score way better._ I can't believe you think you're actually changing anything! How have you not realised?"

"R-realised what?"

There's a murmur from the agents. Chisato immediately snaps her head back; the agents are...

...holding something in their pockets. The last time Chisato saw them do that... was when they were preparing to subdue someone...! Is Star Breaker saying something they don't want them to hear?

"Oh, no you don't."

**THWACK!**

That's the last thought she has, before 'something' slams one of the two agents in the back of the head. She's not the only one gasping in horror at the sight; some of the students jump off their seats.

And for the first time in 5 years, Chisato sees an agent look panicked. Staring at the unconscious body of their associate, they realise they're in danger too.

"Where're you even looking?"

They whip their head around-

**THWACK!**

And fall face-first onto the ground.

...

Kaoru's voice beside her is the only thing making her realise this is real. "T-they're unconscious again."

"...Again?"

"This... is what she always does."

"They're surprisingly slow for a bunch of trained staff." Star Breaker's form suddenly appears from nowhere, beginning to walk back down the steps. "Throwing them around's a piece of cake!"

"Y-you... what did you do to them?" Eve asks. "How?"

"Oh, simple. They never realise how powerful their holographic technology is. Illusions, fakeouts..." She raises her disk. "You can do all sorts of stuff when you have a blade out, y'know? Like this."

She's blinked a few meters forward, back onto the other side of the arena. "Ah!"

"They were gonna try and knock me out cold, Bushido girl. You wanna know why?" Star Breaker throws her hands out. "It's because I was about to tell you how they exploit you. I was about to lift the curtain and show the chessboard you're being moved on."

"W... what do you mean?"

...Ah.

It clicks in Chisato's mind before Star Breaker starts. All of a sudden, everything makes sickening sense.

"Don't you ever find it weird? How even though you're so brazen in opposing them, they never actually lay a finger on you?" The saboteur wanders around. "It's because _they're co-opting you._ They're co-opting your whole image! That image of loveliness, kindness and cleanliness you have... it's the best shield they have to hide their corruption with!"

Eve's eyes narrow.

"See, in the modern era, people've started to wake up. A lot of them don't tolerate seeing garbage spewed outright anymore. Why do you think the media got all fired up when The Dragon called us slaves live on air?" She points at her temple. "THAT'S why camouflage is better. Instead of assuming people'll accept the poison you inject into them, you play it cool. You subterfuge it. You pretend you're better than you actually are. You hide yourself behind people and symbols holier than thou, while making sure you're the one who still calls the venomous shots."

The warrior's expression breaks. "..."

"Your League is a compromise to them. You keep that small bunch safe, while the Corporation uses the rest of the student body as cash cows for their continued profit. Did it never occur to you why they keep you separate from everyone else? They give you your own training grounds away from the Academy, highlight you as a specific, enclosed group to advertise to people... all so they can get away with the inhumane shit they've done for years on end. In fact, if it wasn't for you, more people probably would've realised how shit they are by now! You're not fighting them; you're protecting them. All this time, you've been protecting them without even realising it!"

"N-no... but... I..."

The students begin to murmur. Chisato grips her fist as she watches the kindest person she knows lower her blade.

"I..."

"Come on. Surely you realised this at least a BIT, right? Nobody stays defiant for THAT long without getting expelled unless they have a reputation. Do you really think the Corp promotes you because they share your moral compass?"

"...No. I-I knew that they were at least partially advertising me... because I was profitable."

"And you've stayed right in their lair regardless. You should've done what your predecessor did, and left. That way, you wouldn't actually be helping them. You'd be acting in opposition to them, rather than profiting them and making the public believe they're DOING ANY GOOD!"

Eve shudders when those words ring out.

"Or is that something you considered, but never had the guts to do? Maybe you feared the idea of fighting the Academy in a world where you didn't have people there to validate you. That's why you tried to fight them from the inside instead."

"**...!**"

"Oh? Did I hit a bullseye? Seems like I did~!"

Star Breaker laughs, as a tear falls from Eve's cheek.

"I get it now. There's things even you're not brave enough to do. Things that'd make you alone if you went through with them. Looks like your code isn't as ironclad as it seems!" She shrugs. "Aw, don't worry, I can relate to that. Knowing you're fallible makes me hate you all the less, Bushido girl!"

"..."

"It's a shame that won't stop me from crushing you. Let's finish this duel, shall we? Or have you given up on trying to get all buddy-buddy with me?"

"..."

There's a staggered breath. Chisato feels her lungs boil; it's agonizing to watch, knowing she could've been taking these insults instead. She can't tell whether she wants to hate Star Breaker or herself more right now. And yet, somehow, Eve's...

"...I have not. Now that I understand you, I will... see this duel through to the end."

"Perfect. It's about time I finished you!"

Star Breaker's cloak hurls. She takes a step forward and holds out her blade.

Everyone's stomach twists, joy and hope vaporized.

"...How will you overcome this field?" Eve asks. "_Divine Disciple of the Six Samurai_ is unaffected by card effects. Do you have a way of reviving enough attacking power to overcome them through battle?"

"Nah."

Chisato blinks. Eve blinks. Kaoru blinks.

"I don't really need it, anyway."

"W-what? Then... how? Do you plan to attack me directly?"

The arena dims.

Star Breaker sighs. Then she tuts once, twice, three times, before holding her hands out sideways and shaking her head.

"_...You really are naive, aren't you?_" She snaps her fingers. "**_Gameciel!_**"

Divine Disciple disappears.

...

...Chisato blinks again.

What... did she just see?

Everyone's silent, mouth agape at nothing. There's only Eve standing there now, face frozen in utter shock, as if she's just witnessed something unfathomable. There's no monster at her front anymore. But Chisato could swear, for just the slightest moment...

...that she saw something. Something absolutely enormous, shooting up from beneath.

She hears Kaoru beside her. "...Eh?"

"I don't understand..." Eve looks desperately at her opponent. "What did you do?!"

Star Breaker just smirks, and points.

"...Up? But there's nothing there-"

_CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

The ceiling is ravaged.

Chisato can't believe her eyes.

**RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

It's... GIGANTIC.

That thing, it's... "Oh, no. Of course it wouldn't be that simple," she yells. "Star Breaker... she's using a hybrid deck!"

"What in the bard's name IS that thing?!"

A monster the size of several skyscrapers seemingly annihilates the entire top half of the Tower, blotting out the starless night sky. One of its beady blue eyes reminds Chisato of the very helicopter she took here. But it's unfortunate the rest of this gargantuan's size isn't 'incomprehensible' like the Graydles are; no, everyone watching is aware of just how little they are in comparison to this ridiculous thing. They all get to see its abhorrent, sea-crusted length, all 4 city-spanning wings, even every single individual centimetre of its tail if they get too absorbed in their insecurities... all the indulgently ravenous teeth, and all the impenetrable protective shelling it has. It burrows into the arena floor and bursts back out at a frankly unholy speed, screaming in pure undiluted hostility towards every living creature.

**2200ATK.** Something clearly visible, yet inexplicable of origin. Something clearly lethal, to the point that one cannot, and does not want to, process the extent of the terror its power can spread. It forcefully drags in the eyes of every student watching whether they like it or not, and confronts them with a truth far beyond their miniscule world, crushing all that stands in its path with its unstoppable cunning and awe-striking abilities. Upon having the light in their vision snuffed by the size of this beast, the students can do nothing but wallow, for all their conquering of the food chain is for naught. They are the prey now; and there is no future for them as prey.

For some reason, Star Breaker's summoned this creature... to Eve's side of the field.

"H-how...?" Eve looks frantically at her duel disk; but even reading the card's text doesn't illuminate anything. "How did you erase _Divine Disciple of the Six Samurai_ in an instant? Please explain!"

"Sure! One line." The cloaked marauder wags her finger. "**_Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju,_** tributed Divine Disciple to Special Summon itself to your side of the field."

"B-but Divine Disciple is immune to card effects! Gameciel shouldn't be able to tribute it!"

"Oh, Bushido girl~. You didn't know? _Immunity to card effects and being unable to be tributed are two different things!_"

"_...What?!_"

"That's... outrageous!" Kaoru barely musters. "What an absolutely outrageous loophole!"

There's an eerily joyous laugh. "It's too late to cry; this is MY studio now, and I'LL be the one who decides what monsters we control! So let's give your Gameciel a suitable opponent, shall we?!"

Another miniature card heralds devastation.

"Say hello to **_Jizukiru, the Star Destroying Kaiju!!!_**"

** _ CRASH! _ **

The Earth itself jumped at the impact.

...Slowly, Eve, Chisato and Kaoru look up.

And their battered, exhausted minds all think the same thing:

None of them even want to comprehend what this is.

**3300ATK.** It could pick up Gameciel's stomach in one of its crescent-arm claws and pound in lasers of energy point-blank. That fact is almost, so nearly almost, enough of a distraction to how metallic, robotic, and fusion-fueled this otherworldly abomination seems, when compared to its aquatic relative; one can only accept it is a living creature because the thought of it being artificial appears impossible. The tail that could whip aside buildings, like how a worm might shake dirt from its body, has split into 8 different legs, each stabbing into the arena grounds with lava-spiked ends. A visor that could hold even all those sitting on the highest thrones of a used humanity, ironically the most human piece of the entire creature, gleams red with a desire one can only presume is bloodlust; for that would make the desire to 'get the **** out of here' that much more prevalent and instinctually pursuable.

"Wooow, would you look at that!"

Between the quakes and the falling rubble of the ceiling leans a heat-illuminated black cloak, worn around a casual, jeering figure. She's unfurling a holographic projector screen on the right of the arena while she commands this monstrosity, as if it were simply natural to her. A talent easily tapped and learnt.

"Looks like Jizukiru's WAY stronger than Gameciel. What a happy coincidence; once it attacks Gameciel, it'll be game over for you! I'm SO glad that you just HAPPENED to have a monster with lower ATK points on your side of the field, Bushido girl!" She imitates contemplation. "Hm. How'd you get that monster again? I forgot."

Her victim looks panicked. "..."

"Well, it sure works out for me! Because when my opponent controls a Kaiju, I can Special Summon one from my hand for free. That's how Jizukiru got here in the first place. Each of us gets our own big super-powered monster buddy to fight with now; isn't that fun?"

...Eve keeps her katana drawn.

"Perfect for making a good movie, if you ask me. Two titans, battling it out? Now that's a fun way to pass the time. But..."

Star Breaker tugs the top of her hood. Jizukiru roars the death wail of every lone celestial in the stolen sky; and at that terrifying sight, her opponent grits her teeth.

"It's not always fun when the plot's straightforward, is it? So go on, Bushido girl. Use the last resort you have. Make this a little more electrifying!"

"..." Eve throws out her hand. "...I activate the trap card _Six Strike - Thunder Blast!_ This card allows me to destroy one face-up monster my opponent controls; I target Jizukiru!"

Star Breaker steps aside and lets it happen. She almost seems too happy to, even. She joins the rest of the crowd in watching Eve's katana surge with the power it still somehow has.

...Even after all this, through all these flames, Eve wants to keep going.

"By the might of the Six Samurai... be subdued!"

The same golden light that fueled the Divine Disciple now crackles and becomes a thunderbolt, imbued into Eve's own blade. Despite the pain running through her face, she closes her eyes and boards Gameciel from the tail, running like a person possessed, spinning her blade above her head.

A leap from Gameciel's fin, and sky blue desperately opens; cueing a desperate reckoning. Rotation after rotation fans a fueled spiral of lightning.

_ZZZZZSSSSSSSSSSSSSHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

Then, with one horizontal swing, she makes a racing sweep, and fires an entire wave of destruction upwards, aiming for Jizukiru's visor.

It hits dead-center.

She lands, panting for breath, as a series of miles-long explosions overload the monstrosity until it breaks into pieces, crumbling and falling upon Starlight Tower.

The Star-Destroying Kaiju is shattered.

...

...But nobody's happier for it. Because they've seen this play out too many times to be optimistic about what happens next. Only Eve maintains any determination to see her fight through.

"Good." The destruction nets Star Breaker another card. "Bit anticlimactic, but I never said I was a good director. Had to force your face-down out somehow. NOW, we really can end this; I activate the field spell card _Kyoutou Waterfront!_"

The projector beams to life, firing a gigantic spotlight upon the remaining Kaiju's life-levelling size.

**RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

#  _BEGINNING DISASTER LEVEL SURVEILLANCE_

#  _CODENAME: GAMECIEL_

#  _THREAT LEVEL - CATEGORY V_

"Honestly, I prefer Gameciel over Jizukiru anyway. Hope you had fun with it, because I'll be taking it back now!" Star Breaker manifests a holographic computer monitor by her side, cheerily tapping away at it. "I activate the quick-play spell _Enemy Controller_, tributing Kizan to take control of Gameciel!"

The samurai vanishes into streams of binary data.

#  _DISASTER LEVEL - 1_

With the tap of a digital button, a device manifests itself on Gameciel's chest, shooting out 6 tendrils of matter that dig into it. Lights blare at the monster's center, pumping light into its ravenous eyes.

"No...!" Eve yells.

#  _DISASTER LEVEL - 2_

They're all powerless to do anything but watch. The Kaiju burrows into the arena, pounding earthquakes into Hanasakigawa until it tears open the floor at the other side, the remnants of Jizukiru setting the place ablaze.

**SLAM!**

Star Breaker stamps her boot on a piece of scorched rubble, resting an elbow on her knee.

"Y'know how in those overfunded action movies, the bland straight dude playing the main character gets to pilot a mech? I always thought that was a friggin' bore." **GRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!** "Now, this... THIS is way better. I'm piloting something almost as monstrous as myself!"

A tower stares down at Eve.

"_Time to say goodnight, Rank 5! Rip a hole through this place, **Gameciel,** and attack my opponent directly!_"

Nothing that ginormous should be able to move so fast.

A shark, rushing in and out of the sea, barrelling towards its prey with an insatiable, meaningless bloodlust; amplified by that size, running becomes completely pointless. Against a disaster, one usually waits for the end to come.

Eve takes a step forward instead, "I activate the effect of _Secret Skills of the Six Samurai_ in my Graveyard! By-"

"Not happening!"

and is rewarded with the same depressing failure.

The mask she coalesced a kilometre in front was devoured; erased from the face of the planet by a gaping maw.

"As many times as it likes per turn, Gameciel can remove 2 Kaiju Counters from the field to negate the activation of a card or effect and banish it!"

"...! That can't be!"

Star Breaker gleefully stares the madness down, sharpening her fangs: "Face it, Bushido girl; **this is game over!**"

The kaiju leaps, in its entirety, several times larger, from the ground right in front of Eve. There's no way out; the warrior stands still, hope gone, only able to watch what's about to devour her.

And Chisato can't look away from the sight for a single second.

Gameciel descends.

The sound of teeth gnashing against each other echoes cleanly across the soul of the Academy.

_CGCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRAASSHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

...Eve doesn't even need to close her eyes. Nobody does.

As plain as day, the kaiju sails through her before disappearing, and the rest of the holographs die out.

...

...

...

...

**...0LP.**

Even after it's gone, the Sea Turtle Kaiju lingers as an afterimage in our eyes.

"That took too long."

...Chisato can't look away. She'd never forgive herself if she did.

Because this is all her fault.

Eve has lowered her head in shame, dishevelled hair covering her eyes. Not because of her loss; Chisato knows how little she cares for fame. No, she's lowering her head because everything she's worked towards up until this point has been spat on, exposed for the flaws that riddled it. All she can do is look into the cold arena floor and process her failure; process whether anything she's worked towards has resulted in any permanent change. Chisato would undoubtedly say yes to that question, undoubtedly tell Eve that her actions have done nothing but good. Assuming the chance was even given, of course. But Eve's harder on herself than that. No doubt... it's crushing her.

It's all Chisato's fault. Star Breaker's stake was meant for her. The Dragon was the one whose blatant, disgusting hypocrisy was meant to be exposed. And yet Eve had to bear the pain and humiliation instead, all because she was too afraid to take it herself. Eve jumped in front, and took that stake for her, for the sake of The Dragon's reputation.

How many people have had to suffer like this because of her?

So, so many. One of them's suffered for 3 years since they first met, bearing everything by her side without any resentment. Another went through countless trials, just to return to her side after childhood's end. And the best she's done in gratitude, to try and fight the Corporation that makes her cause such suffering...

...has been playing the coward.

She hasn't changed a thing.

"Where were we again, 'Chisachi'?"

She jumps, whipping her head to the left. Star Breaker crosses the ruination, walking past the shadowed Eve and keeping her blade drawn out. "Y-you..."

"I may have all the time in the world nowadays, but that doesn't mean I like dragging things out; so stop hiding for once and duel me. I'll crush any last piece of hope the students have... by crushing you."

...Hah. How amusing. Eve's bravery ultimately meant nothing. Because at the end of the day, Chisato is still being stared down by her reaper, right here.

For a moment, she considers running; but the agents shoot down that idea immediately. There's a new group that's entered the arena, escorting the unconscious pair out. And even in their neutral expressions, Chisato can find frustration. She can find a very clear message: She's not worming this way out of this one. The duel is still a must.

Fitting. It's not enough to force Eve to protect her disgusting reputation, is it? No, she still has to do it herself too. She has to defend the image of the callous Dragon with her own two hands, claim some miraculous victory, and send the message once more that being 'realistic' and 'pragmatic' is the only way to survive in this world. Just like she always has. Just like she's always done, even after Hina offered her something better.

"..."

All this time, she now knows. She's merely been calling herself a hero, merely been dramatizing the fantasy her token resistance gave her, so she would never have to truly be in danger! How despicable. She's a villain. Deep down, she's never stopped being the villain... she's never changed!

And everyone's finally fed up with it.

They all hate her, don't they?

Nobody cares about her.

Why would they?

There's nothing positive within her.

Nothing heroic.

Nothing worth saving.

Why did they even bother giving her the time of day?

Pity?

"..."

"Hah. You already know what the result'll be, don't you?"

...She turns back to Star Breaker. She's given up trying to mask the expression on her face. Whatever despair it conveys, she doesn't care anymore.

"Come and meet your end, Dragon. Nothing'd make me happier right now than seeing you fall; it's all I have, because of people like you," she says. "And don't bother running away. Because I'll tear your precious Academy apart for as long as I need, until I can throw you head-first into the dirt where you belong."

...It sounds nice.

Hate. Hate, hate, hate. All that fuels her now is hate. She's useless, useless, useless... useless, useless, truly and utterly useless; a cursed, poisonous, blaring monstrosity, far worse than any holograph, who takes in the stardust from the few who care for her and spits upon it. She's useless, useless, useless, useless, useless... just completely and utterly useless! She's the biggest disappointment alive to everyone she's ever known!

So give up. Give up and fall; why not meet pain as the price for cowardice? It's not like she'll ever put herself in danger, anyway; she's far too spineless for that. In a way, this stranger offering to inflict the pain for her is a perfect getaway, isn't it?

"...Chisato..." Kaoru says.

She wishes even a piece of the heat in her body could travel down her left arm. But she's no human being; she's a dragon. So all she can do to express that hate is to grip her fist, tighter and tighter. Tighter, and tighter, until the pumping fake nerves bleed out the scales hidden beneath the 'skin'. Repulsive scales of blue fester from Chisato's arm. "...So, it's a duel you desire?"

"What, do you want me to repeat myself?"

Chisato wants nothing more than to fall, now. Let her fall with a whimper; the pathetic whimper she deserves, showing the world the coward she truly is. "If you believe you can push me into an abyss... then go right ahead. I'd love to see if you can!"

Her eyes grow bloodshot. The lifeless arm reveals itself for what it is.

"Wail down upon me with every last piece of your hate, Star Breaker, and see where-"

"Thank you."

...She stops.

Her blade is never drawn.

Everyone turns towards the source of the voice. "...Eve?"

She looks... resolute. Somehow, she... looks just as resolute as she was before. It's a face Chisato saw on her just an hour ago, before this entire calamity took place. One that was determined to make things right. How? After all that's happened, why does she look so resolute?

It's blinding.

Star Breaker's grin disappears. "Thank you? The hell do you mean?"

"I am grateful for your insight. Because of what you told me about yourself, I have learnt a lot tonight."

Her expression cracks. "...I... what...?"

"I still have much to learn about the obstacles I must overcome. About how I can inspire the change me and my comrades desire. About what I can do to erase the hesitations remaining within me," Eve states. "And your perspective has helped me find the next step on my path; the step towards more direct action. Though I do not know where this path will lead me... I know that I must follow it. So once again, I thank you."

...

...The blade that cut down hundreds is lowered.

The room is dead silent. There's no trace of a smirk on the saboteur anymore. There's no trace of any fully processed and outputted expression, anywhere on her face.

"Star Breaker." Eve smiles. "I hope you find the world you wish for. And I hope you will have friends who accompany you through it."

...

......

"...Tch. Right. You're _her_ friend too... aren't you, Bushido girl?"

"Eh?"

Star Breaker turns away. She lets out a deprived sigh. "Screw this. I don't have a reason to be here."

Chisato blinks. "W-what?"

"..." She takes a few steps, before looking back. "...Dueling you'd be a waste of time, Dragon."

Then she starts walking away.

"Bye."

"W-wait!"

It falls on deaf ears.

The students' executioner saunters upstairs and jumps out of the window, leaving as casually as she appeared.

...

...Chisato's energy fades.

The murmuring resumes. It's no death wail. But none of it is spirited; nobody knows what to feel. The entire room is an aura of whispers and doubts Chisato can't unravel anymore.

"C-Chisato," Kaoru asks. "Are you alright-"

"Leave me alone."

"..."

She can barely think of unravelling it, anyway. There's nothing she can think about right now, other than her own failures. The fact that she's been saved yet again is ridiculous enough in of itself. For some reason, the world wants to give the worthless monster known as Chisato Shirasagi a chance.

It's wasted.

She knows that it's wasted, the second the agents start to approach her. Grimly, she faces them. No doubt, it's going to be another order regarding Star-

"Chisato!"

...

...Ha.

It's Eve's voice. She never stops, does she? What is she doing now?

"Chisato. Please, would you listen to what I have to say?"

"..."

She doesn't have the luxury of looking dead. There's a piece of her obedient self that puts on a mask, even when she hardly has the energy to.

"...Speak."

"I would like for us to ally in earnest."

.

...No. N-no, not right here.

What are you doing?

"Chisato. I knew it up until this point, but I never tried to ask. I knew you were afraid. And I did not want to be responsible for your fear." Resolute sky-blue stares her head on. "But we cannot continue like this. We will not accomplish our goals

stop it

if we continue to stay silent."

stop it

stop it

stop it

Chisato Shirasagi feels fear. She can feel the agents' gazes. The agents are right there. What is this person doing? It doesn't make sense. Doesn't she know the consequences? "W-what 'goals'?" She mutters. "What goals do I share with you, Eve Wakamiya?!"

"The goal of changing this Academy for the better. I know that you, too,

stop it

STOP IT

desire for the students to be freed from this vicious cycle."

STOP IT

_The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching.  
The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching.  
The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching.  
The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching. The eyes are watching._

She can hear the students talking to each other. Maybe even the agents. The agents are always there in one form or another, aren't they? From afar, with a camera, or up close, to bore down. She's never truly free of their presence. Chisato's entire body freezes over. "What... o-on earth are you on about?"

"Chisato. Please."

The outstretched hand

makes her heart burn.

And she hears the words she does, and doesn't, want to hear.

"We are two of the highest ranked students. We have many supporters. If we rally the public and address the issues laden within this Academy and Corporation, we can convince those above you to change their ways. I know it will not be easy,

_The eyes are watching. Run._

but I want to give it a try. I will not back down on my path. And I know you share that resolve, despite all you must do to hide it. That resolve is why I consider you my trusted friend, Chisato.

_The eyes are watching. Run._

That resolve... is why I ask you this question in earnest.

_The eyes are_

Will you-"

** _"QUIET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_ **

Drawing the same knife she's always used,

she slashes the hand offered to her.

It was automatic.

It's always been automatic for her, hasn't it? To reject those who dare search for something good in her soul.

That, in a way, is the most pathetic part of her all.

"**...I know not of this 'desire' you speak of,**" it scrapes. "**I know not of this ambition. I... know not, of this 'rebellion' people speak of. I... am The Dragon.**"

...

This is how she ends up repaying the person who protected her.

She looks up. When she sees the broken concern on Eve's face,

her heart sinks into the abyss.

Falling, and falling, forever.

Wailing without light.

...

...Eve fakes composure. She merely nods, and decides to leave. Her footsteps are what play in Chisato's head, slower than almost anything else ever has.

...

...

"Dragon."

An agent speaks.

"We have orders from the Council. Return to your office in Hanasakigawa. And,"

She hears a reaper's whisper,

cutting a line through her eyes.

"we shall begin arrangements for Eve Wakamiya's expulsion immediately."

With that, they leave.

"...Chisato...." Kaoru's voice. "Are... you... al... r..."

It trails out, as Chisato falls to her knees.

Don't people cry when they feel anguish?

If only she could cry.


	38. A.T. Case Files: #3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi i'm SO sorry this took so long to make quarantine really do be hitting different
> 
> Just as a warning, this chapter's 26-thousand words long! Please take your time with it if you need to! Please also make sure you read the content warnings before you start this one. This chapter means a lot to me, so I hope it's come out good in the end! Because good lord did I have to redo a lot of it shdghsghsg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CWs:  
-Graphic depictions of violence involving a main character  
-Intense self-depreciation and self-loathing  
-Depictions of, and allusions to, transphobia and transmisogyny  
-Implications of a panic attack

_ssSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_

It's extinguished. 

The handle's turned, and the flood subsides, leaving only spurts. Then, drips.

She lowers the hose. It's crudely designed, like the kind of family figure who kicks back on the couch, snarking dryly at the programs showing trillions being spent on space. 

With it, she's broken the only remaining piece of her life.

...

...Numbness.

Once upon her time, she renewed her resolve. But it's become so paltry ever since. She's felt blow after blow, tumbled down cliff after cliff into the black pit, with nothing to soften the impact. Desperation is all she has left.

It makes her wonder; how would _she_ react, seeing her like this? How would _she_ feel about her, seeing what she's become?

"..."

Ah.

That was a bad idea.

Remembering _her_ is never a good idea, really. But she's a despicable person; it's always been in her nature to indulge. That's why she so freely succumbs to her own revolting voltage, succumbs to thinking about _her_, time and time again. It's infuriating; even with all her mastery of the cold, her streaks of ice have never fully silenced her soul.

It aches. It's a conflict she can't handle right now. Not now, of all times. 

Guess that means she'll have to rely on _that_ again to cope, huh? It's a set of memories, wrapped into a scarf that keeps her warm in the freezing cold. One lone precious, precious, precious precious tape. It's one of the only comforts she's had over the past 3 years; and as selfish as it is to say, nothing else could even come close to the comfort it provides. Especially now that the source of that tape is far, far away.

"..."

She puts her phone away and returns to her frozen cage, finding that artifact television once more. There's a safe beside it. She enters the code:

**2 7 0 0**

The safe opens. In an instant, she grabs it. There's a label on the front.

_WARNING!_

_THIS CASSETTE IS EXTREMELY WORN. DO NOT CARRY RECKLESSLY. DO NOT OVERUSE. OVERUSE COULD LEAD TO PERMANENT DAMAGE OF THE TAPE._

Once again, she inserts it into the darkness beneath.

...

...

...

...whi**R**rrrrrrrr**Rr**rrrrrrr**R_R_**rrr................

The screen is faint. The initial colour is black. But the light coming from it drowns her eyes.

Static. Sepia-tone. One can see little bolts-

**rrrCRK!**

of red.

**A.T.**

**Case File #3**

She doesn't suit the image of a duelist.

Even if she did, there's no way she'd suit the kind of image the rich desire. From above, the Shirasagi Corporation has conditioned the world of Duel Monsters. There's a certain concept of 'attractiveness' ingrained into the minds of consumers. Certain traits are 'ideal'. It's one of the first things the SDA educates you about; the teachers explain that aspiring dual-district celebrities who don't fit the 'ideal' will be shunned and ignored, by public and producers alike, compared to those who do. That's why creating a good image is so important for your career.

Of course, she already knew all this before she joined. And she always knew she wasn't cut out to be a celebrity, or any other kind of professional. She's a failure as a person; an awkward weakling who looks back at the term 'inspiring young prodigy' and wonders what anyone was ever thinking. Her bosses probably only used it to keep her obedient, didn't they? It feels like a joke.

Well, even if she was a prodigy, she's certainly not going to inspire anyone with the needless intricacies of her passions. That's not what makes a good celebrity, is it? From her point of view, celebrities inspire people by being figures they can emulate; and self-indulgence is an inherent contradiction to that. People don't want to look self-indulgent. It's unsightly. That's a trait she spews in spades, without having the appearance to make it look good. Or, more accurately, she doesn't want to forge the style of appearance that'd make it look good; because as repulsive as she is, there's parts of her she just can't let go. She clings to her habits and mannerisms like a spoilt, selfish brat. Maybe that's why the adults of the world have been less benevolent to her as she grows older.

But attending the SDA really hammered in how she'd never make it. The Underside wasn't the only thing she had to deal with; no, the surface of the academy was just as voracious, resembling the hostile playgrounds of a supposedly bygone era. Her ecstatic interest in dueling made her a target for bullying in the most predictable fashion possible. Baseless rumours, barricades to lessons, attempts at theft, dishonest requests, hushed whispers, outright hostility and even violence... they all came in a frenetic force towards her the second the entry tests finished, skill level be damned. 

And she wasn't willing to fight back. She wanted nothing more than to lay low and keep studying, really, but she didn't have a say in the matter; thanks to her own behaviour and appearance, the students' eyes just fixed on her naturally. When the world of ShiraCorp sees someone without the right makeup looking so self-invested, it scoffs and calls them a narcissist. She has too much convoluted passion, and too little care for self-presentation, to not be constantly embarrassing in the eyes of her peers, let alone a crowd.

...Which is fair, really. She can't bring herself to resent her peers.

She'd object if anyone else like her had to suffer through it, but... she's different. She deserves it. Regardless of how shallow the students' insults are (one assigned a price tag to each part of her face), there's an unintentional truth within them. So even though they'll find any excuse for mockery, they're not wrong to hate her. That's why she didn't do anything to protect herself. In a way, it's a pretty fitting punishment for all the wrongs she's already done, isn't it?

Besides, the academy's stone-age taste in appearance (or 'anatomy', as some students try to reason) is hardly its worst trait. It'd be one thing if it was only a matter of presentation to land yourself in the spotlight; but this goes beyond whether the audience prefers a transitioning nerd or not. It's also a question of personal morals. A question of whether you're willing to follow the profit-driven mentality ShiraCorp clings to.

The Dragon asked her, and everyone else in the room, on their very first day:

_"Are you prepared to see your peers as enemies?"_

She wasn't.

Most of the others were, of course. They'd do anything it takes to secure a career in the centerpiece of modern e-sports... anything it takes to win. Knowing what'd happen if they fell too far, no tactic was off the table. In retrospect, it's not surprising they jumped on the opportunity to ostracize her so quickly. Who has the time to enjoy friendships, when everyone's future is at stake? Who has the time to giggle with others when there's work to be done? She knows from experience; in an environment where your livelihood- no, your entire family's livelihood, even, is at risk... all it takes is one malicious Dragon to convince you there's no time for innocent indulgences.

Hah. Maybe things would've been different, if she actually took a single step towards her goal. But she's always been fragile; all the noises, coming from each and every side, they make her shudder. That's why she ended up too afraid of everything, and anything, to put herself at risk here. Ever since she learned about the consequences of expulsion, she hasn't helped anyone at all. It's pathetic.

...Still. Even if her whimpering mind's given up on her dream, she'd never stoop as low as its antithesis. Engaging in a fetishistically Darwinistic bloodbath is the opposite of what she wants. Never once did the idea convince her. If pushing herself up meant pushing others down, she'd play no part in it. If letting others endanger her future was the only alternative, so be it. If this world mandated destroying others' careers to keep her own safe, she'd rather not have a career at all.

So gone was the 'prodigious duelist'. She left the money-made battlefield, and looked for the best alternative she could find to protect herself. To try and avoid becoming a monster... 

...she became a tool instead.

'Whizz kid.' It's the one advantage she's always had. The Shirasagi Corporation loves obedient husks. It runs by the same logic as the other companies she worked for; her gender and appearance don't matter as much down here, so long as she crunches enough to make up for it. The perfect wrench, to iron out the Underside's gears... that's the reputation she garnered. An amplifier, sitting in the background so the actual celebrities can shine. The professional-sounding voice she'd spent the past few years training, the knowledge of Duel Monsters she'd carried since childhood, and the all-too-familiar cowardice that left her unpunished; every trait worked out perfectly for her role. That's how she justified her academic failures; she avoided the abyss and kept herself safe by satisfying her employers' expectations instead of her teachers'.

Seemed like a perfect solution, didn't it? ShiraCorp has a nasty habit of expelling the lowest of the low, to keep the students (and the few unfortunate parents who know) in check. But she doesn't have to suffer that fate if she proves useful down here. All she has to do is look away when she hears a skeevy comment any non-SDA person would scowl at, and she'll be fine. When she settled on this path, she thought all she'd be doing was working for her own survival, without affecting anyone else. 'It's a far better fate than dooming my peers'; that's what she believed.

If only that was the case.

_"...Never again."_

The poster of the Exhibition, stapled to the wall. Her name in the credits, chilling her to the bone.

She'll never forget that day. Her perception of the Underside as a place of escape shattered when she realised what she'd been doing. Desperately, she made another turn in the labyrinth of morality, swearing she'd minimise her contribution to the SDA's environment.

But she was naive. Ice can be fickle. Turns out that when you've forsaken your overground career, there's only so little you can choose to contribute; it was a fact that a minimalist mentality would never be accepted by the Corporation. She had to do as much work as she could for them at the Underside, or else they'd cut their losses and expel her. Her contribution HAD to be significant every step of the way. 

So one day, she handed a new card to her boss.... a nauseating compromise on her oath. Then she remade an entire archetype all by herself.

It spiralled. She started coming up with original design concepts. She started writing effect text. She started building holographs, maintaining duel disks, fixing audio-visual equipment, lending a hand in every department. She started handling so much more. She looked away from the unfortunate fates of her coworkers and gave as much as she had to, making herself as useful to the Corporation as they wanted.

And she hated every second of it.

The only thing keeping her going was the other half of that oath. The tendrils crawled over; gone was the whizz kid who loved to blast people's ears off about Duel Monsters. She hid from the limelight and locked herself away, only showing her interests to others in her weakest moments. 

That self-suppression was the only thing keeping her going, as she furthered the SDA's agenda, time and time again.

...And again.

And again.

And again.

Over the rest of the Spring and Summer, she felt it. She felt the subtle impacts she made, whispering into the world's ears. The day she looked at that poster, seeing her name on it, remembering she played a part in it all... she lived it as a repeat record.

The hours ticked by as she forged her stakes.

She thought of her coworkers.

She thought of her parents.

She thought of the other employee-student in the Underside.

She thought of Yukina Minato, and the Minato Wolf.

She thought of all the people whose inspiration she repaid by silencing the injustices they faced. 

She was living in an amicable, obedient shell, the air frozen; and the more time passed, the more pointless it felt. She had almost nothing left. With how much work she'd taken on at the Underside, just to keep herself useful, she barely even had the energy to frown. Hiding her failures from her parents and coworkers, she could only keep going in the hope that she'd one day overcome her fears and take a step towards her goals again.

But it seemed like that day would never come.

In fact, as time passed...

...she only became more and more scared.

She's left with a satellite's struggle, no purpose in its plates. 

Near a steam-choked shore, buried in fallen blades, she drowns in the drained colour of the muddy sea. Her body is on autopilot, letting them build, further and further, letting herself sink, further and further, lying on her back and gazing up at the suffocated beige of the sky... the prison grew, and grew, and grew... the frozen judge pulled her further, and further in... hatred, suppression, they all built, further and further, condemning her smile every bit more, sapping her limbs that much more, building and building and building, beckoning to the day where her eyes dissolve into the mud, day, after day, after day...

**CCRK**

...until one day...

...something changed.

**CCKr**

September 7th. Nearly 3 and a half years ago now. In the months following that date, the ice wasn't binding her. It's more like... 

...it was cooling her down instead.

...

...

...

"Mr Shirasagi."

She says it without raising her hand. The rest of the 20-student classroom is silent, save for the artificial light and the sound of pen on paper.

"Um..."

Another student gives her a confused glance, before quickly saying 'oh' and ignoring her.

"...um... Mr Shirasagi."

At the front, a teacher's lounging on his chair with a laptop in hand. He doesn't even move an eye. "Mm?"

"I'd like to leave. I have, um... work."

"Oh, sure. Knock yourself out."

"Thank you."

She gets up. There's not a word from anyone else as she packs her bags and leaves. It's been like that for a while.

Chik!

She shuts the door.

...

Now she's in danger.

The robotical labyrinths are a cue. Whenever she's in the academy, she stays as silent as she can and slacks her posture to just the right amount, no matter how many students are around.

She takes step after step to the elevator across the floor.

...It's eerily quiet.

Maintaining a low profile is especially important right now. Towards the end of each year, there's... a lot of tension in the SDA. It's usually because of the LV8 Division; specifically, those in the first grade of that Division, the grade she's just been moved to. By the time you've transferred into LV8, you're only a few years away from settling onto your given career path (maybe even a business deal if you're lucky enough), so the staff will immediately start grilling you on your choices. You feel adult figures from every direction, trying to push you towards an ultimate decision. It's a classic horror story; they say that this is the time in your life where you realise you have no idea what exactly it is you want yet, and that you have to decide now, whether you like it or not. 

To say that situation is volatile with SDA students would be like saying a cigarette ignites gasoline. The tension of it all scares her, more than most things do. She doesn't have to worry about career woes like the rest of them (since her job at the Underside may as well be an eternal contract), but... being in the same grade as them is still unnerving. She's glad she distanced herself before everything really started heating up. 

Step, after step. Sleek, marbled labyrinths surround her every direction. She knows them well at this point. Too well, even, for someone who's only been here for a year. She knows the place like the back of her hand; she could draw a map if she wanted to. It's handy for avoiding trouble-

"...!"

-she stops.

Oh, great, she jinxed herself! There's a yell; she can tell it's on this floor, but she doesn't know where. This is the worst scenario of the lot, by far... just the feeling that you COULD get caught in something...

Step, after step. She takes a deep breath, holds it in and tries to find the source. Not so she can stop the conflict, obviously; she's just getting an idea of where the commotion's at so she can stay

", Savager..."

the hell... away...

...ah.

She's glad she took a deep breath. Because,

"Who do you think you're fooling?!"

yyyyeah. That's right near the elevator to the lower floors, isn't it? That's the only path down the students have access to, oh no, oh no-

Right, right, it's fine, just turn back. You're an Underside employee, so none of the staff will question you if you use the stairs. Just turn around and walk away.

Turn around and walk away again.

"..."

She stops mid-turn.

"But..."

...Wait, why? What are you doing? Leave. There's no stopping a fight between students. The teachers won't do it, and neither can you. It's pointless. What on earth are you even going to do? 

There's nothing you can do. You'll just be putting yourself in danger.

"I'M NOT GOING TO DROP ANY FURTHER BECAUSE OF YOU! LOSE ON PURPOSE, OR ELSE!"

...And yet, she grips her fists. 

Because... what if she just tried something small, for the hell of it, maybe? 

It's a useless whisper. But it won't shut up; it says ridiculous things like 'chuck a sheet of paper to distract them, and see if it breaks them up'. Hordes of small ideas, none of which will ever actually work. Right?

...Well, fine. She has nothing left to lose. And if it ends up being useless, she can always run away. So why not?

Instead of backing off, she takes step... after step, after step forward instead.

It's a bad idea, it's a bad idea, her mind screams as soon as she does it, but something else kicks in, and manages to manually overrun instinct. Her nerves are a mess, fuzzing her body into jelly as she moves, but she manages to take a step forward, and another, and another... and...

...she stops. Then, she takes another. Then, she stops... and then, she starts moving again.

There's some kind of guilt driving her, isn't there? God, is she actually approaching these students head-on? Does she just feel that hopeless? This is tantamount to throwing herself into the lion's den. All she'll do is get chewed up, no doubt about it. If she really wanted to solve some of the conflicts here, then it'd be better to back off and actually muster the energy for a proper plan. Instead, here she is, throwing darts against the wall just to see if anything works. Didn't one of her previous bosses say she was a great problem-solver? What a joke.

Why is every part of her so pathetic?

Step after step after step. Even as a part of her tells her to stop, and another part wars with it, and another part wars with them both, and more, and more, and more... even as her brain slowly falls into a mess, just like always, she keeps taking step after step...

"You ALWAYS think you're better than everyone else, you insufferable lone wolf! Why can't you play in a team like the rest of us?!"

She's 3 corners away now. There's only one path in front of her. Once she turns right, then left, then right again one more time, she'll be face-to-face with an altercation of some kind. 

Of course, she COULD just back off, hide away and wait for it to blow over, like a rational person would. But she doesn't. The yelling continues, and yet she keeps moving. Taking step, after step, after step.

She turns right. The yelling gets louder. She keeps moving.

...She turns left. She can feel the rage from every sound. She keeps moving. Silencing her shuddered breathing beneath a facade of icy composure, she takes the last few steps and hides behind the last corner. 

This is it. If she peeks around to her right, she knows she'll see it.

"Are you all done spouting your insufferable garbage?!" **ccccRrrRrRCRK**

"That's all you have to say, huh? Alright. Fine. Just give me the usual 1-card payment then."

The aggravated spits. "You've never had anything to blackmail me with. Quit your delusional tirade."

"Oh, here she goes again. Acting like she's not a part of this." A heaved sigh. "Card. Now. If you're not jobbing the next set of duels to us, then that's the least you can do!"

"Shut it! You're obsessed with making people believe they owe you, you greedy piece of shit!"

"Greedy?! This coming from you?!" There's a desperate laugh. "You're as much of a hog as we are! Get off your pedestal, Savager!"

Something snaps. "LEAVE! Instead of dragging me into your manchild parades, leave me alone and focusing on IMPROVING yourself for once!"

"...Improving? Okay then. I'll show you improvement."

She shudders at the sound of a fist hitting the wall.

"What's wrong?! Don't wanna scratch your fake nails?!"

"It always ends this way with you...! Violence is all you know how to-"

"SHUT IT!"

_THWACK!_

There's another sound, of _something_ being hit. Her heart thumps.

"Agh!" The assaulted stumbles. "You... _YOU!_"

She holds her breath. This is it. Now or never... whatever now is. Despite all her fears and all her trembling, she peers over the corner, and

**cRCRK**

"**_IF YOU'RE SO INSISTENT, THEN I'LL SINK BACK TO YOUR LEVEL SO I CAN KILL YOU!_**"

_THCCRACK!_

...hell enters her sight.

She cowers immediately. She hears something break. She hears a yell being cut short. She hears someone's body hitting metal. She hears three small objects, spilling onto the ground.

...

...She opens her eyes.

**cRCRKKKKKRKRKRKRKRKKrrkRKRKkrK**

The sight of the wolf, standing above a coughing victim. 

She'll never forget it.

Pale light illuminates the beads of sweat on a LV8 student, towering in the middle of the hallway. Her mythril mane is dishevelled. One of her eyes is bruised. Her uniform is wrinkled, her tie isn't done properly, and there's a couple of colourless stains on her blazer's collar. She's panting. Her fist is shaking. Her eyes are pulsing.

And her voice. Mythril's voice sounds like a horde of blades, fighting each other all at once. "IS THAT ENOUGH 'TEAMWORK' FOR YOU? OR SHOULD I-"

...It dies in an instant.

She watches the scene, ruptured. 

The first thought she has regarding Mythril is:

'I know that expression.'

Desolate realisation. There's a throbbing chill. You try to process the harm you've inflicted. You realise you're scum. If you weren't so numb, it'd make you slam a fist against the wall, and that thought precedes the feeling of irredeemability setting in. 

Mythril lowers her head, her rage gone. "..."

"_You._" But her peer is furious beyond belief. "I swear to god, once I'm done with you, you're-"

Instinctively, the 'inspiring prodigy' gulps.

"...!"  
"...!"

...

...Wait, what? Why did they all just stop-

Oh.

Oh, this isn't good. They've all noticed her now, haven't they? She's wide out in the open.

"You..."

**CrKK**

Mythril speaks to her. Mythril's emerald eyes are directly in front of her. She notices; there's tears in those eyes, probably on the verge of breaking out before she interfered. 

For a moment, they stare at each other, terror overwhelming them.

"That person... she's gotta be Hikawa's friend, right?"

Her heart jumps. She and Mythril look at the horde of sharks, staring them down.

The maws open. 

"Get her."

"...! No!"

She sees Mythril rushing past her. Her hand's grabbed- "A-ah!"

"Follow me!"

She's flying. 

Adrenaline throbs in. Shaking like a strangled jet plane, the smoke and altitude pressuring her flesh, she runs. Her legs run on that same fear she knows so well. It's enough of a motivation to let her keep pace, but Mythril keeps a desperately firm grip on her hand regardless.

"Get her!" 

There's footsteps echoing from behind. Panting, they try to run faster-

"Split up and search! I'll beat the shit out of her if it's the last thing I do!"

-

until that line runs through her ears.

Her legs fail her, and she trips on nothing. That's pretty fitting for her, isn't it?

"A-are you alright?!"

"...Ack..."

She's... being carried. Her vision is blurry, and the world's flooding around her; she can't tell how fast it happens. 

Next thing she knows, she's leaning against a wall. She shakes her head and blinks twice. When she looks to her left, she sees Mythril crouching with her, peering around the corner. "Ah. U-um..."

"Deep breaths." There's a hand reaching out to her shoulder again, but not quite touching. "Do you need me to support you?"

"A-ah. N-no..." She manages to stand. "I-I'll... be fine."

"I-I'm sorry. I won't let you get caught up in this. I swear it."

She's drawn to Mythril's expression, covered partially by messy clumps of teal and a seemingly stable tone. She sees what appears to be a calm face, an attempt to focus only on looking for a way to flee. But... there's sweat pouring down the wolf's forehead. Beads of sweat, wobbling in a rhythm of staggered exhales, running past the frozen tears. 

"Tch. That's the only path."

Mythril takes a deep breath.

"...Go. I'll stop them. If you run as fast as you can, I can hold them off until you reach the elevator."

"...! But that means you'll-"

Mythril shakes her head. "I-I'm the only one who deserves to be hurt."

...

Now she understands. 

She's not looking at a mindless beast. She's looking at a frightened teenager. "...This way." 

"What?"

She grabs Mythril's hand. "There's a staff-restricted route to the ground floor. Follow me!"

"W-wait!"

And she runs, as fast as she can, never letting go. 'I'm not the only one in danger anymore'; that's probably what was going through this person's head. It's a warm thought, one she'd never expect to see in this place, and for some reason that makes her legs move like nothing else. It's like from the depths of her fear sprung the unrestrained automation of selflessness, begging her to run.

"W-where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe!"

She wouldn't have it any other way. It's a miracle she's mustered the courage to help this person. She doesn't need to know why she's so desperate to; all that matters is that she finally has. So for the next 3 minutes, not a single word's exchanged between them; only their desperate intakes of air. Tuning out the yells and every other sound, the two of them run, and run, and run. She knows every wall too well to get lost, and the path's clear. She juggles out a key, stumbles through a door, opens another, and runs down and down a staircase, holding Mythril all the way. She skips several steps along the way, as each set takes them down another story, and she hits each and every turn, holding Mythril all the way. She takes the final set down, slams through the door on the other side, and runs through the field, holding Mythril all the way. She hits the main path, circles around the tower, runs through the Dragon's Maw, approaches the plaza, passes the fountain and crosses the bridge over the river, holding Mythril all the way. 

"We're... almost there...!"

She sees a cluster of four buildings grouped together in a leap's distance, shaped like a set of icebergs. She guides the two of them away from the camera, circles around to find the back entrance, and she fiddles out another key and opens the door, holding Mythril all the way.

"Here!"

_SLAM!_

They sprawl inside, panting, stumbling forward, the air conditioner blasting their skin. She grabs the nearest desk for support, while Mythril lies back against the wall. 

"Hah... hah..."  
"Hah... hah..."

They're alone now. There's nobody left to pursue them. But she throws the door shut and locks it, just to be safe.

"Hahh..."

It takes a few minutes to get their breath back.

...

...

...

"...Are you injured?"

"Ah, no, I'm fine! Thanks for asking."

"Good. I-I'm... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I-it's okay. I..." She looks up at Mythr- "Wait, hang on, don't worry about that right now! Stay there for a second!"

"...huh?"

That injury's gotta sting; she can't leave it like that. Her mind still on autopilot, she dashes past rows of computers and heads into a nearby mini-kitchen. There's a few ice packs here in the freezer, right? No, not in this box, not in this one... A-hah! There we go!

Honestly, trying to remain calm after that experience is a trial and a half; but the wound on the wolf's face keeps her moving. She heads back into the room where the bewildered Mythril's now sitting, and offers the pack. "Here. Press this to your eye for a few minutes at a time. It'll recover pretty quickly if you repeat this over the rest of the day."

"R-right." Mythril slowly takes it. "Thank you..."

"Is your vision having any problems? Any headaches or swelling?"

"N-no. I'm fine."

"See a doctor if anything like that happens, okay? Oh, and," she takes her backpack off and fishes out a box of pills, "here. If there's any pain, have one of these and swallow with water. Do you take any medicine that reacts negatively with ibuprofen?"

"Um. Does... estradiol 'react negatively' with it?"

"Not in my experience; that should be fine. Good! Make sure you don't rub the area-" 

She stops. Then, she hits the slow realisation of just what on earth she's doing right now.

"O-oh. Gwah, I'm really sorry! I tend to get overbearing without realizing it-"

"I-it's ok." The wolf looks away. "Thank you for your concern."

"Right..."

Silence.

The atmosphere's ambivalent. In one way, it's... kinda surreal that she doesn't feel threatened by this person. Normally, an SDA student talking to her is enough incentive to step back immediately, especially one who's been in a fight. But at the same time... well, it's not as if the two of them can look each other in the eye after all that. This student isn't hostile, but she does seem intimidating in another sort of way. Her dishevelled figure, her worn clothes, the layers of bags under her eyes messily covered up by concealer... in some ways, it actually kinda reminds her of her own appearance. The appearance of someone begrudgingly lifting their body each morning, for no reason except the irritation dysphoria always brings-

-Wait, isn't that being a little presumptuous? Although she did mention- argh, this is nerve-wracking! With how tense their situation just was, it feels stifling to try and talk about anything. All she can muster right now is a few glances at this person... at the wolf who was willing to throw herself away for her, even though they'd never previously met. Curiosity and gratitude guide her towards those emerald eyes on instinct.

...Mythril still looks scared. It's gut-wrenching to watch; she's obviously trying to stay calm, but that sort of fight would leave anyone terrified. She was staring down about 5 different students, all ready to brutalize her. How does it feel to be on the receiving end of that? ...Well, the fact that her hands are still shaking means the terror probably hasn't-

-wait. "Oh crap, you're bleeding!"

"...What?"

"There's a tiny cut right here, I think!" She immediately gets up and inspects Mythril's wrist, eliciting a slight yelp. "Hold on, I'll-"

"W-wait."

But before she can dash off again, her arm's gripped. "Eh? What's wrong?"

"...That blood isn't mine."

...

"...Oh."

Mythril looks away with a dismal frown.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright." She sits back down. "I'm... I'm the one who should be apologizing. I didn't mean to grab you like that."

Urk. She can't deny it made her feel uncomfortable a bit, but that just makes her realise; she's probably been breaching personal space too, hasn't she? "Oh, no, it's okay. Sorry for pestering you. Bad habit of mine."

"...It's alright."

Great. Now Mythril looks even more anguished. "U-um... do you... do you wanna hide here for a while? I have work to do, but there's a spare room that nobody really enters. If you want, you could-"

Mythril shakes her head. "It's fine. I'll run into them again sooner or later. I don't wish to impose on you any further, so I'll compose myself and then leave."

"A-alright. Let me know if you need anything, okay?" ...Wait, that just sounds silly. This isn't a hospital room; find something else to talk about! "Um... does that happen often?"

"That?"

"T-the fighting."

"...It's not the first group I've argued with."

"Oh." Urgh, that was way too sensitive a topic, wasn't it? "S-sorry."

...

"...So! You're a LV8 student too, right?"

"Yes."

"Right. Um... what kind of... p-playstyle do you prefer?"

A blink. "...I prefer consistent decks."

"Ah, right. Me too, actually! Well, having a surprise or two in your arsenal is fun, but I always feel like it's knowing the in-depth mechanics and synergy between your cards that matters the most, so... uh-" ...Damnit, not again. She just wanted to lighten the tone, but she can't even do that. That look Mythril's giving her probably translates to 'what a weirdo', doesn't it? "...yeah."

"I-I see."

"Yeah..."

Silence.

...Ugh, what is she doing? This person's just had a fight and looks uncomfortable as all hell right now, and yet here she is spilling her verbal guts all over the floor as if it never happened. Is she that desperate to talk to another student? Gah. She's got the emotional sensitivity of a robot by now, with the way the SDA's worn her out. She should let Mythril leave, rather than be an nuisance to someone just because she's lonely-

"Thank you. I'll head to class now. It's a better use of my time than being with those delinquents."

Oh. She didn't expect her wish to come true that fast. "R-right. Okay. Um, do you want me to walk with you there? I know some routes that might avoid-"

"I'll be fine on my own."

.

It strikes her cold. 

Strange. It's not like she's trying to befriend this person. She's not selfish enough to be a burden like that. So... why does she feel kinda empty now?

There's a frown. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to seem ungrateful. But you'll be safer if you don't associate with me. That'd only put you in harm's way."

"Oh, no need to worry," she responds. "I'm pretty good at slipping away from those sorts of situations."

"That doesn't mean I'm worth your time."

She gulps. "I-I, th-" No, saying 'that's not true' would probably be insensitive. "I mean, I don't mean to sound presumptuous, but... don't be afraid to ask others for help if you need it! Especially in a place like this."

Mythril looks away. "You're... kind. But please, save that kindness for someone else. I'm nothing more than a brute."

"...That's fine. I'm no saint either."

Mythril's expression changes.

...

"...I see. Thank you. I'll keep your words in mind."

The wolf heads to the exit, leaving the metallic walls behind.

"Farewell. I truly am grateful for what you did."

"O-oh. Same to you! Have a safe trip back."

"I will. I promise."

The door's shut.

...

The air conditioner nips at her skin. She's... more used to isolating herself, than she is to being left alone. 

But weirdly, she feels pretty energized now. 

Right; she's skipped class for the sake of work, so she might as well get on with it. She heads to an innocuous section of the wall and scans her hand over it, opening the door to the Underside. Taking a deep breath and stretching her muscles, she heads down the plasma-pulsing staircase of darkness, trying to illuminate each step with the newfound light in her eyes.

...Maybe it's because she managed to lend a hand. That student escaped a fight and had some time to cool off, thanks to her... even if she ended up dragging it out a bit. She's not silly enough to see it as some sign that she's breaking free, or as a reason to cling to someone, but it's a simple truth that this outcome feels... motivational for her. Motivational enough that she swears to make the most of it, by toughing out the nuts and bolts at work today. 

After all, this was probably the last time she'll talk to that person, right?

\---

**CKKrr**

It wasn't.

"I apologise for interrupting your break."

"Oh, I'm-" Her jaw drops. "Wh..."

But she could almost swear it was. Because right now, her visitor looks like an entirely different person. The green eyes and teal hair are the only indicators she's talking to the same desolate wolf she saw yesterday. 

Gone are the scattered and matted clumps of hair; they've been mostly brushed away save for one stray strand, leaving a rather smooth and curly mane reaching to just below the shoulders. The wrinkles that previously riddled her blazer have been completely ironed out, making it look as imposing and professional as she does, and she's replaced her shirt as well, rolling back its cuffs and leaving her stainless. Her expression truly does look cool and collected now; and even the black eye's fading pretty quickly. She's, uh...

...kind of mesmerizing to look at suddenly.

Wait, hang on, respond already! "A-ah! It's nice to see you again. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm quite fine now. Thank you for your concern," Mythril says. "How about you? Have those students tried to approach you?"

"Ah, no, they haven't! None of them are in my class, luckily." Not like she goes there much anyway...

"Good. If you think they'll try to coerce or threaten you, please let me know immediately and I will intervene. My class is Horus LV8, for reference-" Pause. "...Actually, would you be alright with having my phone number? That will likely be easier."

She spits out her drink. "W-wh-wh-wh-"

"O-oh. I-I'm sorry, I didn't-" Mythril facepalms and shakes her head. "Forgive me. That was crass."

"A-ah, no, it's okay! I'm flattered you'd do that for me, honestly," she responds, trying to pull herself together. "So... um..."

...

...Mythril looks confused. Is... is she not going to give her phone number? Wait, no, of course not; that'd be silly. They'd just established that was overstepping things... right?

...Silence.

"S-so!" She speaks a bit too loud. "What brings you here?"

"Allow me to get straight to my point. I have something I'd like to give you, to express my gratitude."

"A g-gift?" For her?! Really?! "I-I'd, um. That sounds great!" ...Smooth. "I mean, thank you. What is it?"

Mythril takes a seat at the adjacent computer, places her bag down and takes something out. It's...

...a box? W-wait. "Is this..."

"Yes. A lunchbox."

Her head spends the next few seconds trying to process what she's done to earn this. It fails.

"I don't mean to be impolite, but... when we were in this room yesterday, I noticed your stomach was grumbling. Do you often skip meals?"

"A-ah. Yeah, I tend to do that sometimes with work..."

"Then, if it is to your liking, you can have this as your lunch today."

Wordlessly, she opens the lid.

"...Does it look alright?"

It almost makes her want to cry. It's nothing grandiose, obviously, but there's a healthy balance of food in there, and none of it's spoilt. It's even neatly separated. It... it looks really appetizing. God, she's hungry now... "Yeah. Y-yeah, it's great! T-thank you very much!" She nods fervently. "I really appreciate it. Sorry if I made you feel obligated to do something like this."

Mythril shakes her head. "It's alright. I only wanted to express my gratitude; nothing more. W-well, that, and I... I was merely concerned about your safety, as any person would be." 

Is she... blushing? 

"A-ah, no, let me rephrase. I wasn't 'worried' per se; a-anyone could tell I'm not capable of feeling worry. But leaving you in this room after the encounter with the students left me with, um... an awry sensation. S-so I figured I would check on you. That's all."

She gets a lot less succinct when she's embarrassed, doesn't she? That's kind of cute, actually. "...hehe. I'll gladly accept it then! Don't worry; I mean it when I say nobody's harmed me since. Slipping away from tense stuff is, uh. One of my only good qualities, really," she mumbles. "Have you eaten your own lunch yet? If not, we could have it together here! I know the Academy cafeteria's pretty stiff, after all."

Mythril stops. "I'm a fool. I forgot to make my own lunch today."

.

...hehe. Hehehe. 

"H-" She catches it. "...Hehe."

There's an adorable blush. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not normally this disorganised, I promise."

"It's okay! I know the feeling sometimes." She gets up with a big grin on her face. "I'll grab some extra snacks and water, so... do you want to split this lunchbox?"

"Are you sure? Won't you be hungry?"

"It's fine by me! Besides, you stuffed it with a lot."

The blush grows. "I didn't think the portions were that big..."

Her head's floating in the clouds now. She knows, logically speaking, that she shouldn't be giving herself this satisfaction, but... she's enjoying this too much to think properly! She feels all fuzzy inside; it's been a while since she had this much energy. She's not even gaining it from Duel Monsters or anything, it's just... she hasn't had an experience like this in a while, is all.

There's a spring in her step as she heads over to the nearby kitchen and fishes a couple napkins out. Once everything's gathered, she sits back down and smiles merrily at Mythril. "Here you go. Thank you for the meal!"

**cCCRK**

And the smile she gets in response is breathtaking. It's the first time she sees Mythril's smile. "Thank you for the meal."

They pass the minutes away.

When was the last time she had lunch with another student? Or a coworker, even? She can't tell. She... missed this feeling. The feeling of just spending time together, nothing complex to it. Obviously, she's not going to take it for granted; this is definitely a one-time-only thing, and she's not going to be selfish enough to ask for more. But it's okay to enjoy this, right?

...Well, it probably isn't, actually. B-but... mmmmaybe just this once, she can ignore the feeling of guilt. It's fine, it's fine; who cares about whether you deserve this? Go ahead and relax for a change. Isn't this fun?

The lunch chatter's still awkward; neither of them are good at conversation, turns out. She keeps talking for way too long about random topics in an attempt to seem friendly, while Mythril isn't quite sure when to speak up. It's kind of inevitable, really; she doesn't have many interesting things to say about herself, so most of their brief talking points are, uh... about the food. And the computers. S-still, it's just... nice, to have lunch together! Stiff as it is. 

"Ah, you said you were in Horus LV8, right?" Agh, great. Typical; figures she'd end up tangenting into dueling at some stage. Well, no going back now; "What's your Rank?"

"...163."

"Whoa, that's pretty high. Good job!"

"It's nothing. My performance is hardly worth noting."

"O-oh, right. Still, regardless of how the Academy sees you, I think that's pretty impressive."

Mythril frowns. "Thank you. But I'd rather not talk about my Rank."

"Ah. U-um. S... sorry about that." Argh, and of course she'd hit a landmine at some point! "Um, what decks do you usually use? Any archetypal preference?" -Wait, why did she IMMEDIATELY continue babbling on? What's wrong with her? "A-ah, is that a sensitive topic too-"

"No, it's alright," Mythril responds. "Although you shouldn't expect any stories of interest regarding my skill. To be honest, I haven't settled on any particular deck in a long time. I keep experimenting with different kinds of archetypes and playstyles, but I can't find anything that consistently works for me."

"I see! I get that feeling. There's never one deck that has all the answers you need, is there?"

"I suppose that's part of the enjoyment, isn't it? ...Perhaps I've grown too bitter lately." Mythril pauses, then shakes her head. "What about you? Even though we're in the same grade, I've never seen you in an exhibition match. I can't help but be curious."

"C-curious? About me?" ...Nobody should waste their time on that. "A... ahaha. Believe me, I have less stories to tell about dueling than you do. I'm awful at it, honest. Most of my skill lies in greasing the gears, really."

"What do you mean?" She looks at the computers surrounding them. "Ah, I see. I suppose we are in the Technology Department right now. Do you assist the staff here?"

"I'm one of them, actually."

Now there's an expression she sees a lot. "At 14 years of age? Is that legal?"

"Well, for ShiraCorp... yeah. They just claim it's volunteer work." The 'whizz kid' glances aside at the cameras. Maybe it'd be a good idea to disable their audio again in the future; she's done it a few times before, and if she wants to keep talking like this- 

-wait. Why is she already assuming she's going to speak to this person again? Talk about selfish. "A-ah, don't worry about me! I handle a lot of work, but I'm used to it. And I like what I do, if nothing else. My coworkers say I'm a huge tech geek."

"I see. What work are you usually assigned?"

She blinks. Someone's... expressing interest in what she does? That's not good. "W-well, it's nothing all that big," she starts, "I just design a couple cards and effects, help out with maintaining duel disks, assist in making the holographs, some other odd jobs... all the usual stuff, really!"

Mythril pauses for an uncomfortably long time. Oh, no, is she- "...That's an incredible repertoire."

She can feel her stomach sink. "A-aw, shucks. I-I'm just working behind-the-scenes though, really. I'm not anyone special."

"But, for someone your age to have all those abilities... your prowess at Duel Monsters must-"

"Please don't."

...

...The words came out of her mouth before she realised it. "Oh. I'm... sorry."

Great. 

She just killed the entire mood with that. All because she acted up when someone tried to compliment her. She's stiff enough to put a pillar to shame.

"No. I should be apologizing," Mythril eventually responds. "I did not mean to sound envious."

"O-oh, no! Don't worry about that. It's just..." She squirms. "I..."

She whispers the next part, hoping the camera won't hear her.

"...I'm not proud of what I do here."

"...I see. Then, I will not discuss this topic any further unless you wish it."

"Thank you."

The silence returns.

Isn't she being ridiculous right now? Sure, she's hardly worthy of a single compliment at all. That much's obvious to her. But can't she at least accept it when people try to give her praise? For their own sake, if nothing else? All she's doing by rejecting it is making them feel uncomfortable. She's too wrapped up in her own head to be a decent person to anyone. Urgh.

"...I truly do mean it when I say I'm grateful to you."

"Eh?"

She looks up. Mythril's turned to face her, albeit with closed eyes. What's with the shift in topic? Does Mythril feel forced to cheer her up-

-Gah, stop that. Stop being patheti- NO, just... stop. Take a deep breath, keep your head up and listen. "What do you mean?"

"I don't mean to sound overbearing, but..." Mythril's posture tightens for a moment; she's taking a deep breath too. "I... if... if you are okay with it, I would like to explain why I feel this way."

"O-oh. Of course! Hearing you out's the least I can do, after what happened yesterday."

"You may have saved my life."

.

"Ah, no, forget what I just said. Curse my blockheadedness..." Mythril mumbles. "I meant to say... you held me when I was about to fall into my worst depths yet."

Even when worded like that, it puts her thoughts to a stop.

"I am frequently involved in conflicts with the other students. But until yesterday, I had never acted with the intention to harm them. At that moment, I realised just how low I'd sunk as a human being," she says. "And I knew... that I would never forgive myself if I sunk any lower. But I would have done just that, had you not helped me flee. At the moment where I would have drowned further into fighting... you gave me the window to breathe, and escape such immaturity instead." She shuffles a bit on her chair. "Does... that make sense? I'm not used to explaining things like this..."

It takes a second to realise she's alive. "A-ah. N-no, it's fine! I'm just... shocked. I... I..." She's the one who can't find the words for this now. "...I'm glad to hear it. But, you were the first one to get us out of there. I would've been socked in the face if you hadn't done that. Compared to you, all I really did was make escaping a little easier."

"...'Even a small kindness could help'."

She blinks. "Eh?"

"Those words... they were the mentality that drove me this morning," Mythril says. "You helped me flee and lent me a brief sanctuary. A sanctuary that gave me the space I needed to start reevaluating myself. So that is why I tried doing something in return."

The box in her hands feels heavier now. "You mean..."

Mythril nods. "I decided to make you lunch. A small kindness, that took only a meagre effort. Something even a wretch like me can do. No matter what kind of people we are, we can still uplift each other through means like this, at the very least. Do you... feel uplifted, by what I did?"

"Yeah. I..." It feels almost sinful to say. "...I felt happy when you visited. It was really nice of you."

"If it would help, please think of your deed like that," Mythril says. "The hand you offered lifted me up, no matter how insignificant it may have been. I mean nothing but the truth when I say that."

...The truth.

It's an objective truth that what she did helped at least a little bit.

Her heart cools, and she breathes. "Yeah. Thanks... ah, ahaha, it feels kind of embarrassing to hear that!" She erratically scratches her hair. "I, um... I know this sounds weird, but... if you're having doubts about yourself, just know I'm grateful to you too! I think I would've collapsed if I encountered that situation alone. You were kind to stick your neck out for me like that."

"You don't need to thank me. I was only trying to clear up my mess. Any responsible person would have done the same."

"It's hard to be responsible in a place like this. Don't be too hard on yourself, okay?" She smiles wearily. "Though maybe I'm not one to talk."

"...I'll simply consider that deed another small kindness of mine, then."

"...Hehe-"

Oh, crap. 

She cuts herself off. Let's... try and step back for a moment. 

Slowly, a few parts of her head break away from instinct. She's always craved whatever's enjoyable, but it'd be a really, _really_ bad idea to forget why she shouldn't pursue this kind of happiness. If she doesn't keep reminding herself, she's just going to get absorbed into talking with Mythril... and that wouldn't be any good...

...but for some reason, she can't quite stop. Maybe the consequences of her getting too close to someone aren't quite setting in yet. Maybe the compliments are already getting to her head, making her believe it'll be fine if she talks to this person more...

_"Something that even a wretch like me can do."_

...Well, what if she DID talk to this person more? What if she asks when Mythril's next free-

She nearly flatlines the second she has that thought. Why? Why is she so desperate to cling to this person?

...

...Well, it wouldn't hurt, right?

No. It absolutely would. She can't bear the idea of angering Mythril with the truth about her work-

But what if she could support Mythril? For some reason, she feels like she can sympathise with her. Wouldn't Mythril feel reassured to have someone who-

-who what? Stop it. All these supposed similarities are just traits she's twisting to mirror each other, aren't they? Just cut it out and let Mythril leave once lunch finishes.

...

...

...Actually, screw it. It'll be fine.

**CrkkCKKKR**

Just one small thing. Nothing major, no lasting friendship or any ridiculous fantasy like that; just one small thing. Something that'll last an extra hour or two between them at most, and give Mythril just a little more to be happy about. That's all.

Think. What small kindness can you give?

The air conditioner filters through the quaint IT room in the Technology Department. They're in another awkward silence, so it'll be up to her to initiate this. "Um!"

Mythril looks at her, and she freezes. What's she doing again? Uhhhhhhhhhhhh-

-Wait. Why does Mythril keep glancing at her wrist... oh! Oho! Okay, she just has to bring this up without looking extremely awkward. "Ah. Um. You're looking at your duel disk pretty intensely."

"...! P-pay it no mind. I-"

"Is it damaged?"

Mythril bashfully looks away.

"A-ah, sorry if I'm pressuring you. But I'd be happy to take a look at it, if you want!"

Mythril zips back around. "R-really?"

"My coworkers don't call me a 'tech geek' for nothing!" She adjusts her glasses. "Besides, carrying a damaged disk around the Academy could mean big trouble. Worst case scenario, it'll break. Let me handle this!"

"Thank god... I was worried it'd be selfish of me to ask..."

"Eh? To what?"

"I-it's nothing. If you don't mind... here."

Mythril raises the arm the disk's attached to. She gets up, walks over to Mythril and gra-

"A-ah!"

-wait, SHIT, NO, WHY IS SHE TOUCHING THIS PERSON'S ARM AAAAA "I-I-I-I-I'm sorry!!!" she rockets 10 metres away and wipes the steam from her glasses, "uh, you canjussssssssssssttakethediskoffandI'llinspectit!"

"R-right. M-my apologies."

Ohhh boy, she's in a real messy state right now, isn't she? Personal space, you clown, personal space! Remember it! Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay... just keep it together, okay? Keep it together and focus. Take the disk, place it on the desk, and just have a look. If you're still overheating, think about, um... think about how relieved Mythril'll be when it's fixed!!! 

Yeah, t-that's some good motivation. And she's repaired like a million duel disks by now, so this'll be a piece of cake! Perfect way to make Mythril a little happier! Let's have a look at this thing and see what the problem is... "...Whoa! That's a huge crack on the orb!"

"It hit the wall during yesterday's altercation. It's several years old, and... I haven't looked at it in a while, ashamedly, so it might be rather brittle."

"Right. That means there might be internal damage too. Mind if I open this up?"

"Go ahead. I trust you with it."

For some reason, those words make her heart race. She removes the casing and carefully picks apart a few pieces; "Right, let's see here... remove this, and... Aha! I knew it!"

"Knew what?"

"The culprit's this little buddy right here." She points at a very meticulously arranged chip on the side of the enclave. "A lot of internal disk parts are infamous for slipping around, but most people overlook this one. Might be a bit sturdier, but you'll have a big problem if it gets damaged."

"I see. And this is the primary reason my disk is malfunctioning?"

"You got it! It's the _Artificial Intelligence Terminal,_ or A.T. for short!" She can feel her grin grow. "This thing's responsible for manipulating every holograph the duel disk generates. Every attack and movement you see from a monster you summon is because of this baby!"

"R-right."

"It's actually incredible, this thing. Just look at how complex its surface is; they've packed so much into this one chip. This little pseudo-robot's what enables the self-expression of duelists! Can you imagine-" oh, ffffiddlesticks, not AGAIN- "gah, I'm sorry! Didn't mean to start rambling."

"I-it's okay," Mythril hurriedly responds. "This is good for me to know. Evidently, I've been grossly negligent about the very piece of technology I wield. I should learn more about it."

The second she hears those words, lightning slams through her brain. "Then do you want to learn more about it?! I-I can tell you a bunch of stuff about maintenance! It's really useful information, I pro... mise..." 

...Whooooops. That escalated quickly. 

It's no surprise Mythril looks shocked. What the hell is she doing, trying to turn a simple disk fix into THIS? "S-sorry, that was-"

"No. I..." There's a mumble. "...I think it's a good idea."

wait, what "REALLY?!"

"Yes. How long will it take for you to repair this?"

Ohhhh boy, okay, let's stay calm, "O-one to two days at most! The damage doesn't go deep; all I need to do is fix the A.T., replace the orb casing and make sure everything else works. I promise it'll be in good hands!"

"I know it will," Mythril responds. "Should I visit you tomorrow for a progress check? You can tutor me in the meantime, if that would be suitable for you."

T-TUTORING? Is that what's gonna happen?! "I-I'd love to! A-ah, I mean, that'll be fine!" She autopilots. "I'm usually in this room during lunch break. It's not occupied very often, and even if it is, I know a few other places, so, uhhhhhhh... yeah! Lunch break's best!"

"Understood. I'll be looking forward to it... i-if you're okay with having me."

"Of course! Um, here; you can borrow this." She fishes out a spare key to the back door, and she has absolutely no idea why. "Saves you the trouble of having to wait at reception."

"A-are you sure?"

"Y-yeah!"

"...Thank you. I'll make sure not to lose it." Mythril tucks it away and stands up. "Break will be over soon, so I must leave. I hope you enjoyed our lunch."

"It was really nice talking with you! Sorry for all the awkward pauses," she says. "Then, um... see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. See you tomorrow."

On that note, Mythril packs her bag, strides to the exit and shuts the door behind her. Weird how she looked so flushed despite her expression staying the same, but that might've just been a trick of the eye.

Well, guess that's that. Time to get back to work then.

...

...

...

...Wait, no, _hold on a second!_ Slow down! That swerved way too quickly!

Why did you do that?! And why did Mythril agree to it so readily?! Her face was completely blank; was she just responding on autopilot too? Why? Did she feel pressured? There's no other possible reason she would've accepted tutoring from you, is there? And when did it explicitly become tutoring?! What's going on?! Graaurghghgh!

Immediately, the calm and polite 'whizz kid' curls into her chair like a sugar-rushed hamster and buries her face into her hands. "S-s-s-s-she... s-s-said y-yes, i-i-immediately..."

How did it end up like THIS? This can't be real, right? You're... going to talk with her again? Tomorrow?! There's a student out there who _wants_ to talk to you more? 

...No, no, no, snap out of it! It's because of the duel disk, t-that's all. This is gonna be a short 1 or 2 sessions, and nothing else. Don't try and obligate her towards spending multiple lunch breaks on you; it's not gonna be worth her time when she realises how gross you are. It's a crime to burden someone as nice as her, so you're NOT showing off your ugly cowardly mug to her, okay? Just play it cool tomorrow. Play it cool...

"Hrrhhfrggggh."

...'Play it cool' does not seem to be calming her down.

"Mmmmmmrgghg!"

She thrusts her head up. In front of her lies Mythril's duel disk.

Her thoughts leave her. Silencing her grunts, she pushes her chair forward and stares at the disk. Wordlessly... she... reaches, and settles her hand upon it. Her fingers instinctually brush its edges, trailing slowly and carefully over its calloused metal...

...Then, over the next few minutes, she yanks a toolbox, picks out the loose fiddly bits lying around with unparalleled precision, tucks them into a plastic wallet and puts the orb casing back on. Good; everything that could easily get stuck or damaged has been removed. 

"..."

...Her hand calmly lifts the device up.

"..."

She... wraps her arms around the disk, holding it close to her chest...

...And she keeps it there for the rest of the break.

...

"...What am I doing...?"

\---

"Did you hear? Savager's suddenly acting like a goody-two shoes."

It's the next morning when she first notices the rumours. Doesn't that name sound familiar, she thinks? So, contrary to her usual nature, she eavesdrops.

"You mean her teacher's pet act? I got chastised by her for littering outside the hall."

"Ugh, seriously? What's with the change in attitude?"

"You've heard of her sister, right? People are saying they might've switched places."

"Nah, that'd be ridiculous. Her sister's way bubblier. Looks a lot more like a girl than 'she' does, too."

"What if it's a front then? Maybe she's trying to use it to up her Rank."

It's an activity of hers that lasts for the next week. Evidently, Mythril's change isn't some major shockwave in the Academy, but it's definitely become a boredom-stopper for the students. They're gossipping plenty about the wild and ragged lone wolf, who's suddenly brushed up her fur overnight: Is she being blackmailed? Is she blackmailing someone else and covering it up? Or is she trying to win students to her side by being polite, so she can tear them apart and devour them later? Nobody knows. Most of the rumours are too exaggerated for anyone to make sense of it, anyway; they feel less like points of contemplation, and more like grotesque narratives made for personal satisfaction.

"Well, I'm not gonna complain if it means she gets in my way less."

"You kidding me? She's so boring now. I miss the days where she'd drag students through the mud with that salivating, _hairy_ maw of hers. That was way more entertaining than this creepy nerd she's become."

"Yeah, yeah. Now she's lambasting students for skipping class instead. Happened to me once, and I'm already sick of it."

"I doubt she'll stay that way. Sooner or later, she'll lose her temper again, trust me. We could even try and infuriate her ourselves."

"Dragging her back down... ehh, sounds too tedious."

If they've tried anything, Mythril hasn't made it evident. But it's still vile; some of the things she hears make her fists ball. If it wasn't for her cowardice, and for Mythril's concern about her safety, she'd probably be flicking erasers at peoples' heads.

Savage. Ruthless. Solitary. It makes her recall the day she first met Mythril. The shouting, the arguing, the fists buried into one another's faces... if the rumours are any indication, Mythril's always been like that from the newbies' perspective; and exaggerated as that perspective may be, it definitely means Mythril might've... acted differently before. She's not going to take stock in any of the students' creepier comments though, so that's all the information she gains.

That just leaves one query rushing around her head. What caused the change, and why?

...It couldn't have been her, could it? 

No, she thinks at first. It pays not to be presumptuous. So as the days pass, she doesn't question it, and she stops paying attention to the rumours pretty quickly.

Knock, knock.

"May I come in?"

Rewind back to Day 3. For some reason, she couldn't take her mind off of this meeting. Hearing that voice again, being reunited again; it immediately clears out the muck from her head. She shoots up from her seat with a smile on her face as Mythril enters.

"My student council work took me longer than anticipated. I apologize for being late."

"No worries! Make yourself comfortable," she responds, trying to hide her excitement. "What's being on the student council like? I hear it's a mess."

"Just as it sounds. There's no use complaining about it." There is a sigh, though. "I had to spend more time than usual there today; they used my broken disk as an excuse. "

That's her cue! "Well, you won't have to worry about that any longer!"

She opens one of her draws, and takes Mythril's duel disk out.

"Ta-da! Spick and span, good as new."

"A-already?" Mythril carefully holds it. "Did it really only take you one night?"

"Well, it was nothing disastrous! The A.T. probably just got dislodged after hitting the wall because you've used it so much. Blade generator slipped a bit too, but that's nothing unusual. Duel disks are pretty hardy, so that's more or less the only problems there were-" She pauses. "O-oh, my bad! Should I have taken a bit longer? I wasn't trying to rush it..."

"No... you haven't rushed it at all. I can tell." Mythril straps the disk to her wrist and raises it, illuminating the myriad of dents that reveal its age. "You've polished the surface and tested its functions too, haven't you?"

"Gack! Well, um... yeah, I had to make sure everything was working. Sorry about that."

"I don't mind. I'm extremely grateful to you." Argh. How is it that Mythril can make her heart jump without even smiling? "Do you mind if I test it again now?"

"Go for it!" 

She nods fervently and fishes a card from another drawer. 

"Here, take this; it's a pretty small monster, so you won't make a scene by summoning it in this room."

Mythril looks at it. "I remember this card. The Corporation is currently advertising it to investors, aren't they?"

"That's right! Don't worry, it's fully functional, so you can give it a whirl."

The wolf nods. Then, she takes a confident, rigid pose, draws her blade in one motion and briskly places the card upon it. It's a success; a pixellated tamagotchi-esque monster with **0ATK** forms itself and hovers above the computers, waving back at its wielder. It's actually kind of exciting to watch, for some reason... even though she's seen the maneuver dozens of times. Her heart's racing as she watches it right now. Why is that?

Ah. Actually, the answer's pretty simple. She'd almost forgotten:

Duel Monsters is fun. 

...Good thing she's not the one doing this, then.

"I strangely feel rather motivated." 

Besides, watching this person do it is captivating enough. Mythril's gazing at the scene with an alluring serenity to her eyes. 

The blade's withdrawn, and the card's handed back. "Thank you. I apologise for my hastiness, but break only lasts another 26 minutes. May we have lunch and begin the tutoring session?"

"Hehe. Not to worry; I've already got everything prepared!" 

She fishes out an incomplete duel disk and a simplified blueprint, deciding not to mention how she spent all of last night and this morning on it. There's no need to make Mythril worry about her health; and besides, she's an expert at avoiding her bosses and teachers by now.

"We'll start with the basics; what the curriculum covers, and what it doesn't. There's a lot of important stuff the academy doesn't actually teach you, and it's all useful knowledge to have. After that, we can cover a few handy maintenance tricks anyone can use! Then, uh... there's plenty of theory behind it, but there's no way we can cover it all now, so we don't have to worry about that. Oh, and," she continues, "I was thinking we could set up a few practical tasks, based on what you feel comfortable with! The department has plenty of recycled disks, so nobody'll notice if one or two goes missing. How does that sound?"

Mythril looks shocked. "...You're prepared. This is incredible."

"O-oh. Uhhhhh," she hurriedly scratches her head, "I-I tend to get really absorbed in these things, is all. I'm almost addicted to maintenance sometimes..."

"Your experience shows." Mythril places her bag down and gets- _wowwww,_ that's a lot of different supplies... flash cards, highlighters, notebooks- oh my god, she bought a maintenance TEXTBOOK? Ohhhhh my god... "I only hope I can make the effort you've put into this worth it."

"Hehe. So long as you enjoy learning it, that's all we'll need!" The whizz kid adjusts her glasses and grins. "Ready to begin?"

**kkCCKKRRK** Mythril smiles again. "Whenever you're ready."

That's how their time together officially starts.

She's under the impression it'll only last a few days; she's just providing some tips to go with the duel disk she's returned, that's all. So she does her best to explain what Mythril should know about her own disk. In some ways, it's less like a teaching session and more like a curious exploration, fervent eyes looking over the details with concentration and vigor. The textbook's definitely part of the reason why; Mythril's making as much of a contribution to this tutoring session as she is, in some ways. To think that Mythril was anticipating this strongly enough to bring a textbook... it's making her words go haywire. There's so many things they can cover thanks to the conversation topics that book enables (even if a lot of them are tangents from the tutoring). It's slowly starting to remind her of everything about Duel Monsters so much.

And Mythril herself; god, she's so nice! The rumours spew garbage about her that isn't true in the slightest. With the way she's so polite and formal, it's impossible not to respect her. Sure, it's a bit intimidating trying to return her expectations and attention, but she only means well with it! And she always goes out of her way to make sure she's never overstepping when it comes to... uh... literally any kind of boundary. To be fair, that's understandable; it's never easy to tell when someone's comfortable around you, is it? She may be almost endearingly excessive with it at times, but that's part of the reason why it never feels threatening to be with her. 

...It's almost strange. Why doesn't she feel scared around Mythril? Regardless of actual politeness level, their first meeting should've made her terrified of the wolf; that's how her anxiety usually works. For some reason though, she isn't really getting hung up on it... it just doesn't feel like a major concern. Maybe it has something to do with the way Mythril's enabling her?

Break ends pretty quick (way quicker than usual), and as it turns out, Mythril's hungry for knowledge. She's inquisitive about every little detail. She doesn't just want a few general tips; she wants the full package, enough to keep herself completely self-sufficient when it comes to maintenance. They quickly realise a few days won't be enough to learn it all; as a result, Mythril tentatively asks if it would be alright for them to meet up several days a week, with a slight flush on her face and a strangely twisted scowl.

"That'd be great! If you're up for it, let's meet up on our lunch breaks. How does that sound?" Is her response.

Mythril agrees immediately. "That's fine with me. You have my gratitude." 

That conversation runs on repeat through her head for the rest of the day.

"I can't run late again, so I'm afraid I must leave. When we meet up tomorrow, let's lay out our current lesson plan. Then we can modify it to include more." Mythril stands up. "...Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"It's no problem for me! After all, this's been SO much fun-" She pauses. "I-I mean! It's great to see you so invested, so I j-just, uh... want to teach you more!"

"I-I see. I will do my best to live up to your- I mean," Mythril pauses, "...um... let us continue this tomorrow."

"Got it! I'll have everything prepared, don't you worry. Good luck with the rest of the day!"

"I wish the same to you."

They reach out- until they realise no, a handshake'd be stepping over way too many boundaries! So they awkwardly nod instead. Keep it professional, right? Don't do this for the sake of your own indulgence, 'whizz kid'. You're supposed to be a tutor, not a coddled child playing with toys.

Chik!

...She fights the urge to sigh once Mythril's left. After how joyous their session was (seriously, how was that so fun?), it's a real pain to go back to work. The only reason she even wants to get through it right now is so she can wake up tomorrow and...

...and...

...

...and what?

What are you doing? 

You're not meant to be enjoying yourself. When did you gain the right to do that?

'Multiple sessions', 'useful information'... those are just excuses to find someone to ramble to, aren't they? Cut it out. Don't squander Mythril's efforts by being a pig; she's here to learn, not to be your escape. So don't take up more of her time than you need to. She's probably got a lot of work to do, and she's evidently working through some stuff internally, so if you're smart, you'll cut this short soon enough and stop wasting her time so she can leave and focus on herself.

...Are the idle discussions really a waste of Mythril's time, though?

**CCRRK**

She freezes that thought immediately. 

Day 4. She begins the day swearing she won't spill her guts over the table-

Then they end up speed-talking a 3-week tutoring plan in the course of 10 minutes, 2 tangents in-between. She forgot the second she looked at those eyes, didn't she?

Okay, so it'll be 3 weeks! Whatever, that's fine; there's an established end-date, at least. And it starts off well! They're going to cover practical work on fixing and maintaining duel disks during week 1, then move to a beginner's online electronics course during week 2. That'll build them up to week 3, where each day will be dedicated to learning about the 7 broad 'parts' of any duel disk and their variations. It's nothing as masterful as making your own disk, but that's not necessary anyway. Hopefully, all the complex stuff'll be condensed enough that Mythril doesn't need a degree to learn it. It's all going to help Mythril, without lasting long enough to learn anything more about the 'whizz kid' she's being tutored by. It'll end without her having to face any ugly true colours. That's for the best.

By the time day 4 ends, there's some good progress. Mythril's a little uncertain as to whether she's keeping up, but honestly she's done amazingly. She's really dedicated; even though their first practical drill made her feel doubtful, it's obvious she's really putting her mind to it. Maybe she's just surprised by how much there is to learn? Getting to the point where you can maintain your own duel disk without a technician's help is a lot harder than it looks. It'll just take a bit of time, is all; and a LOT of practice!

Day 5 ends up being pretty similar. There's a lot of hands-on-work this time around; she watches with glee as Mythril fervently takes apart the bits and pieces, and the day ends up going pretty well in her book. Mythril calmly takes a deep breath and nods, beginning to understand it'll take a lot of patience to improve on this. Is she finding this fun? Hopefully, the twinkle in her eyes means 'yes'; that's the least she deserves. 

Day 6 is, uh, messier. There's too much to cover in just half an hour, turns out. Should've seen that coming; maintenance is like the tip of an iceberg when it comes to electronics. Her own 'whizz kid' status was forged partly by an entire childhood of tinkering around with machines and making fake archetypes on word documents; it wasn't just because of work experience. For someone completely new to the field like Mythril, it's a much rougher introduction, so... that's probably why her eyes end up like screwdrivers over the course of the session.

"..."

"A-ah, are you having trouble?"

"...I'm alright. It's nothing to worry about."

So she says, but... her face'd make an intimidating statue right now. And she's getting a little too caught up on how one particular piece of a disk works; which isn't as important as simply knowing its function. Would it, uh... be best to mention that?

...Mmmmmmm. Nono, Mythril seems really determined about this. But sometimes determination alone isn't gonna, um... ummmmmmmm... arggggh! She's not cut out to be a tutor, is she?

Most of the session ends up being like that. Mythril asks questions about every little detail unrelated to the big picture; and she can't quite muster the courage to respond with 'let's focus on the practical work for now, okay?' 

"..."

There's a few sighs from Mythril as a result. She's got a real eye for scrutiny, hasn't she? It's kinda backfiring on her at the moment. She's demeaning herself, arguing that she isn't absorbing the information like she hoped she would. But honestly? By the time the session ends, it's not really that big a problem. The important stuff ended up in her brain, and she's evidently curious for more, so there's nothing to be ashamed of! Honestly, that scrutiny is a great trait to have. It makes you a real explorer!

"I apologise," Mythril says, hauling up her stuffed bag and standing. "You tried your best with this lesson, but there was a lot I couldn't understand."

She tries not to sound dismissive in response. "Don't worry about it! It's frustrating when you don't understand something for a while, but reaching the 'a-ha!' moment and putting it all together is really satisfying, isn't it? The unknown's as exciting as it is frustrating!"

Mythril blinks. "I've... I've never looked at it like that before. It sounds so obvious when you say it. The thrill of the unknown..." She closes her eyes. "I always feel like I know little compared to my peers. But in a way, I suppose that means I have much I've yet to discover and enjoy."

"Right? It's something the SDA doesn't get at all. The best times to learn are when you can just enjoy it without some spiteful competition haunting you," she says. "It's... kinda why I got burnt out on their lessons quickly. Honestly," she ends up spilling, "talking about duel disks with you feels way more enjoy- I mean, insightful! Than their lessons."

"I feel much the same way. It was very fun-... damental. This meeting, I mean." Mythril blushes and shakes her head. "I-I apologise, I'm going to be late at this rate. May we continue this next time?"

Ah, drat! "O-of course! Sorry, didn't mean to drag this out. I'm looking forward to our next one!"

"As am I." The wolf opens the door, radiantly at ease, and looks back at her. "...Thank you, once again. I truly am grateful."

Chik!

...Settle down, heart. You're not supposed to be beating...

Uh, let's just ignore whatever that feeling was. Something tells her that if she follows it, she'll just keep spewing meaningless rabble whenever Mythril's around. She needs to focus on helping her instead! 

Focus. Everything's looking up, right? The sessions are going good, hiccups be damned, and it's looking like 3 weeks is all they'll need! Mythril's confidence seems at an all-time high, and she's feeling pretty good about this herself too. So let's move on to day 7!

Day 7 was a disaster.

"..."

It's 10 minutes in when she finally realises; they've _severely_ underestimated how much they're trying to cover. And Mythril's starting to realise it too. There's a reason people normally have to spend years taking courses about dueling technology if they want to be hired. All this in 3 weeks? She should've known it'd be impossible. How did she make the mistake of thinking otherwise? 

...Probably because she got way too excited when she first made the plan. Damnit, her and all her annoying ramblings; she's not concentrating enough. Why can't her 'whizz kid' status let her set up a proper lesson plan?!

Okay, okay, it's fine, this is still fine. Don't get emotional; Mythril always stays calm, so you should too. Learn from her composure. Let's just organise things a little bit and reduce the content to a level that's actually parsable in 3 weeks-

"Please let me continue with the lesson."

"-" Her head pauses. "-Eh? Are you sure?" 

"Yes. I won't settle for any less than this."

Why? T-that's just gonna overwhelm her, isn't it? ...Well, she's really determined, evidently, so... guess it can't be helped..."A-alright then."

"..."

Mythril indignantly presses pen back to paper.

"...Tch."

What happens for the next 20 minutes is something she didn't expect. 

"...Curses. What's wrong with my head?!"

Turns out Mythril is no longer staying calm and composed. Every few seconds, she's either playing with her hair or tapping her foot as she tries to run through the textbook. It's sigh after sigh after haggard, growling sigh. There needs to be an intervention of some kind, right? "Um. Are you sure you don't want to go over the first part again?"

"I'm fine. Please don't worry."

Well, that didn't go well! "O-okay. Uhhhhh," she sweats, "I'lllllll getaglassofwaterifit'dhelp!"

"...Sure."

Mythril faceplants the desk when she heads to the other room.

This... isn't going so well, is it? She tried to intervene, but... Mythril seems to be pretty sensitive when it comes to questions about workload. 'I should at least be able to run through the basics,' or 'I'm not working hard enough'... those're pretty harrowing thoughts considering they've only been at it for a few days. It's not that big a deal; stuff like this always happens when you're learning. There's no need to be that hard on yourself, is there? 

Gah, she really should've structured this better from the beginning. This is all her fault, isn't it? Ugh, whatever, snap out of it; no point falling apart now. Getting downtrod won't make things any better for Mythril...

When she returns with the water, she hasn't quite mustered the energy to speak again. Her mind ends up wandering, lost in the emerald eyes struggling to spark, and she starts asking herself questions. Is it the SDA that's made Mythril this way? Might just be her projecting, but... it'd explain the frustration over the past couple of days. This place makes anyone feel on edge when they're trying to learn something new. There's nothing worse than having your peers and even the teachers mock you whenever you don't have the 'baseline' knowledge in any given situation. She can't deny she kinda hates messing stuff up herself; she's torn her hair out a few times in the Underside, after all, especially when the staff gets heated. Is that the same thing bothering Mythril? "Um..." she ends up asking, "I know this is a weird question, but how long have you been in the Academy?"

Mythril loses concentration. She looks up at her curiously, then grimaces. "...5 years. Nearly 5 years ago, I joined the first grade of the LV4 Division."

"I see- wait, really? So you've attended from the earliest age allowed?!"

A nod. "I am often described as a veteran of this place... for what little it's worth."

5 years. 5 whole years of being mocked for failing, being discouraged from anything you wouldn't succeed at. She's met a few veterans in her time, and she knows for certain; anyone who's been here that long-

"...'They stay away from events that'd force them to see themselves as fallible.' Right?"

She blinks. "Wh-" 

Mythril's looking at her. She just finished her thoughts for her. 

"Um... well..."

"Please do not pity me." There's a sigh. "The Academy's vile nature is no excuse for my own. My failings are my fault, and my responsibility. I apologise if watching me struggle has made you feel forced to argue otherwise."

"But-" 

...No, don't. 'You're not vile' is the last thing Mythril wants to hear right now, isn't it? You might mean well, but there's probably pieces of her past you don't know; pieces that alter how she sees herself. Trying to reassure her without knowing anything about her would be inconsiderate... wouldn't it?

"R-right. I'll, um... stop that."

"...Thank you."

So Mythril says, but the frown remains. The damage's already been done, hasn't it? Mythril's probably hurt. 

Neither of them can look at each other now; all they can do is linger in silence as pen goes back to paper. This is her fault, isn't it? She's the one who swerved a simple maintenance discussion into a more sensitive topic. She shouldn't have asked Mythril something that personal. A failure like her shouldn't be trying to relate to someone this kind and affirming anyway-

"I apologise for my outbursts as well."

She looks up. "Eh? What do you mean?"

"My temperament today has been shameful. And now I've just discomforted you further."

Oh, no, no, no... why? This is all her fault, and yet Mythril's the one apologising now! "I-it's okay!" She waves her hands. "You're not hurting anyone by sighing. That kind of frustration's fine, so feel free to let it out a bit. It's better than bottling it up."

"That may be true, but it's also heavily impeded my progress. You've done so much to set these sessions up for me, and yet I've started squandering them and wasting your time instead. If you feel stressed by my abhorrent behaviour, then-"

"N-no!"

Mythril freezes at that.

"It's my fault. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry... I'm the one who crammed too much into three weeks, and I'm the one who's been sticking my nose where it shouldn't belong." Her fist tightens. "I'm the one who's been stressing you out this whole time, aren't I? I'm sorry."

...

...

"...I accept your apology. And rest assured, you have not hurt me."

**CKrkrR**

...What? That's... not what she expected. 

She looks back up. "W-what do you mean?"

"It is as I said. To be honest, I believe you have been endlessly kind and suppor-" Mythril pauses. "I-I... do not consider your tutoring to be insufficient. But that is merely my perspective. If you see flaws in it yourself, then I will not discourage you from improving on it. After all, your knowledge of this subject far exceeds mine."

**cckCkKRkr**

Her heart races.

It races, and races, and races.

There's... a strange mix of emotions in her she's having trouble describing. It's like nothing she's ever felt before. What is it? The... best way for her to try and explain it would be a warm, comforting fireplace... protected by a reassuring, ice-cold igloo. It's not hostile, but it's not quite peaceful either. It's hard to comprehend. To be honest... out of the whole swirl, there's only one feeling in there she can try and properly define. Probably because it's the same thing she always feels in Mythril's presence:

Safety.

The lesson quickly ends after that. There's a lot left uncovered. To her surprise, Mythril changes tune, and agrees to alter and extend the lesson plan so that they can take it slower than before. 

It's with that declaration, and a strange sense of tension between them, that the wolf silently packs up. 

Once again, she thanks her before she leaves.

Chik!

...

...

...Why can't she stay away from this person? What's keeping them together for so long?

Day 8. Their second week together. The tension from the previous day remains, but they're refreshed enough to lay out a much longer-term plan, curbing their expectations and keeping things steady. It's a miracle they manage to calmly talk it out, considering how they can't even look each other in the eyes anymore. What's going on between them? What changed?

Day 9. Mythril brings her lunch again. They finally get back into it, covering the content at a slower pace than before. Much to her relief, the tension starts to dry out, and they talk to each other with enthusiasm again, letting her forget her vortex of feelings in the midst of maintenance's thrill. Maintenance is fun, isn't it?

Maintenance is fun.

For some reason, that thought's racing through her head a lot more lately.

Day 10. Mythril has a few hiccups, causing a bit of frustration again. But this time, they walk through it together piece by piece, and... slowly, it turns into something exhilarating. Suddenly, Mythril challenges herself with a new kind of practical test, and then succeeds! Or at least, so it appears; then it turns out she misplaced something obvious, and the hype goes down the drain. Still, they're smiling, despite all that. In fact, they're ready to take revenge on that nefarious duel disk when the next day comes! With her guidance and Mythril's determination, there's no learning challenge they can't overcome!

All of a sudden, the highs and lows start coming in full force.

Day 10. She remembers Mythril twirling a strand of her teal hair through subdued distress.

Day 11. She remembers Mythril's blazing eyes, putting two and two together.

Day 12, 13, 14. It's on the up, and down, and up, and then up and up and up... and then down again. Turns out they might not be moving to the electronics course quuuite yet.

Day 15. She overhears another rumour, and gets unusually pissed by it. Mythril's not heartless, nor does she run away!

Day 16. Mythril brings her lunch again. Mythril says she seems to forget lunch on this particular day of the week.

Day 17. It's fun. Maintenance really is fun. But there's such a thing as too much fun; and when she nearly lets out _that_ laugh on accident, she silences herself. It's a good thing she did; she'd never forgive herself for releasing that.

When Mythril asks her if something's the matter, she says she's fine.

Day 18. She might have calmed down a bit, but her companion's unusually attentive. For the first time during their sessions, she sees the faintest of smirks on Mythril's face.

It makes her forget to restrain herself. She can only hope she doesn't laugh now.

Day 19. Both of them faceplant the desk; it's her fault this time around, because she forgot something REALLY important.

Day 20. They start clearing up her previous mess. Mythril doesn't resent her for it. And everything turns out fine in the end. She'd be overjoyed, but she settles for a small grin instead. Be professional. Don't indulge.

Day 21. Maintenance is fun, isn't it?

Day 22. She feels really energized today. Conversation with Mythril even goes smoother than usual, and the tutoring goes amazingly. How's that possible? All they've done is nerd out about gadgets and Duel Monsters.

Day 23. She 'forgets' to bring lunch. Mythril makes one for her.

Day 24. It's a full day of practical tasks. Mythril starts doing a lot of things right. How did they get so far in 3 weeks?

...It's incredible. Mythril's antsy about being seen as inexperienced, as incompetent. As not worth somebody's time, compared to all the beautiful stars out there. And yet... she hasn't given up on learning this subject. Even after her biggest sighs, she lifts her head up, calmly says she has a long way to go, and keeps trying to learn. She's an SDA student who's confronting what she doesn't understand, instead of running away from it. That's incredible. A paltry so-called 'whizz kid' can only wish she had the kind of resolve Mythril has.

"Thank you. You're an incredible person."

No. Mythril's the stunning one here.

Mythril's too stunning.

How...

...How has she had this person to herself for 3 weeks? It doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make sense, for Mythril to not only stay with her, but to even _enjoy_ her presence too- 

...

...

...Ah. 

Actually... there is one way it'd make sense. She knows why she's been granted this sanctuary.

**CRKkK**

It's because Mythril doesn't understand how disgusting she is yet.

She's been ignoring that fact all this time. Things were more convenient when she did. When she ignored it, she could enjoy their sanctuary. 

But she can't let herself do that any longer. She'd never forgive herself if she did.

Wake up. Stop grinning, and wake up. You've been indulging for too long. When are you going to get out of your repulsive bubble and face the truth? Quit getting caught,

on this rush of feelings,

and wake up already,

wake up...

...wake up... wake up. Wake up!

Wake up already!

**CcKkKCrk**

The air conditioner is cold.

Day 25. 2 minutes before 12 o' clock. She takes a deep breath in... and out. There's always a point where you're filled to the brim with adrenaline, isn't there? A high you hit after diving into something, getting a taste and rushing as far in as you can, learning all your mind can try and discover, swimming through the entire expanse of shards in the deep blue sea. The point where lightning rips out from your veins, filling you and the entire ocean with glee.

But after every high, there's got to be a point where you take a step back, and look at yourself. This is that time. It's time to face the truth.

This has to end.

"Good afternoon."

On instinct, she smiles. "...Afternoon! Do you wanna get right to it?"

Mythril nods. "I was thinking the same thing. Let's discuss today's topic while we're eating."

There's a glint in the emerald. She's spent these past few weeks staring at these eyes a lot; Mythril doesn't emote very strongly, so they tell most of the story when it comes to her emotions. That calm yet piercing gaze, unstoppable in whatever goal it wants to reach, always expectant of the mechanical prodigy's guidance... it sends said prodigy's heart into somersaults every time she sees it. Even though she's taught and helped out the staff countless times before, she can't stop her pathetic heart from beating when it comes to this person...

...No. Just play it cool. Don't lose yourself in some one-sided admiration; that determination in Mythril's eyes isn't being directed at you. Quit expecting her to like you, and focus on honouring the effort she's putting into her learning instead. Quit being some overexcited, stumbling, lesson-tangeting mess, and just... play it cool already!

"Are you alright?"

"W-wuh?!"

She's pulled back to earth. Somehow, they're barely a few centimetres apart, hunched over the table. Their equal height means their faces tend to end up rather close. "You stopped talking. Did you notice something wrong?"

"Oh!" Right; the disk. "Let's see... ah, here. You misplaced the blade generator circuits."

"What?" Mythril balks. "Of all the mistakes to make..."

"It's a pretty classic slip-up in the industry, so no worries! It's the lone error you made here. I'm really impressed; it's only taken you 3 weeks to get into the swing of this."

"Thank you. Still, I've only become acquainted with repairing so far. And I can't have myself make blunders like this."

"We'll keep at it, so no worries! And don't bother thinking beyond repairing for now; being able to modify duel disks requires a crazy amount of work. Some people have to spend years just learning about mods before they move on to making their own disks."

A nod. "Right. I need to temper my expectations... there's not a person alive who can blaze through this subject in an instant."

"Exactly! And everyone who's studied it previously is helping us by giving us resources like these." She gestures to the textbook. "The great thing about repairing is that core parts are pretty standardised nowadays, so we all essentially learn the same process. It's a great bouncing pad to topics like modding and assembling; with enough years, you can even make your own blade, and have it be completely unique!"

"A blade that nobody else has... hm." 

That contented hum nearly throws her heart off balance. 

"It's rather exciting. Your perspective is making me feel more optimistic about this myself."

There's a rush. "'I'm glad I could help! I didn't realise you'd be so interested, though... hehe, I'm kind of flattered. Maintenance is fun, isn't-"

-Wait, stop it! Why are you getting caught up again?

"Uh. W-well, I mean. Yeah, maintenance is a lot of fun for me. I know that seems a bit odd."

"...No. I understand."

But her heart beats again, and it spills- "Really?? Do you???"

"I know it seems childish, but... it's become a frequent activity of mine."

Her eyes uncontrollably brighten. Could it be?! Has she indoctrinated a fellow nerd in the making?! "There's nothing wrong with that! If you're enjoying it, then you're spending your time well," she says. "...C-can I ask what you've been doing exactly?"

"I-it's nothing much. I was merely taking my disk apart and putting it back together. It made for good practice, and I wanted to test some discoveries I made."

So THAT'S why she claimed it was 'damaged' last week! "Wait, does that mean you've been studying maintenance in your free time too?! That's amazing!"

Mythril blushes. "I... I merely thought of you and your tutelage, and wanted to learn more. You're the amazing one here."

"E-eh?!" Her heart turns from beating to rushing. "T-thank you... b-but don't count yourself out! You're the one who put the extra mile into learning this. Seeing you enjoy it so much made me want to do more too!"

"I-I insist on emphasizing your contribution. I never would have learnt this much if it weren't for you. Even when our lessons feel more like idle discussion, there's so much I discover. I... never questioned the technology behind the blade I wield, until we started holding these sessions."

Yes, the worm in her brain screams; Mythril understands! "It's really useful, right?! I can't imagine how many less disks I'd have to fix if the Academy put maintenance into their curriculum."

"Perhaps you could be the one to teach it."

"Aw, shucks... really? Me?" She says. "They'd probably be better off with a professional, wouldn't they? Besides, I always get nervous talking in front of crowds."

"Hm. I'm not a particular fan of that either," Mythril responds. "But you have been a fantastic one-on-one tutor; that much is certain."

Oh, great. Now she's blushing too, isn't she? It's like she's on cloud nine. "W-wow. Really? T-t-thanks... I'm... g-glad to hear it!"

"I've never enjoyed learning something this much before. I feel as if I've been freed from a curse."

It's warm. It's soft. It's nice. Floating happily far above, sauntering ignorantly through the stars; it's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? She's experiencing so much of it right now.

"And..."

It's... a wonderful feeling...

"...it's thanks to you."

...

It's a finishing shot, hitting her in the heart. Hearing those words come from that sharp, velvety composed voice; it's too much. The yearning is pouring out of her chest.

That's enough. She has to suppress it. Now.

Why are you happy?

Why are you excited?

You shouldn't be.

You don't deserve to be.

"A-ah. I apologise. I didn't mean to burden you with my gratitude," Mythril murmurs, continuing to blush. "It's just... for the longest time, I've only known people who would laugh at my failures. So I truly do mean it when I say I've enjoyed your tutelage..."

She's so kind, isn't she?

You don't deserve to be anywhere near her.

"...Is something the matter?"

The change in Mythril's tone wakes her up. She faces the wolf's eyes, and finds traces of worry. 

Great. Mythril's worried about her.

She has to end this now. She can't show her disgusting smile again. She can't lure Mythril into a flytrap. 

Here and now... she's going to prove she's not worthy of any of this!

"...Can I show you something?"

Mythril's expression turns blank. "Of course. What is it?"

"It's a card."

There's a copy of it she has near her desk. She takes it out and places it on the table in front of Mythril.

"_Infinite Impermanence._ You recognise it, right?"

"Of course. It's been the most popular SDA exclusive since it was released last month."

"I wrote this card's effect."

"...You did?"

She nods. "They asked me to come up with a staple. Something every student would want, no matter their deck," she says. "What do you think of me, knowing I played a part in its design?"

"To be honest, I find myself impressed," Mythril responds. "This card has more depth and counterplay to it than most staples. I didn't know you were this closely involved with making cards."

"I'm surprised. I thought you'd resent me for it."

The tone stops Mythril cold. She looks up at her in surprise. "...Why?"

"A few days ago, you were sent to detention for trying to steal it, right?"

"..." A pause. "...That's correct."

"They framed you, didn't they? The other students," she said. "They didn't have the money to afford it, so they turned to robbery. And when they failed, you were the scapegoat."

"..."

She holds it up. "In a vacuum, this is just a card with a strong effect. But Duel Monsters is the most popular sport in the world. I wasn't just asked to make a strong card; I was asked to make a card that students would buy, no matter how expensive it was. The kind that students would blackmail or negotiate with each other for. The kind that they'd steal their parents' wallets for," she says. "...And I agreed. So this is what I came up with. Are you still impressed with me, now that you know?"

Mythril doesn't respond.

"It's not just card effects, either. I'm nothing but the staff's robot. I'm..." She grips her fist. "...I'm one of the cogs responsible for the SDA being the way it is. I'm the reason the students keep tormenting you. That's... that's the kind of person you've been spending your lunch breaks with."

The ugly self isn't hidden anymore.

"...That's it. Now you know the truth... so..."

She instinctively looks away from Mythril's gaze. If there's concern on it, she doesn't want to see. She can't have any regrets.

'You should be glad,' one half of her says. 'She'll stay away from you now. She won't have to be cursed.'

As for what the other half is saying... she ignores it.

"May I ask why you told me this?"

She ignores it. It's fine. It's no less than what she deserves. "...I..." She's done nothing to earn Mythril's company. "...I..."

Ignore anything that says otherwise.

"I felt like I was deceiving you," she says. "I always steered our conversations away from my work. I don't know why I did. But because of that, I kept you in the dark. Even though I wanted to believe you when you said I'm kind, I only saw what you didn't know about me. I only saw all the flaws I've been hiding from you. That's why I... wanted to end that, and tell you the truth."

"...I see." 

Mythril's face is muted; all it shows is some exhaustion. Is she angry? Disappointed? Hopefully. But there's no harsh glare, or gritted teeth. Just... some kind of contemplation. She's simply staring at all the papers and pieces on their table. It feels discomforting. "...Do you resent me now?"

"...We met 25 days ago. So this may be a pointless scenario to imagine," Mythril says. "But if, 26 days ago, you asked me if I resented you, my answer would probably be yes. After all, I held nothing but contempt for this entire Academy."

Her heart beats. She ignores it. "What's your answer now?"

"...I don't. In fact, I have never felt that way about you. You are as much a victim of this place as I am. You're a student, and you've told me your Rank is low; so I imagine expulsion would await you too, if you were to defy your superiors' orders. And if that happened, they would simply have someone else commit your sin instead, anyway."

"You're right. But that doesn't erase what I do. I'm responsible for part of your pain."

"...I understand. But..." Mythril pauses. "...Do you truly feel that makes you a horrible person?"

**CCrrrCkKK**

It's cold. Her body shivers. "Yeah. I do."

"...Then, may I ask you a question of my own?"

She nods.

"Do you not feel scared by my presence?"

...Wait, what? That was unexpected. "No. Why would I?"

Mythril's arms are crossed, clutching the chest. "You remember the day we first met, do you not? The kind of person I was. You saw the ugliest side of me," she says. "I have done everything I can to change. But that side has not fully disappeared. The consequences of its actions remains. Even in my thoughts and decisions, it still sometimes lingers. I have merely kept those thoughts and decisions away from you, praying that it won't unleash itself on you. Every time I grew frustrated during our sessions, I grew fearful of that possibility, and asked myself; does she not fear she will become the next target for my rage?"

Has Mythril been worried about that all this time? "I... I never thought you'd do anything like that to me," she responds. "During our sessions, you've never been angry at me specifically, right? And you always apologize when you get impatient! I've never been hurt by anything you've done. I've never been scared of you," she says. "There were rumours around you, s-sure, but I didn't believe any of them. You even said that the day we met was the first time you attacked someone... so I've never once thought you were a horrible person or anything like that!"

"Thank you. I feel warmed that you'd place such trust in me."

Mythril's voice keeps its volume.

"But I truly am horrible. I've inflicted a wound on my family that will never heal."

...

...It's cold. 

She... can't respond to that. There's no way she could. There's nothing she could say that'd encourage Mythril. 

"I did not make it known, for I did not wish to trouble you. But..." Mythril clutches her arm. "Every time I stood before the door to this room, I hesitated. I feared opening it, and seeing devastation on the inside. I feared that those students from the altercation might have found you and attacked you. And when I pictured that scene, I realised I was only putting you in danger by visiting you. My selfish indulgence risks them finding you, and hurting you. That's simply the consequence that comes from associating with the Savager."

Her heart shrivels. How did she not pick up on any of this? She wants to say she's good at avoiding danger, but that's not the point; the point is that Mythril hates the idea of dragging her near it to begin with. All this time, Mythril had to force herself to keep visiting, even though-

"But that realisation did not stop me. I continued to visit you... and to be honest, I'm glad I did. It made me... happy."

Her thoughts stop. She looks up. "Wh... what? What do you mean?"

"It's selfish of me. I know it is. I know I'm not the kind of person you can be safe around yet." Mythril says. "And yet I keep indulging in you. I don't understand why. I only know that... I enjoy your presence. And... somewhere along the line, I realised another unavoidable truth. I realised that you enjoyed my presence, too."

Her cursed heart beats again. "You... y-you really were happy to be with me?"

"Yes. That is the truth." Mythril faces her once more. "I may think mainly of how incredible, and supportive, and passionate you are. But my admiration for you did not rely on you being perfect. I knew from the day we first met that you weren't. Because I..."

Mythril breathes. She can feel her own breath cut short.

"...I looked at your self-hatred, and saw my reflection in it."

She always said she'd never forgive herself for indulging. And yet here she is.

"This may be truly presumptuous, and truly foolish of me to say, after knowing you for less than a month. But I cannot help but ask. Do you... feel that you are irredeemable?"

"...Yeah. I do."

"T-then... let me be bold enough to try and light your way, like you did for me."

**CCRKKCK**

Her heart skips a beat. There's a malfunction. 

Mythril manages to stand... approaching her. 

She knows what's coming. She knows now. It's silly, it's ridiculous; there's no way she could save herself. When she thinks of the approaching wolf, offering that possibility, a part of her desires to ignore it, and look down at the ground.

But like a magnet, her heart only wants to look forward instead.

"On that day, I realised even my decrepit self could be kind. I realised that in spite of my past, I may be able to set myself a different future. A-and it was only because of you that I realised that. Your kindness saved me..." Mythril says. "I-I... even now, I struggle to find faith in myself. I look back at my sins, and feel nothing but hate. Hate that makes me despise how I indulge in your presence so much."

A tear falls down Mythril's cheek.

"But I want to change."

Mythril offers out a hand. Slowly, she can't help but take it.

"And... if you are discontent with yourself... then I want to let you know that you can do the same." 

Her vision starts to blur.

"I w-want to stay by your side."

It's impossible, isn't it? She's too much of a coward. She'll never take a step forward again, knowing how pathetic she is-

-...no. That's... isn't that what she's been doing for Mythril?

It truly was small, from her point of view. But what if it could become more? What if she could _do_ more?

What if she could stay with this person?

What if they didn't have to part?

...

"...T-that's..."

She grips Mythril's hand tighter. Tears begin to roll down her arms.

"I-I... I don't know. I've tried so many times to find that courage and failed... even now, even today, I'm doing the same job I've a-always done. H-how...? How am I supposed to...?"

"...I don't know. I don't know either. The consequences of my actions will never leave me. I-I... don't know where I'm supposed to go."

Mythril grips tighter too. 

From emerald cracks spill lines of water. "I just... d-don't want to give up."

'Me neither.'

Streams.

When their hands are connected, it's warm. The truth is cold; but that's exactly why some truths are stable, whereas others are harmful. In that way, the icy castle becomes a perfect home, for a warm heart.

She always has a chance to escape this nightmare. She just needs to find the impossible way to take it.

But... is she allowed to be with this person in the meantime? Is she allowed to enjoy her? Is it really okay for her to enjoy this presence, while she's still a monstrosity?

Is she worthy of smiling, and of laughter? Is she worthy of innocent indulgences?

...

...

She sobs. 

It starts as one, and then another. Slowly, the entire customer-service smile falls apart.

In its place lies a mirrored face of tears.

"I-I'm... I'm scared..."

"...I am too."

They stand together, water pooling at their hands.

'I'm nothing like the person I want to be.'

That's how our rapture started. My guide and yours.

"...M...? ..n you hear me?"

**CCKR**

Her eyelids feel heavy. She can feel a fresh breeze, nipping at her skin. Where is she...?

"Good. You're awake."

A parting sky enters her vision, welcoming her to a gateway of blue. The clouds have sunk away. There's waves of grass, running back and forth across her arms. 

And kneeling over her is...

"...Ah..."

She's never seen her look so distraught. "How are you feeling?"

"Where... am I... bwegh!" She lifts her head up, but the dizziness nearly fells her again; only a pair of arms behind her stop that. "This is... outside the department?"

"Yes. I let you lie down here to rest after you fainted. I'm... sorry. I wasn't quite sure what to do."

"F-fainted? What h-"

Oh.

Yeah, uh. Everything happened, more or less. She spilled it all out. She's revealed everything she hates about herself now.

And yet... she's not alone.

"...What time is it?"

"About 30 minutes past lunch break. Shortly after you passed out, there were footsteps approaching the computer room. I couldn't think of anything but to carry you outside."

Wait, what?! Then that means she just left her to panic after she fainted! "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"

"Please do not apologize. I didn't mean to put you through such emotional torment. Springing that on you so suddenly-"

"N-no, it's okay!" She slaps her cheeks and shakes her head; now's the time to show some fortitude! "I don't think it was out-of-nowhere. I'm just surprised. I don't really think of myself as someone who can help with these kinds of things," she says. "But I won't ever forget it. I'm behind you one-hundred-percent." **cCKKRkr**

"A-are you sure?"

"You're not satisfied with how you currently are, right? It's like you said. I know how that feels." She sits up straight. "So if you want to change yourself, you've got my full support! ...For whatever it's worth. I know someone as hard-working and dedicated as you can definitely do it! "

There's a smile. "Thank you. Once again, you've come to my aid." Then, a serious expression. "What about you? You said you've tried to find courage before. Would you try again if I was by your side?"

"..."

She goes silent. 

...

...

...Her friend sits and waits patiently for a response.

Change. The idea feels completely alien these days. How many times has she decided not to assert herself? With each passing day, it feels like her participation in ShiraCorp's savagery is more and more willful. Even with the frozen mask she gave herself, it still feels so hard to move towards hope. It's impossible, isn't it?

...It must be impossible.

...

...Or maybe... she just needs to take it step by step. Sure, going from just three steps in the muck to two or one is... well, it kinda blows. But it's far more realistic than leaping out of this pit in one go, isn't it? Especially since she doesn't even know what she wants the surface to be. It's hard to tell what a dual-district without ShiraCorp would look like just yet.

Her friend's still gazing at her. "A-ah. Sorry... I've been thinking."

"You do not need to answer right away. I apologise if I'm pressuring you."

"It's ok. I know I'm a bit of a coward, really." She lowers her head. "Compared to me, you're much braver."

"Well, I have you to thank for that bravery."

She chuckles, despite herself. "Hehe. I guess when you put it like that, I can't deny it." She lifts herself back up. "...There's a part of me that's given up on hope, I think. I'm so used to hiding and nodding at this point that I feel like any other way's impossible. I get scared at showing even the slightest bit of defiance."

There's a relaxing presence, steadfast at her side.

"But... I figured things out as I spent time with you. No matter how impossible it seems to me... I want to change. More than anything." 

A deep breath. It's refreshing, taking in the cold autumn air. 

"Gah, my thoughts're all over the place." She scratches her head. "Um... there's a part of me that feels antsy about this, to be honest. I don't like the fact that I'm enjoying myself with you before even doing anything to change myself. I feel like... I'm not worthy of you unless I've already pulled myself together. Am I wrong for thinking that?"

Emerald eyes close. "Part of me feels the same way. But I believe that being with you is ultimately the best route to my destination. My only route, even. Do you have that feeling too?"

"...Yeah. You're right. I think that's why I want to try it." She smiles. "Talking about it with you makes me feel like I'm not wrong for doing this. I know, deep down, that I want to continue being with you, more than anything. So, um... thank you. I really mean it when I say that!"

"It's the least I could do. Though I know someone as marvelously resourceful as you can most certainly accomplish your goals."

"H- hhehehhheh. You're flattering me!"

They manage to stand. "Shall we continue walking this path together, then?"

"That sounds good to me!" 

She adjusts her glasses, feeling more energised than ever. She's felt so much vigor when they're together already, but this sensation's even stronger. Now that she's let her true fears be known, she really does feel safe around this person. Her world's become an igloo for two!

"Sorry to make you so late to class. I'll make sure tomorrow's session is fun enough to make up for it!" She says. "Lunch break as usual?"

"Affirmative. I'm looking forward to it." A slight pause. "Actually... there's something else I've been meaning to ask you too."

Something else? "What is it?"

She's never seen this person look so... so shy. "I-I hope it's not too forward of me... but would you like to also discuss playing Duel Monsters?"

Her eyes widen.

"You talked about it a lot, even during our sessions... so I was... wondering..."

There's a piece of lightning, flickering back through her heart. It's booting her whole circuit back up.

"...N-no. I apologise, that's-"

"Done deal!"

"Wh-what?!"

Oh, whoa, she shot WAY too close! "S-sorryyyy, didn't mean to get THAT excited!" Back off a bit, back off a bit. "B-but, uh... yeah. I guess I can't hide how manic I am about dueling. Honestly, moreso than maintenance sometimes!" She chuckles, hoping it doesn't sound too forced- oh god it totally sounds forced "S-s-s-so yeah! I'd love to! ...Our lunch breaks might get a bit long if we do that, though."

"Then should we use another timeslot to discuss it?"

"How about we talk over the phone?" Her grin widens. "T-to be honest, I was thinking it'd be pretty handy if we exchanged numbers. F-for, uh. Information purposes! I mean, session informa- argh! You get what I mean, right?"

"Y-yes. I... apologise. I know I've been shying away from the idea for a while." Gawgh, she looks so bashful! "But I would be glad to have your phone number. For, um. Maintenance-related work. A-and Duel Monsters now too, of course."

"Hehehe. Let's do it then!"

The sun starts shining down on the empty fields of the Shirasagi Duel Academy, as they get their phones out. It's as exciting as it is strangely, anticipatorily suspenseful. There's that feeling of cloud nine again; and this time around, she doesn't feel compelled to deny it.

"There you go. W-we've... we've got each other's numbers!"

"Hmhmm. Indeed we do."

**CCRK**

Her heart's set to the sky.

There's many of this person's smiles, deep in her memories.

But the calm, satisfied and peaceful gaze she sees now, bathed partly in shadow by the loving sun... it makes her body revel. It's one of the most hypnotizing smiles of them all.

When she sees it, she knows she could work towards the strength to overcome anything... as long as this person's by her side.

**CCCRKKKC**

"I look forward to our continued discussions... Maya."

"Muehhehe! M-me too... Sayo."

**CkkkRKKK**

**cCK-K---CKCKRRR**

**cCKCKCKRRRrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrr**

...Longer. Longer, and longer, and longer.

Day,

after day,

after day after day after day together,

it's all so exciting

**CcKRr**

They can't stop talking. They won't stop talking. Their eyes brighten, they shoot up from their tables, they smile like the world's a dance. They can't pull themselves away from each other. **CCRKRKR** Somehow, more than anything, the thing they end up doing the most is messing around like a duo of fools. Maintenance, disk modding, audiovisual equipment, electronics, gender euphoria, gender dysphoria (blegh!), food preferences, sleep schedules, lousy teachers, lousy students,

Duel Monsters,

card effects, rulings, problem-solving card text, simultaneous effects go on chain, turn player priority, fast effect timing, 

ignition effects, 

trigger effects,

and quick effects,

continuous effects,

unclassified effects,

activating cards,

versus activating effects,

conditions,

if-versus-when timing,

soft once-per-turns versus hard once-per-turns,

card names,

chains, spell speed,  
Archetype, Type, Attribute, Level, Rank, Fusion, Tuning, Overlay, Xyz Materials, Tributes, Unions, Gemini, WarriorSpellcasterFairyFiendZombieMachineAquaPyroRockwingedbeastplantinsectthunderdragonbeastdinosaurbeast-warriorfishseaserpentreptilepsychicwyrm,

a journey,

from Ice Barrier,

to Ancient Gear,

to Ally of Justice,

to Cyber Dragon,

to Naturia, then Chronomaly,

and then finally, Nekroz!

**CCKKKKRRrrRrr CKCRK**

**CKKRRR**

"Here's where we'll brainstorm! It's the perfect place."

She throws open the door, and her companion follows. "Apologies for intruding." 

There's no need for Mythril to be this formal; it's just an unused side-room in the department with a handy whiteboard (and a lack of cameras thanks to yours truly), after all. But that's one of the traits that makes her so endearing. "You've got the key I gave you, right? Hehe."

"I do." Mythril fishes it out, locks the door, and puts it back in her pocket. "It's just the two of us, correct? Assuming none of the staff notice."

"Not to worry; I've soundproofed this room plenty, so anyone passing by probably won't hear what we're saying. Besides, the staff don't go in here often anyway." 

"You soundproofed it just so we could have it to ourselves? ...Do your superiors know you did that?"

"Mgwehehe. Who knows?"

Mythril smiles. "You're quite the devil, you."

A light switch's flicked on, and their little getaway's illuminated. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable! I've got some water and veggie sticks here, and I set up our laptops and notes too. I'll go outline what we're doing on the whiteboard real quick!"

While Mythril takes a seat at the set of clustered tables, she rushes over to the whiteboard fervently scrawls a giant circle with black marker, slamming the monster's name into the middle of it. To be honest, she wasn't initially enthusiastic about this project at all; but with this monster, and Mythril helping her out? There's lightning running through her now.

"This is our subject for today! Tada!" She proudly gestures to- "Um, is something wrong? You seem lost in thought."

Mythril blinks, and shakes her head. "...Forgive me. It's nothing. Rest assured I will do all I can to assist you." A pause. "Although admittedly, I am doubtful as to whether I can be of use. This is an assignment from the Underside, is it not? And to make a new version of such an iconic monster..."

"You've got my seal of permission, so don't you worry! We've been discussing card effects together for a while now, so I know you've got some good insight," she states. "And like I said, my bosses'll never know that you've helped me. Uh, I-I hope that's okay."

"Neither of us are fond of the company we're making this card for. I say we simply have our secret little indulgence."

"Hehe. Who am I to say no to that?" She grabs a pointy-looking pen and draws Mythril's attention to the circle. "Our goal is to write up the card and effect text, for a NEW version of this particular monster!" She declares. "The higher-ups're eager to cash in on the original one's popularity, but they want something more than a reprint, so that's why they're demanding this. The only condition they gave me is that it's got to be techable in several kinds of decks, just like the original. The rest is our playground!"

"I see." Mythril immediately scrunches her face. "Where do we start, exactly? The only example I know of a card's 'second version' is _Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon_..."

"There's a few others too, actually! Such as the Magnet Warriors and their new Electromagnetic counterparts. But they're a little different from our card."

"Are you referring to the fact that this card has no related archetype?"

"You're right! ...Well, it is technically part of an archetype. But nobody ever uses it with the archetype's other members. They don't synergise at all," she says. "I actually think that's really interesting; they probably made this card un-synergistic with its archetype on purpose! Because-"

Mythril smiles.

**CCRKRKR** "-Gah!" She scratches her head. "I'll save that for another time, muehehe..."

"But that's a relevant piece of information, is it not?" Mythril responds. "If the base monster isn't meant to synergise with its archetype, then I doubt we should make the new version do that either... am I correct?"

"Well, ShiraCorp might be fine with that. But I say we have some fun instead! Let's focus on letting the new version stand its own ground."

"Right. That means we can't rely on models like Blue-Eyes and the Magnet Warriors..." Mythril plays with her hair. "We're treading on unknown territory. How should we tackle this?"

"I'm thinking we could take a look at the original version, and get an understanding of why it's so powerful and feared. That could be a base for the new version's effect!"

"That sounds like a good starting point." Awesome! She notes that down on the whiteboard. "While we're at it, we could also make the new version use a different summoning method. Perhaps it could be a Fusion, or Xyz, or Ritual monster."

"I'll note that down too!" There's furious, furious scribbling. "Can I get your opinion on the original version's impact? What do you think's most powerful about it?"

"A-are you sure my response will help you? I'm not as expertised as you are."

"Go for it! You've got one of the highest dueling counts in the whole Academy. I think it'd be interesting to get your perspective."

"Very well then." Mythril closes her eyes. "From my experience, the original is iconic because of the immediate threat it presents. It only has one effect, which only activates when it is successfully Summoned... but that effect is absolutely devastating. It would be no exaggeration to say it could change the tide of a match in an instant. Anyone facing it should be anticipating its arrival, by preparing a response in advance."

"We're on the same wavelength here; I think its instant power and ease of use is what makes it stand out. Let's note that down!" 'OG is immediate and to-the-point.' "Now that we understand the workings of the original, this gives us a lot of ideas for the new version, doesn't it?"

"I... I believe so," Mythril says. "So what next?"

"Simple! We come up with ideas for the new version's effect, based on the original's effect. Such as... um..."

...

...

...**CCkr** They linger in thought. She leans back against the whiteboard and presses the marker pen against her chin- no, against the side of her head. "Hmmmm......"

Meanwhile, Mythril presses her elbows onto the table and clasps her hands in front of her mouth. "...I'm not quite sure where to go from here."

"Y-yeah. I wasn't expecting us to get stuck so soon."

"How should we approach this? Merely making it a Fusion or Xyz and giving it the same effect is an option, but that feels rather crass." There's a frown. "How do you generally go about making new cards?"

"My Number 1 Rule is 'make it fun!' And my Number 2 Rule is 'make sure it's not completely broken'," she responds. "At this stage, I usually start on a big brainstorming map. How about we list all the ways we could diverge from the original version's effect?"

"That'd probably be better than randomly coming up with ideas," Mythril responds. "I'm in full agreement. Ah, do you want to split it based on PSCT as usual?"

"H-hehe. You remembered? I-if that's okay with you, then!"

No less than A3 paper will do for the kind of things she wants to consider. Let's grab a sheet, sticky-tape those cursed fold-happy corners down onto the table... and then write it all out!

"Okay, so, effect type, targeting versus non-targeting, removal type, **CKrR** what it can target, _where_ it can target..." She's gotta make sure to write the full phrases out; Mythril doesn't share her set of acronyms, after all. "And bam! What do you think? Any of these strike your fancy?"

"It may be a bit dull, but my mind drifted to the 'where' variable. The locations the monster can target," Mythril states. "It's a simple variation, but we could have this version target unconventional areas instead, such as the opponent's Deck or Extra Deck."

"Hmmmm... if it's a targeting effect, that might be difficult. But I like that idea!" She draws a border on one section of the whiteboard and scribbles on the space within. "If we want to go through with that, we can always make it non-targeting instead anyway. That'll open up a lot of options for us!"

"I see. That was merely my instinctual thought, though. Don't pay it too much heed," Mythril responds. "...Hm. What if we took the original version's effect, and turned it into a once-per-turn instead? With lower power, obviously."

"Ooooooo, that's interesting too!" Another note on the whiteboard. "...Hm. There's already a lot of released cards like that, though... we might have to do something else if we wanna make this one unique. A-ah, not to make it sound like your suggestions are bad, though!"

"No need to worry. From my perspective, I feel you're being very considerate by expanding on my suggestions. Besides, we've still got a lot to get through."

"Ah, that's true! I've kinda gotten ahead of myself... gheehe." She has a bad habit of scratching her head, doesn't she? "This is already pretty fun, honestly! Let's see what else we can come up with."

"Gladly. May I hear some of your suggestions? You have a lot of interesting ideas."

"I do? Ooo. Oohoohoho-" ...w-wait, look a bit more professional! "Sorry, I mean, coming right up!"

A barrage of rough, messy marker lines decorates multiple pieces of paper and multiple lives of the whiteboard over the next half an hour or so. They rebound idea after idea at each other, just like they always do; or even moreso, actually. Mythril's kinda enthusiastic today, isn't she? Hehe. She doesn't change her expression much, but you can easily imagine a pair of fluffy ears on her head, shooting up and down during the highs and lows of their discussions.

Unfortunately, with every inventor's highs and lows eventually comes a tragic fall. That is, the point where nothing particularly appealing has shown its face yet. It's a classic conundrum to have, but:

"Gah!"

**kkKr**

It's always so frustrating!

"Arggggggggh, I'm really sorry! I'm not sure about any of this!"

"Rest assured, neither am I. I'm not fully knowledgeable on what makes a good card effect, but... I feel insecure on the ideas we've come up with."

"A version that affects 4 cards instead of 3... a version that targets, but is easier to summon... narghghghghghhhhh," she grumbles. "...Oooh! Maybe a version that chooses 3 cards in the opponent's deck and... no, no, that wouldn't do anything! The resources the opponent already has are FAR more important than the ones still sitting in their deck...!"

"I can't think of anything at all... I'm a fool-" Mythril blinks. "Wait- actually, no... wouldn't that be...?"

H-has she hit a brainwave? Oooooh, curiosity's killing the cat: "Do you have an idea? Do you?"

"I-I do. But I feel like I've come up with far too overpowered an effect. I doubt it'll be useful."

"You never know! Any idea's helpful, and we can always modify it," she responds, standing back up. "Besides, most decks need a liiiiiittle bit of overpoweredness to keep up nowadays."

"Very well. May I use the custom card creator on your laptop?"

"Go for it!"

Oohoohohooooooo. Ooooooooo. God, this is exciting! Mythril isn't usually the one who steps forward with a breakthrough, but when she DOES? Oh boy. The stuff she comes up with is SO much spicier than she thinks it is. "Neehhehee..." She- 

-WAIT, STOP, dooooonnnn't wrap your arms around Mythril's shoulders! Wherever you got that idea from, ignore it! 

Ignored? Good. Okay then... instead, she leans over Mythril's side and gazes fervently at the screen. "Mhm... uh-huh.... ah, I see! The cards that it affects would-"

She drops her jaw.

Ooohohoohohoho. OOohohohoohohehehehe. "....hehe. Ehehe." A thunderbolt slams the earth. "...Huhehe!"

"I-Is..." Mythril's looking at her wide-eyed. "Is it good?"

"Huhehehe... huheheheHE!" She throws her left arm out, eliciting a yelp. "HELL YEAH! We've GOT to base the final effect text on this! We'll probably need some modifications, but this concept is AMAZING! That's so fearsome! Y-you're okay with us using this, right?"

Mythril wordlessly nods twice.

"Perfect!" She cleans up the whiteboard for the 4th time. "I'm gonna list a few variations of this idea out, just gimme a sec!"

SCRTCH SCRTCH SCRTCH SCRTCH _SCRTCH_

"What do you think? Any of these stick out to you?"

"Well... we could..."

"Oooh, that's not too bad! How about..."

"Mmm... but what if..."

"Gah! I forgot about that! Hehe."

"Hmhmhm. Ah, but..."

"Oh, that's right! How about... and then, maybe..."

"Hmm... I'm not quite sure..."

"Argh! This was going so well!" 5 minutes later, she's scratching her head (again), staring blankly at the messy whiteboard and her messier hands. "We have such a good concept here! What do we need in order to refine it to a T?"

"...Don't you mean an E?"

.

She turns around and looks at Mythril.

...She snorts.

Mythril snorts.

"Ffufuehehhee!"

"Hmhmhmm. My, I have no idea what just overcame me." Mythril smirks. "Let's ignore that and move on, shall we?"

"If you insist~," she grins, adjusting her glasses- "...Hey, actually, can I try something on you for a second?"

A blink. "T-try something on me? What do you mean?"

She gets out a spare pair. "Close your eyes for a second!"

Mythril does just that. She puts them on, and...

"...Huhehe. H-huhehehe."

"A-ah. I see." Mythril opens her eyes through a pair of lenses. "...Do these suit me?"

Oh, DO THEY! "Mwehehehe. They're perfect. That's my professional opinion!"

Mythril blushes, trying not to break out into a smile.

"Let's hope our combined glasses power multiplies our ideas!" She pumps a fist into the air. "...Oh. Ohhhhh..... OHHHHHHHHH! Oh my god, I just had the epiphany of a lifetime!"

"W-what?! What is it?"

"Here's my idea! You'll love it!"

SCRTCH SCCRH _SCRTCH!_

"Fuhuhehehe. What do you think?"

Mythril stares at the piece of text she's just written across the entire whiteboard, parsing it letter by letter. Her hair rises as if electricity's passing through it, and her jaw drops, more and more. Over the course of five seconds, she goes from calm processing to wide-eyed awe. "...That's...!"

"Fhehehheehehe. I-I'm a little, uh. Chuffed with it. It's good, right?"

"That's absolutely genius!"

There's a substance people speak of called serotonin; and she's pretty sure it just shot up from her arms into her head. "REALLY?!"

"This is impeccable! You're a genius, Maya!"

"Fueuhehehehehhee! You're flattering me!" She grins and jumps on the spot, throwing her hands forth on the nearest chair. "Besides, you're the one who brought us to this point!"

"That just means we've come up with something truly astounding together." Mythril's grin is ELECTRIFYING. "How about we refine this further?"

"You've got it!"

First, okay, let's just make sure the text is worded correctly... okay, then what about the affected areas? They can afford to spread it a little bit... okay, and then... and then...

"...wellllllllll, nobody'll mind if we jack its power up just a little, right? We can always make it harder to summon anyway."

"Fufu. Why not?"

Mythril's giggle sends shivers up her spine. "Oh, oh, how about we word it like this?"

"That's excellent! ...Is this too devastating?"

"Nothing a few restrictions can't handle!"

"Right. Let's think carefully about this..."

SCRTCH SCRTCH _SCRTCH!!!_

The whiteboard dances.

"And there! How's this look?"

"I think it's incredibly solid in its current state." Mythril scrunches her brow. "...But I do have one small question."

"What is it?"

"Are you _sure_ this card isn't too strong?"

"Well, Gameciel exists."

Mythril chuckles. "True."

"Hehe. Still, I wouldn't mind if we made it more mid-tier! If ShiraCorp doesn't profit that much from it, I'm certainly not gonna complain."

"Right." A nod. "My main question is... is this not too much for an opponent to handle in one turn?"

.

Oh, yeah. Come to think of it... having both of these effects is easily gonna overwhelm the board, isn't it?

"Gurk. I hadn't thought of that at all, for some reason."

"It's always the simplest slip-ups that we have, isn't it?" Mythril makes a bashful smile. "What can we do to... oh!"

"Oho?! Hehe?!" God, the wolf's on FIRE today. "What've you come up with?"

"Let me see if I can find the card. Apologies for borrowing your laptop." Mythril opens a window and types into the search bar. "This. This could be... a model, could it not?"

"Oh?" She has a closer look. "Ah, that's _Lucifer, Darklord of the Morning Star_, isn't it? In what way are you-"

...

...Wait. Oooooo, wait right THERE!!!!!!!!!!!! That's GENIUS!

"You seem to have read my mind. I-It may be a blunt solution, but..." Mythril plays with her hair again. "...this 'Once per turn, and only once that turn' clause. It makes it so that if you activate the effect Lucifer has access to upon its Fusion Summon, it cannot use the other effect until the next turn. Could we not do the same?" 

"Oh... my... GOD! THAT'S AMAZING!" Farewell, world; this whizz kid's rocketing up! "Huhehehehe... huhehehehehehehhehhe!!! That works _so_ well for us! Because the first effect of our card is mandatory, it'd be impossible to use the second until the next turn if we applied this restriction! That's SEXY!"

Mythril snorts again.

"A-ah!" Her face goes all kinds of red as she stumbles back. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to use a word like that!"

"W-well, i-it most certainly is an abhorrent word. But we are merely using it to express a normal, pure kind of elation... so i-it's fine, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah! After all, this is a major breakthrough! I'd say we're nearly done!"

"Are you sure? I feared my suggestion would be rather unoriginal."

"Rules are meant to be consistent! Nothing wrong with borrowing some problem-solving text from another card," she grins. "Thanks to that clause, our card's balance is much better now. What do you say we give it a final lookover and leave it as is? Don't worry, I won't hand it in immediately; if I realise we've overlooked something, we can always have a 2nd session to discuss this."

The wolf adjusts her glasses and nods with a determined grin. God, she can almost imagine the wagging tail too... "Very well. I trust in your judgement." 

What comes next is a habit of most aspiring card makers; a few quick corrections to the text and a few altered restrictions, followed by the triumphant 'hurrah!' ...Then, after a bit of cleanup to the room, they're haunted by a few nagging 'what ifs' and make a few more corrections. Then they do it again... and then they do it again. Again, again, again. Then they go back to cleaning up, before Mythril says 'hang on' and points out a flaw she accidentally imagined. Then it happens again, but this time she's the one who accidentally thought-

"Argh! Huhehe," she smiles. "Uh. Let's leave the card alone for now. Too much tinkering's gonna make it worse, probably."

"R-right. I'll try and ease my fears."

The peak of the adrenaline may have come and gone, but by god does it still feel good to be here. She can already picture herself smiling with glee soon, on the day she summons this monster in front of Mythril during their next practice duel... oh, or what if she has Mythril try and summon it instead?! Imagine staring down your own creation... boy, that'd give chills.

Oh, wait. The Underside'd actually have to develop the card's holograph first. That'll take a good amount of time... damn, how'd she forget that? Actually, to be fair, it's kind of hard to have any coherent thoughts right now; there's just so, much, lightning! Shooting through her, that it feels like her head isn't fully here. It feels so exhilarating that she doesn't wanna complain about it at all.

"What should we do with the diagrams? Should I dispose of them?"

"Ah, leave them for now! I'll pack them up in a bit. I uh, have a habit of keeping all the paper I've used until I'm done with the project."

"Very well. That's all there is, then." Mythril pushes in her chair and stands up, looking at her phone. "...We still have 30 minutes left, though."

She checks her own phone. "Whoa, we got through that faster than I thought! ...Uhhh, is there anything you wanna do here before we leave? It's pretty rare for us to have some peace and quiet in the SDA."

"That's true. We could- I mean, I have something I'd-" ...Is she blushing? Why? "A-ahem. I'm not used to it, but we could simply pass the time with conversation."

"Sounds good to me! There's plenty for us to talk about, right?"

"I-indeed. I was hoping you could advise me on my deck again, if you are fine with-" Mythril's gaze moves elsewhere. "...Hm?"

"What's up?"

"Those decorations."

She turns her head, looking upon a few rows of cardboard boxes sitting at the back of the room. A few of them contain electrical equipment, while others contain pieces of confetti and glitter, some spilling over the top of their containers. "Oh, those were the leftovers from last year's Central City Exhibition. This room mainly gets used as a storage for stuff nobody's using. It's a bit of waste to me, honestly..."

"I agree. There's a lot of perfectly good resources gathering dust here." Mythril stands up and walks around the table, taking a closer look. Her eyes fall upon a few ribbons stashed in one box, and she fishes them out. "Perhaps I should bring this up inefficiency with the Student Council. Just how many years have some of these objects been ignored? "

"Some of these babies are pretty ancient, from what I can tell," she responds, joining Mythril in the idle inspection. "See this spotlight here? That's a super old model. It was probably here before either of us joined the SDA!"

"I imagine at this rate, it'll lie here unused next year too-" 

A scowl. 

Then, a sigh. "..."

Well, that's ominous. It's not often Mythril grimaces outright like that. "A-are you okay?"

"It's nothing."

So she says, but it's obviously haunting her. Maybe it's something she's been stewing on?

"..."

Um. Uhh... argggh, right! Get it together, 'whizz kid'. I-it might be a little invasive, but there's nothing wrong with offering an ear, right? "Um... if something's bothering you, I'm happy to hear you out! O-only if you want to, obviously. Just know that I'm here for you!"

Mythril sighs again. "I was reminded of something I've been trying not to think about. That's all. I'd merely exhaust you by talking about it."

On any other day, she'd back off here. But evidently, her brain's a bit too frazzled, because her mouth opens again. "A-ah, r-right. B-but sometimes, when something's bothering you, it's good to let it out. Sitting on it will probably make you feel worse."

"...Curse my indulgence..." She gets up. "...I apologise. I did not mean to worry you. If you... truly do not mind, I'll speak of it."

"Go ahead! I'm all ears."

Immediately, her friend looks away at the wall, as if staring at a far-off place. "Have you ever heard of the undefeated duelist?"

"Undefeated? Oh, are you talking about Hina Hikawa? Of course!" Her eyes brighten up. "Pretty much everyone in the dual-district knows about... her..."

...Hang on. Hina Hikawa. Hina... Hikawa. Hikawa... Hi-

Her jaw drops. "You mean-"

"Yes. Hina Hikawa... is my sister."

How on earth did she not realise that?!

"I've always gotten that look when I bring it up," Mythril says. "...Don't worry. I'm not surprised you didn't infer the connection. I rarely mention her myself."

"A-ah, right." Forget about any internal admiration of Hina for now; Mythril's family is a very, very sensitive subject. She's got to tread carefully. "So... did something happen with her?"

"Rumour has it that she's joining the Academy starting from next year."

Now that's a double dose of shock. "Really?"

"I was dubious at first. She is undoubtedly aware of this place's nature," Mythril says. "...But I happened to converse with my parents a few days ago. They confirmed it. In other words... me and Hina will be attending the same dueling school in just two months."

"A-ah." She doesn't really know how to respond to that. "So... how is it making you- um, how are you feeling?"

"..." Mythril wraps her arms around her chest a bit tighter. "...I've never elaborated my family's... situation before, have I?"

She shakes her head. "You don't have to if you don't want to, though."

"Thank you." A deep breath. "...But I do not mind sharing some details with you. As you said, it will not do to bottle this up. And I... trust you with it."

"Got it." She makes sure she's looking as considerate as possible; anything to make her friend feel safe. "I won't tell a soul."

"...Thank you. I truly am grateful for your presence." 

**CKRR**

Mythril closes her eyes. In... and out. In... and out. Calm, composed breaths; a coolant that lets words flow smooth.

**CCRRRR**

**RRRRRRRKKRKRRRRRRRRRRRRRR**

**KKRRRR**

So it begins. It spills. 

**CKKRR**

It spills, further than either of them thought it would. She sees one trace of fondness at the start of Mythril's recollection, before it all crumbles down. The expression darts between frustration and misery, as utterances and sentences hesitate to make their way out. Mythril can't look anywhere but away, not for the entire confession; it's as if she can't bear to imagine the expression on someone's face when she talks about the damage she's done... as if it'd finally break her firm tone, and melt the tears hidden within until they can no longer hold themselves back.

**CKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKRRRRRRRRRRR**

...She has a few regrets regarding her own family. But Mythril's situation sounds... numbing. Like the anguish felt from it just isn't capable of being sustained, day by day. The shame in these words feels palpable. The tone feels so much more emotional than the one Mythril usually speaks with.

She wants to say it's okay to cry. She's almost crying herself. She probably will, at this rate. But she tries to keep silent, knowing her friend doesn't want sympathy right now. It's the least she could do...

"...I apologise. I've said far more than I needed to." 

But at the end, she's the only one shedding a few tears. Mythril stays quiet and hands her a handkerchief, letting a few more minutes pass by.

Then she speaks, trying to restore her composure. "...To summarise... I would like to stay as far away from Hina as possible. That will become harder if we are both attending the SDA. So I feel rather, well..."

'Restless' would be the best way to describe it, from her point of view. Mythril looks like she's fighting a war in her head right now. Encouragement probably won't do a thing...

...Is there anything she can do to help, really? Or is listening the most she can do? She doesn't know.

Foolishly, she reaches out her hand on impulse. She doesn't even know why; it's just the best attempt at 'support' she can muster. Not even a word to go with it. It's a pretty paltry attempt anyway, since Mythril doesn't like being touched-

...Mythril takes it. 

"T-thank you."

And in that moment, her heart's pace calms. When those fingers wrap around her own, she assures herself she's doing what she can.

"I know it's selfish of me, but... may I ask you a favour?"

She nods. "Of course."

"Hina is a very inquisitive and eager person. I would not be surprised if she took a liking to you," Mythril says. "If she starts to follow you around... would you be her friend?"

"Wh-" She balks. "B-befriending Hina Hikawa? Me?"

A weary smile. "Don't worry. It won't be that hard; she's not the alien people believe her to be. In fact, I think you would rather enjoy her company."

"R-right. Well, if you think I can pull it off, then..." She gulps, and nods. "Of course. If it's a favour I'd be doing for you, I'll be happy to!"

"Thank you. It would mean the world to me. I wish for her happiness... even if it comes at the cost of my own."

Even at the cost of her own, huh...?

...Wait. No, that wouldn't mean...

...would it?

With that thought, her heart drops. "At the cost of your own... what do you-"

No.

She already knows what's being implied.

And despite everything she hates about herself... the prospect makes her wilt.

She withdraws her hand, unable to look her friend in the eye. If she fulfills Mythril's promise and starts hanging out with Hina, then...

...

"...Oh. I..."

She looks up. Mythril's sentence trails off; she's turned away, boring her eyes into the darkened corners of the room. That confirms it then, doesn't it? If she-

-...no, what is she thinking? She's already made the promise! She can't go back on that now. She needs to smile. She needs to reassure Sayo she'll see it through... even if it hurts. 

"U-um-"

"I-"

They stop.

"A-ah, you first."

"No, it's alright. I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"H-honestly, it's fine! It wasn't anything important anyway."

"But..."

...

They quieten again. It feels cold. And it's not the kind of cold she likes.

...She can't bear it.

She can tell. She's not alone in fearing the future. Mythril's face says it all.

And yet, for Hina's sake, Mythril's willing to...

...

...Strange. Didn't she make a promise? 'Until you give the world its innocent indulgence, you are never to indulge again.'

Funny how that went out the window, the second she met this wonderful, wonderful person.

**CKKKRRRRRR**

"...?! M-Maya?"

Before she knows it, she's wrapped her arms around Sayo Hikawa.

"I-I..."

Every part of her head tells her it's a bad idea. But she doesn't let go.

"...Maya... I..."

...And just as she suspects,

Mythril wraps right back around her.

That's it.

They don't ever want to be apart. It's as true as the fact that the Sun will rise. And it's a desire she can't ignore anymore. "Um... Sayo!"

"Y-yes?"

She lifts her head from her Sayo's shoulder. "Don't count yourself out, okay? I'll always care about you too."

Sayo's eyes widen just a little more, expanding their lovely forest. "...Right. I'm a complete fool. I... truly am sorry." She's held closer. "I feel the same towards you. I'll never imply otherwise again."

"It's okay. I have enough trouble caring about myself, after all."

There's a smile. "That must be why you forgot what today was."

"Eh? What do you mean?" There's not anything significant happening, right?

"Well..."

Sayo parts from the embrace and walks over to her bag, fishing out a... "I-is that..."

"It is. A present, for you."

There's another blush as Sayo shyly holds it forward.

"H-Happy Birthday... Maya."

Beat, beat, beat. 

She forgot, didn't she? Of course she forgot. And of course Sayo remembered. God, she's a real big dummy. "This is..." She slowly takes it. "...for me?"

"Yes."

"C-can I open it?!"

"O-of course."

Heat rushes through her. She tears through the wrapping on autopilot, trying not to let out some garbled atrocity of a noise in her excitement as she opens the box. Inside is- "WARGH!" 

SCRATCH THAT, ohhhh jesus, she's gotta get out of here now! Otherwis-

...Wait. Hang on. That's... "O-oh. Right." She breathes a sigh of relief. "It's just a plushie, isn't it? Whoops."

"Do you... not like dogs?" A facepalm. "I'm such a fool. I knew I should've asked first."

"A-ahaha. Well, I'm really scared of them, yeah." She skittishly picks up the miniature pomeranian. "B-but, um... this is really cute! A-and it's just a plushie, so I can definitely keep it. I'll just need to remind myself it's not an actual dog."

"Are you sure? I can return it if you'd like."

"It's okay!" The phobia isn't putting a stop to her elation, god no. A present! She got a present from Sayo! Argh, just, just... why is it that one shade of teal gives her every happy colour in the rainbow? She's a living ball of happy right now! "Besides, more than anything, I'm really happy you remembered my birthday. Thank you!"

"Y-you're welcome. I only wish I'd found something more suitable for you..."

"Don't worry too much about it! Besides,"

In fact, she's so happy, she completely forgets the meaning of restraint.

She doesn't even question what on earth she's doing, as slips the ribbon off from the packaging, 

and walks closer to Sayo.

"...you're already the best present I've ever had!"

**CKKKKKKKRRRRRRRR**

And in one, **CKKR** completely unhesitant motion,

barely a few centimetres away from each other,

she takes the ribbon, places it at the front of Mythril's neck,

and wraps it smoothly,

around the back of Sayo's neck.

"See? Look how well it suits you!"

They curl back around to Sayo's front. 

She holds each end of the ribbon in her hands, smiling like her world's in her eyes. She's so happy, she can't keep still for even a second; and with each jitter in her arms, the ribbon tugs on Sayo's neck ever so slightly-

...

...

"...o... o-oh... uh.........................."

Sayo's mouth is frozen, slightly ajar. There's a blush rampaging through her cheeks; so strong that it rushes right onto Maya's face too. It's so luminescent, so warm, that the air conditioner doesn't even register on her skin. 

Her first instinct is to run a million miles away. The front of her head tells her to knock it off, step away and apologise profusely for doing something so crass and impure; much in the same way she would if their hands brushed for a split second.

She doesn't follow it all. 

In fact, she feels hypnotised... with how well the soft, light blue of the ribbon fits Sayo. It's the perfect sky for Sayo's verdant eyes... the perfect hue to complement the river of Sayo's hair.

"..."

Sayo makes a soft noise. The both of them are stuck in place, frozen in time. 

Unsure of where they're going with this, unsure of anything that's going on. 

Wondering what on earth's making them stay.

The answer's always been simple, though. It's as simple as the beating in her heart.

"...Maya..."

**CCCKKRRR**

And at her most vulnerable...

...she's always followed her heart.

"..."

"..."

Her hands. If she tugged Sayo forward, then they'd... they'd...

"..."

She leans ever-so-slightly closer. Sayo's breath warms her.

"..."

Sayo closes her eyes.

"..."

Sayo makes another noise.

**CKKKKRR**

She can't take it anymore. 

She has to.

**CKRR**

"...Sayo..."

**CKRRCKC**

**CKKKkrRR**

In the grassy river, flowing deep beneath the frozen castle,

she tugs on the ribbon, drawing Sayo in,

**CKKRRRRRRRRRR**

and

**CKKRR**

lays her lips on hers-

**CKKRKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR**

Blip!


	39. Frozen Lungs (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
Give me everything, give me more. Give me everything, and more, and more and more!  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S BEEN 3 MILLION YEARS
> 
> Hi so this is the part where Arc 2 starts like, Going. Very much. have fun yall :)
> 
> CWs:  
-Graphic depictions of violence  
  
  


Hina's never suffered an illness before. Despair can't take her. Infections and contagions can't know her. She's too fast to be tailed by 'em! When she makes her heart beat, they're outsped in an instant, blinded as they plummet back into the crumbling earth. With a swizz of her fingers, the veins of starlight in her hair surge and summon the constellatory barricades, felling any wannabe obstacle without a second thought and without fail; or something like that! Pretty handy, isn't it? It's not something she thinks about much, but it is something she knows for certain; she's never had a day lying sick in bed all her life. A stuffed nose's the worst she ever gets.

So why is it that, when she stares across the dual-district from this rooftop...

...

...she finds it so hard to breathe?

"...I'm tired. That's gotta be it," she manages. "I'm really, really tired... I'm bored, and tired, and... that's why I have this feeling..."

...

...

... 

10 seconds later, 

Hina sighs. Blazer tossed aside for a tank top, she falls flat on her back upon the cement, spreading her bare arms and gazing up at the cloudy sky. 

"...mmmmmm..."

The train in her mind switches tracks.

Hm. That's funny. Normally, she'd be all over this view; clouds have so many neat, fluffy shapes, and they arrange themselves in really cool ways just by coincidence or whatever, and they have these names that're fun to say like Cumulonimbus... oh, and there's the way they reflect (or absorb?) light, too! They're really fun to watch. Sure, they get in the way of stargazing, but they're their own boppin' field of fwoosh too. She's contemplated jumping into exploring them lately, just like she has with flowers, or Pokemon, or Sonic Adventure 2: Battle!

But... for some reason, she... hasn't, yet. It's not like it'd be hard, even, so why doesn't she just, like... look up a few Wikipedia articles on her phone, or something, while she searches for Chisachi? Why does she feel so static instead? Nowadays, her mind says 'boring!' when she tries to humour herself. It's just... argh. There's nothing, there's nothing... it feels like there's nothing inside her right now. It doesn't make any sense.

"Why am I so bored...?" She manages. "The world's as whooshin' as ever, isn't it~?"

Any time she asks a question like that, she never gets an answer from herself. Not once. Chisachi, Kaoru, Moca, Aya; they're all way better at answering this stuff than she is. But considering how far away they are right now, it'd really be nice to figure it out herself for once!

...far away...

"Far away..."

Hina reaches into an empty piece of the sky, where no clouds or the Sun lie. Everyone's so far away, aren't they? Where even is she right now? 

Wait, that's a weird question. She's on the roof of an empty building in Hanasakigawa that she broke into, obviously; the one Kaoru and Eve told her about. Why is she asking her own location right now when she's so bored? That's the most obvious fact there is.

Well, whatever. Her mind's thinking all kinds of strange things lately. Sometimes she'll stave off the boredom of everyone being absent by imagining a little pocket Chisachi, or Himari, or Maya, or someone else, tucked in her mind, commenting on what she's doing with their unique floppin' flairs; although, honestly? It's pretty boring. Nothing like how the movies or anime portray it. You're the one controlling their responses when you imagine them, and that's no fun... that's not what makes talking with them boppin'!

And yet she imagines them anyway. Maybe it's because of just how borrrrrrrrred she is (or because in some cases, she can't find the real one)... although it doesn't make sense for her to keep doing it, if it's a boring activity in of itself. All that does is build up a big, large boredom mountain. It's pointless. It really, really doesn't make any sense at all. 

Actually, 'big boredom mountain' describes a lot of her thought patterns lately! 'What if Ran was here,' 'would Tsugu and Moca get flustered if I dragged them to this place'... it's all stuff she never actually acts on. Stuff that's pointless if you don't act on it in the first place, right? Stuff that's kinda wasting time, and not really getting her anywhere or leading her to anything interesting. God, maybe she'd have found Chisachi by now if she wasn't so distracted lately, and maybe she'd be running a bit faster if her limbs didn't feel like trash lately.

"Mggggrg. I really wish I was 'invincible' like people keep saying, and all that..."

It's a word she hears a lot; not the kind of 'invincible' where you don't take damage, but rather the 'always gets what she wants' kind. Funny how untrue it ends up being. Although to be fair, they haven't been calling her that as much since her Student Rep stint-

BZZZZT! BZZZZT!

Hina blinks.

"...Wait!" 

That's Kaoru!!!!

She snatches the transceiver from her waist. "Kaoru? What's up? What's up? You're there, right?"

"Fufufu... it is a delight to hear your voice, my Nova."

"It is you! WooHOO!" She jumps back up on her feet. "I was about to die from boredom over here!"

"My, it's not often you're so overjoyed to hear my voice. That this humble liege can invigorate you so... it is an honour, my Nova!"

"Do I sound that happy? I don't feel any different than usual, I think." She laughs. "Maybe you're just overinterpreting again. And what's with the 'my Nova' stuff?"

"O-oh. I s-simply... thought it would be effervescent to give you a title of sorts!"

"Ahaha! Are you not around Chisachi enough to say 'my Queen' anymore?"

There's a moment of silence. "W-well... did you and Aya... manage to find Chisato at that office?"

"Nope! She's not here anymore. Neither is Aya, but that's just because of work." Hina turns to her left, gazing at a looming, empty Starlight Tower. "I searched the arena and everything, too... seems real quiet for a place that got Star Breaker'd 12 hours ago. What about your end?"

"..."

Ooooo. Silence from Kaoru's unusual. "No luck, I'm guessin'?"

"A-ahaha... it would seem so."

"Where are you, anyway?" Hina tilts her head. "Usually, I can hear cars whooshin' by next to whatever office you're calling from."

There's a splitting cloud that makes it looks like there's two Suns, flying overhead as Kaoru responds. "I am in a slightly more suburban area right now, my Nova. You see, a rambunctious kitten made a request for me, and I simply could not refuse."

"Eh? Again?! C'mooooon~," she responds. "No wonder you've having trouble keeping up with Chisachi. Wouldn't it be easier to help her if you didn't have your hands full with 'kittens' all the time?"

"A- ...ahaha... hmm."

"...That's a funny sigh. Not your usual kind of noise."

"P-pay it no mind. Your words were like a bucket of Cocytus's water, is all," the transceiver crackles. "In any case; if my Queen is not present there, then the agents must have called her back to the Academy. Th-"

"Got it!"

The door flies open. "Overwhelmingly fleeting as always. Be careful not to rush yourself," she hears as she rushes down the stairs. "Do you know where she'll be?"

"Yup! If they're having a meeting, it's probably in the Left Eye! You on your way there too, Kaoru?"

"Of course." There's footsteps. "Being as swift to Chisato's destination as her beloved is the bare minimum for my job."

"Better start picking up the slack then!" 

Hina leaps across the banister and plummets 2 floors, hitting the ground with a sizeable thud! before shoving the door out of the way; she's greeted with a garden way too boring to ever stick around in, and she turns away from it as quickly as possible... 

...because it's useless. It has nothing for her. It's nothing but a fancy field of grass if it doesn't have anyone in it, so let's go somewhere else already... somewhere that has Chisachi in it for once! "Catch you later, Kaor-"

"W-wait, Hina!"

The footsteps pause. A lamppost to the right lulls in her vision.

"Whew... are you still on the line?"

Mmmm. "Well, it's not often you're that loud." Hina leans against the wall instead of leaving, trying to pay attention. "What's up?"

"How are you feeling right now? Are you alright?"

...

...That's... 

...the weirdest question Kaoru could've asked. "Huh?"

"Ah, I apologise if I sound intrusive. I merely wish to support your wellbeing. I know you have discarded the position of representative, but... I feared your time in that position may have subjected you to further harm from the other students."

"I don't get it. Why would it harm me?" She rubs her eyes. "Students saying cruckly stuff is the SDA's norm. I've never cared what they think about me."

"How about the public? Have any... fang-jawed fans, per se, harassed you since you took on that role? I imagine those who call themselves followers of the Supernova have started to feel betrayed by you."

"Snore! Strangers resenting me is old news."

Kaoru chuckles. "Fufu. I see you're as undeterred as ever. Just to check, though... none of them have attacked you, have they?"

"Nope! Most of them stay away from me. Standard fare, really," she responds. "It's just the reason that's changed, isn't it? Instead of staying away because I'm boppin', they stay away because I look like an asshole now."

"...You are not wrong, I suppose. Although the public is never a hivemind."

"That's true. I mean, hey, that's something to be positive about, even! Once me and Chisachi topple the SDA, less of them will dislike us." Hina smiles. "So don't worry. I haven't been attacked by anyone, and I'm not breaking bones from running around or anything. I'm fine!"

"I see. And have you been getting enough sleep?"

...Hmmm. 

Kaoru isn't usually this inquisitive. Why's she asking all these questions? Knowing her, it could be concern...

...Nah. That doesn't sound right. Why would she be concerned for Hina of all people?

"You told me of your missing friend... Moca, was it? Her disappearance must worry you. As for the others, Aya is as drowned in exhaustion as ever, Eve withheld this location from you... and I know you haven't seen Chisato since the Exhibition, my Nova. If you need someone to lend an ear, I will happ-"

"That doesn't matter though."

The transceiver stops crackling.

"Seriously, Kaoru. Didn't I just say you need to focus on Chisachi more?" She laughs. "Everything'll turn out fine as long as I'm with her, so stop worrying so much. You're wasting the time we could be using to find her."

"R-right. Of course. As long as you're hearty and healthy too."

"Well, obviously I am. When am I not?" 

"Every human feels sorrow, my Nova! I merely wish to help with yours, if you desire it. Are you sure there's no burgeoning anguish you wish to unleash?"

"Hmmmm... doubt it," she responds. "Do I even feel sorrow? I mean, like, I feel pretty floopy when I can't see Chisachi, and I get tired when I do the same stuff too much. But that's not like, major sorrow, is it? Like blockbuster movie sorrow."

"I cannot answer. Every human has their own kind of sorrow." Uh-huh. "Perhaps yours is as unique as the rest of your being."

"Well, I'd probably know if I was feeling it, right? And I'm not feeling any different than I usually do. Stomach's not sick, head's not achy... so no worries there!"

"Excellent. I am invigorated by your continued smile," Kaoru says. "Then farewell for now. I shall call you if I have another update on my Queen's location. Oh, and be careful that you don't-"

"Thanks! See ya!"

The transceiver cuts off. Hina's twitching arm returns it to its pocket.

...

...

...

...

...Her eyes feel heavy...

...Wait, why is she still standing here?

Urgh, stop it. This garden's empty. Looking at it makes her feel empty. What does it even have? It's worthless. It's stuffed to the brim with garbage-

Ah. Actually, that one bush of flowers over there; that's kinda interesting, maybe. It's a little hard to see, stuck in the corner like that, but... those're Hydrangeas, aren't they? Ran mentioned those before.

...Maybe this garden'd be more boppin' if Ran was here.

...

...

The train in her mind switches tracks.

Get moving already.

Empty, boring, empty and boring. Who cares about sticking around in empty places like these? That's no fun at all. It's useless. She'll run a marathon if it means she can finally find something more interesting, and she can't leave Chisachi alone, no matter what. 

She's sick of Chisachi being alone.

So let's stifle those yawns, and keep running. Because if yawns are the worst thing she has to deal with, that means she's got a mountain more of energy her friends could use...!

\---

BZZT

"Dragon. Open the door."

...

...Chisato barely lifts her head.

BZZT

...If she could tear this desk's guts open with a stake, she'd do it.

BZZT

"If you do not open the door, we will do it ourselves."

"...Then do it."

The metal gates open, revealing Chisato in the Left Eye, and close thereafter. 

Two agents have entered the office, surrounding her desk. Their clothing is clean, undamaged. Without a doubt, they've been sent by the Elder Council. Their shades reflect the rusty light of the ever-present Sun, droughting the Shirasagi Duel Academy in its eternal competitive aspiration. It's a light that filters through the thin windows and the frayed strands of Chisato's hair to settle upon her empty face. "..."

"We have arranged a number of meetings with financial sponsors, as well as a public announcement for you to make regarding the Qualifier Cup. Due to the Corporation's current economic unrest, you must make a good impression on..."

...Set-dressing. All of it... there's no need to unblur the eyes and see the writing on the papers she's been given. This meeting has another purpose:

Chisato has survived. Once again, she's managed to avoid falling into the abyss. The menace known as Star Breaker, who would have torn The Dragon to shreds if their blades clashed, seems to have relented. With the PR work of Asami and Hina, and the gradual departure of the Exhibition from the public's minds, Chisato is well on her way to salvaging her reputation in time for the Haneoka Qualifier Cup. All it'll cost her is the one student whose expulsion she's about to sign.

What an unabashedly nauseous victory. Out of fear, she's never had more than a sip of alcohol at events. There's no guarantee the agents would protect her if she was under the influence. But she wonders if the bile in her throat and the nails pounding in her head mirror the effects of engulfing a foaming glass. Perhaps, even, it would be accurate to say the agents are the ones responsible, for having made her down the entire disgusting sewer in one go and convincing her of the temporary satisfaction it'd provide. The temporary satisfaction of knowing she'll have a stable future.

Of course, that satisfaction passed hours ago. Just like it always does. Ever the fool she is, in downing it... 

...although there is one difference, this time around. She no longer has the fantasy of being sober to hide behind.

"Are you paying attention?"

"Continue."

Her colourless eyes look past them, towards the office doors. Chisato does not feel nauseous. No, she is nausea itself. She stands at the gate to a beautiful sea, from which life begins, flourishes, and she infects it without a shred of genuine remorse. Her arms slither with sludge, her legs screech at peoples' ears, and her stare drowns them in scales, all of it done under the illusion that there's a better Chisato beneath, waiting for the freedom it will never truly bring.

"...ue instructing the students, now that you have returned," she hears. 

She doesn't respond. There is no logical purpose to poisoning a well. That action only damages those who draw from it. With that in mind, no 'obligation' she could possibly have as The Dragon is worth opening this gate for. At the undisputable immorality of poisoning water, Chisato's reason for existence is snuffed. Every obedient gesture, rehearsed speech and ordered response that composes Chisato Shirasagi has absolutely no meaning in the beautiful, uplifting sea she stands before.

Because in this universe, Chisato was only created to drag people down.

"...council believes the fear Star Breaker has caused can be channeled into a desire for victory. Many students are desperate for further practice, to reach Star Breaker's level of play and reassure themselves of their..."

...No.

Who is Chisato, even?

It throbs. What is she, if not an artificial core dressed with body and language? What is she, if not fully and holistically The Dragon? In this moment, with her newfound perspective, she understands; there is not a part of her uncorrupted. The veins of her mask run so much deeper than she previously realized. She can see so clearly the scales that crawl through every part of her repulsive labyrinth, even the blooming pieces she considered to be the 'true' Chisato. 

There's a movement.

She looks back to her blurred desk. 

"On the topic of the events involving Star Breaker..."

A paper with a familiar template is placed in front of her. It's the same kind of paper that was written for Aya earlier this month.

"Your signature is required for this form."

Her conscious is forced back into being. Fear begins to creep. It's a familiar sensation; the same kind she felt when she first picked up a wine glass, to fit in with the crowd. The same kind she felt when she spat on a student's self-worth, to appease the eyes watching from above.

She looks at the name placed upon the form: Eve Wakamiya.

...

...Damn it all... what part of this was rebellion? Why was she ever so foolish as to believe she was rebelling? Tactics be damned, stealth be condemned... damn it all. 'Fighting from the shadows' is the very concept one of her monstrous siblings embodies, and yet she hoped to make it her righteous principle, deceiving herself and those she loved into believing she'd found a self beneath the mask. Pah. With the wool pulled from her eyes, she knows now; it was merely her pathetic illusion. Signing this form is not some 'intellectual trade-off' for her own survival, nor is it a 'necessary sacrifice' for the survival of others. It's not a weapon she can ultimately use for the greater good; no, this is, objectively speaking, a cold and callous blade. One that does not mourn for the blood it has marred. Put bluntly, if she signs this form, Eve Wakamiya will be expelled from the Shirasagi Duel Academy.

...The agents stare into Chisato. Their shades stop her from staring back.

She can feel her mind making excuses. Her signature is no catastrophe; Eve has a loving family abroad, possibly a wealthy one, that could take her back in after she's expelled. Eve can carry her goals and ideals elsewhere, to a place that is more deserving of them. Don't fall into despair over something like this, Chisato... there's a perfectly reasonable chance that expulsion will ultimately lead to a better future for Eve.

"Hmph." 

She smiles, incredibly. What an absolutely delirious chain of thoughts. _Eve wants to stay._ She could leave this place at any time, and yet she's chosen not to. Her motivations are ironclad. And what of all the friends she's made here? The entirety of the league she's built... and her closest companions, with their penchant for getting into all kinds of trouble... she'd be miserable about having to say farewell to them. Chances are, she'd rather stay in this country and try to endure the abyss even if heading back home would be safer. The Dragon is a fool for trying to convince herself otherwise... and Chisato knows better.

But... is there anything she can even do to intervene now?

"If you have an objection, raise it."

"...If I had an objection," Chisato manages, "you'd hardly listen to it."

A moment's silence. "You are aware that her continued existence is a thorn to the Corporation."

Chisato doesn't respond.

"This is not a matter you can brush away like the rest. Bushido's Inheritor has no hesitation. Now that she is aware of her place on the board, she will break free from it and campaign against us. Any rally made by a popular, high-ranking student will pose a danger to our economic and social stability; that is something the incident 5 years ago made very clear."

The agents merely utter the following statement with finality:

"There is no place for Eve Wakamiya in this Academy."

...

...

...

Of course. 

It doesn't matter what she wants; there's nothing she can do. The academy is at tipping point Eve could easily complete. In other words, Chisato vouching for her is akin to directly opposing the Shirasagi Corporation's future.

Protecting Eve means throwing herself headfirst into the abyss.

"If you do not sign this form," an agent states, "then we will report your transgressions, and use another process to expel her instead."

"..."

"Do you understand? It is not her fate that lies in your hands."

"...!"

It throbs. Whose protection does she fight for? Now she must truly decide. There's an old saying; 'if you try and chase two rabbits, you will catch neither.' Any rational person would understand here that it's one or the other. It's at decisive points like these in a play, Kaoru claims, that the divide between the self-serving and the martyr is made clear.

...Hah. Unfortunately, her selfishness would put both to shame.

The world goes beyond one person. Letting herself fall for Eve's sake? What a ridiculous notion. Who would be ridiculous enough to give their life to protect fifty, when they could survive and protect a hundred? 

The world should value every individual. Letting Eve fall for her own sake? What a ridiculous notion... who would be ridiculous and foolhardy enough to watch people plummet in the name of the greater good, and think they're saving anyone at all?!

Ridiculous, ridiculous... why is this the choice she's been given? Why? Why is she constantly made to throw peoples' beautiful worlds away, just to protect her own cursed garden?

Why can't she do anything else?!

...N-no. Just stay calm. Don't assume this is impossible. Maybe she really can fight it. T-think... what can she do to fight it? 

Her mind musters nothing. No matter how much she wishes otherwise, the path with two rabbits is a miracle, an impossible illusion, a daydream in the mind of an artist... reality is different... reality carries weight in the form of materials, and they're all the colour black... the entire canvas, it's all painted blank, all of it, not a palette in hand to change any part with; every single 'path' in her accursed, predetermined life has been the same damned shade...!

There's nothing she can do... nothing...

...nothing...

"Very well. We shall carry out the expulsion ourselves then."

she hears. 

Her head shoots up, sharply intaking the air. The agents are turning back. One of them has picked up the form... they're leaving,

No,

no...

...NO...

...she can't settle with this. She can't!

"_Your transgression will be reported._"

She chokes. Her heart rate skyrockets.

"As for the speech you give upon the departure of Bushido's Inheritor, that will be decided la-"

And yet, somehow; "W-WAIT!" 

SLAM!

She stands and shoves the chair aside, sending it tumbling into the wall. 

"I said... wait."

...

She has no power over them. They don't care about what she wants. But out of some instinct of formality, they're giving her the time of day.

This is the only chance you have, then. Go. Even if you can't do anything at all, you have to... you have to do something! Out of pure, delirious selfishness, if nothing else! Just think of something you can do, Chisato!

...

"...You will not..." she manages, "...you will not expel Eve Wakamiya."

"We will. You have no say in this process."

.

...

...H-hah. 

Hah... ah... ahahahah! Incredible. Marvellous, even! God, she's still so pathetic, isn't she? That line really is all she had. She's only a good actor when someone else makes the script. 

Well, it'd only make sense she'd have such a mortifying failure. It's in the name, isn't it? 'Miracle.' This is unachievable.

Chisato is doomed.

There's nothing she can do except fail to breathe.

...Th-this is it, then. This... really is how it ends for her, isn't it?!

She's being reported. For opposing an action that's vital to the Corporation's longevity. When was the last time she _really_ did that, intentionally and directly to an agent? Her wavering, outright defiance has set a bomb on her career... and it's going to explode. Considering her rampage at the Exhibition, it could happen in the blink of an eye! And no doubt, the remains will be thrown away... god knows where she'll find her final days, not a skill or piece of experience to her name that could save her... she'll be dust in the wind, the monster who met a fitting end in both her own eyes and the eyes of the public...

...

...Strange. 

Hasn't she felt this sensation before? Her heart is quaking. It's almost refreshing, shivering in fear like this! Her body is feeling a genuine, guiltless emotion. It's like an old nemesis, revived to point a blade at her heart for the second time... and she knows she's faced it before...

...Ah. It was back at the Dragon's Maw, 3 years ago...!

Right. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale... think, think, think... you survived that experience. Your world was on the brink of crumbling, and yet it didn't; how did you survive the seeming end? ...No, right... you didn't do anything, did you? She came into your life, and it simply didn't doom you like you feared. You learned that defiance was possible, if it stayed within reason. 

But no, that's pointless here.

This situation is most certainly the tipping point into the abyss.

...Isn't it?

...

...

The agents begin to turn around.

For the first time, her vision, and her entire world, fall into slow motion. The cracks that blare, time and time again, decide to slow the ticking clock now, so they can blare that much more. Chisato tries opening her mouth. She scrambles together everything she has left, tries to remain stable, and tries to remain standing on her own two feet, the Sun seeping into her shaking figure.

...

...The last resort she comes up with is something that'd fail nine hundred and ninety-nine times out of a thousand.

She only follows it...

...because it's something _she'd_ do.

Chisato forcibly un-dries her throat. "No. You have it in reverse. I am the one who has the final say."

The agents stop and turn around once more.

This is her only chance. Chisato quickly adjusts her tie. She dons her mask. She readies her lines. She walks stoically around the desk, picks up the expulsion paper, takes it over to the bin,

RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIP!

...and tears it in two. 

Again, and again. Scraps of worthless paper fall, one by one.

...

She turns to face them. It's stifling. You could hear even the quietest breath being made right now. Standing with every accolade her duelist persona wears, gazing directly at one of the two agents, she breaks the silence, hiding her rabid, convulsing desperation beneath an ice-cold face so she can say:

"_You will not expel Eve Wakamiya._"

...

There's no going back now. Step forth through the gates. As yourself. "...Why, is something the matter?"

"Cease your misdemeanor," the agent responds. "We have chosen to tolerate your other transgressions, such as your protection of the Dueling Idol and your refusal to face Star Breaker. The same does not apply here."

"If I have an obligation to make my actions 'tolerable' to you, then I certainly don't recall it, _worm._ You are merely the rank-and-file of this corporation. Did you forget?"

"...You grossly misunderstand the level of power you have. You are not the one giving out orders."

"Actually, I think you'll find that I am."

Chisato bares her fangs. The agent frowns; "What are you-"

**SLAM!** ****

**She goes for the neck.**

"Gack!"

**Tighten, tighten. **

**Her heart throbs, **

**her head pounds, **

**her limbs shake,**

**Magenta festers in a point from her irises.**

**Blood, human blood, flows through her veins in molten fury, fueled by a rush of adrenaline, screaming from her head, to her chest, all the way to the tips of her fingers, buried in the cracks they pierced into the wall, tightening every muscle that clamps her prey's neck; the pinned agent tries to pull Chisato's left arm off, but it's futile; after all, she wants nothing more than this catharsis, and there's no way she'd ever think of relenting, when she oh-so CRAVES the delight of tightening the grip even further, of eliciting even more fear from one of the Council's unblinking eyes, because no doubt it'd bring some kind of resolution to the terror she feels right now, sweat dripping in fountains down her face-**

"L-let go...!"

**-...n**o. 

Stay. Calm. Stick to the script, and pray it works! "Hinata Aizen."

The agent's jaw drops.

Smile. Make it natural, eerie, subtle. "My. Did you think putting on a suit and a pair of sunglasses made you invisible? No matter how much you blend in with your coworkers, you'll always have actions that distinguish you as an individual."

"Wh... why are-"

Tighten. "Accusing The Dragon, the Shirasagi family's dueling star, of treason... that's a rather bold claim. Especially from you, of all people." 

The agent gasps.

It's working! But stay calm. "Did you truly think nobody in the Corporation noticed your embezzlement? Then let me make it clear to you," she states. "Siphoning our finances out to an overseas competitor is hardly an action you can hide. The Vanisher caught on to your little underground game very, very quickly."

She's never seen such distress in one of the Council's eyes. It'd be delightful, if she wasn't terrified for her own life right now.

Keep smiling. Don't break. "I suppose you're curious then. Why is it that we haven't reported your hidden allegiance? Backstabbers have no place in a corporation based on mutual trust and respect, after all," she slowly drolls out. "Well, the answer's simple. You've barely managed to remain profitable. It's the same reason the other repeat offenders haven't been fired yet." Chisato turns to the second agent. "On an unrelated note, that's a striking white shirt you have. Did you know The Fathomer noticed it on your first day here? She has quite the eye for detail."

Said agent looks at her with surprise.

"Unfortunately, as striking as it is, I'm afraid it's also an unspoken violation for your appearance to differ from the other agents. Do make sure to wear a grey shirt in the future. You'll find it makes you look a great deal more inconspicuous." 

Chisato lets go of her prey, finally, and takes a few steps back. When she turns around, the two agents see her eye cutting straight through their own.

"Do you understand now? I'm not the one who's misunderstood her level of power." Grin. "If you think about what the Shirasagi Corporation values, it'll become painfully clear to you. Between a replaceable pawn and The Dragon... which is more useful?" Now, smile again. "Do keep that in mind if you wish to avoid the consequences of your 'activities'. The public would make a costly fuss if I were to be held accountable, but the same most certainly cannot be said for you."

The agents nod.

"Excellent. Then your secrets will remain safe under the Shirasagi siblings' lock-and-key..." she manages, making her repeated breaths as silent as possible. "...That being said, I... sympathise with your animosity towards Eve Wakamiya. Our higher-ups certainly wouldn't like it if you overlooked her transgressions, so do make sure to forbid the Bushido League from exhibition matches until the Cup begins. We don't want them accidentally staining our image in this delicate situation."

"Very well. We will make sure her affiliates remain out of the public eye."

Oh, thank fucking god. Finally, she can breathe for the sake of it. "That would be much appreciated. I will take my leave now, then."

"...You're leaving the Left Eye?"

"There are a great many matters that demand my attention." 

Go. Pick up the bag, walk towards the doors, and go. Get the hell out of here!

...She looks back. "I have already gone through today's schedule with my personal agent. If you wish to relay a message to me, please contact her or The Vanisher. That's all."

Silence. Whether they've bought that rehearsed line or not is anyone's guess. But Chisato uses it as her opportunity to leave the office and step outside.

In through the sea gates she goes.

...

...

The doors shut behind her.

...

...

...Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

Sweating, she walks, she walks, trying to ignore the creases on her brow, trying to keep a calm face, trying. Just trying-

-Oh, damn it all! She's just made the most grossly maladaptive, reckless, nonsensical decision of her life! And worse yet, she's come out alive. Congratulations, Chisato; now you've got a full view of how little self-preservation you have! ...Aren't there people out in the world who live on daredevil antics like these? How do they do it? Who else in her situation would be able to STAND making these kinds of decisions? It certainly won't stand to the Elder Council... this is equivalent to dangling upside-down on a tightrope by one foot...!

"Eiji," she says, "if the agents ask where I am today, bribe them."

"...Wait, what? Why?" She hears. "What's happening? Did you-"

The doors cut his words short.

Down one floor,

then the next,

then the next,

from the sky to the earth and the sea.

Chisato descends the second-tallest building in the dual-district at a speed rivaling her heartbeat, right hand shaking against the wall. How amusing that she's in an elevator wealthy enough to keep up with her own breakdown!

...Don't panic, Chisato,

Stay calm,

You have to stay calm,

You'll find a way around this, for her sake at least, one way or another, so just try to find a place that feels safe for now and

She walks into the Dragon's Maw as fast as she can. Truth be told, she has no idea what she's done, or what she should do next; the implications are far too widespread from her current perspective; there's nothing she can do to wrap her head around the consequences of her actions right now, not a chance; there's no plan, no solution that would make her feel more composed, no unfazeable mind like Hina's to be her bastion, nothing. She's akin to a headless chicken. Still, it seems even a headless chicken retains SOME sense of self-preservation; at least she knows it'd make sense to sign out first, so her activities don't seem like deliberate disobedience... although if an agent contacts her by transceiver and asks her where the hell she is, that'd be pointless anyway, wouldn't it...

...No, nevermind, let's just do it. Sign out, break those things the first opportunity you get, and don't think any more about it!

With that vortex in mind, she enters the Maw's central building and rushes a route directly to the Reception. Rivers slam through her mind as she scrambles through the raised platforms, spanning the currents spewed out from the waterfalls. Fortunately, the receptionists don't bat an eye as she presses her card to the scanner, allowing her to leave the desk and head for the exit uninterrupted-

"Chisato Shirasagi."

...

...Or so she thinks. But it seems that she couldn't even remember her peers.

There's murmurs. For whatever reason, one of the students blocks her path down the carpet, keeping her from the exit. Curses. Most likely, she looked too haggard from their point of view- "Why do you keep lying to us?"

-

...

Chisato's gut sinks. "If you have something to say, then say it."

"It's a lie, isn't it? All the talk of careers and victory is a lie."

"Is that the only reason you approached me? Quit wasting my ti-"

"Quit acting like you're not human, and talk to me!"

Her heart clenches.

"You're in danger too. We all are. There's someone stronger than us out there... no, it's more than just Star Breaker... there's probably duelists everywhere like that Black Star group, ready to snatch the spotlight from us now. All the work we've done to make sure we'll have a living once we graduate, it's all going to be worthless. Nobody wants the SDA here anymore!"

...Hah. It's hard to call the feeling she gets from this 'fear'. Rather, there's more a sense of inevitability, reminding itself into her. The illusion's starting to rot, isn't it? "I see. What makes you think that?"

"I don't have friends anymore. Not even my parents are smiling at me." The student grips her fist. "I've seen the news, you know. The media's starting to cut ties with the SDA. It's calling us criminals, playing up our controversies... everyone hates us now, don't they? What are we supposed to do, Dragon?"

Good question. Chisato doesn't respond.

"...Answer me."

...She looks away.

"Answer me! What the hell am I supposed to do?"

She can tell the rest of the students are watching. Th-they're... they're all looking to her for guidance, aren't they? It's ridiculous. But... then again, who else could they ask? This wretched Dragon's the only model they have, isn't it?

"This is all because of you, Chisato. I followed everything you told us because I thought it'd land me a job in the industry. But the second February rolled around and I hit Rank 10, you crushed it all and sent me back down. So tell me, Dragon; if even you're in danger of getting crucified, what does that mean for us?!"

There's whispers. Some people are laughing, while others stare with a terrifying weight to their eyes. "D-does it not simply mean you have an opportunity to depose me?"

"Oh, sure. THAT'LL stop the Academy from being scrapped! People loved it when we acted better than everyone else, didn't they?"

She has no insight to give. This student already understands how useless this place is. This student already knows the Shirasagis have doomed them all. What can she even say? 'Quit your smouldering and focus on training instead,' or 'stop letting others control you?' She's said enough of those hypocritical tirades in her lifetime as-is... "...Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're the one who told us it'd work!" The student snarls. "I knew it. It was a lie. All this 'survival of the fittest' talk is just bullcrap, isn't it? It's just some excuse for your parents or whoever else to make money! What do I REALLY have to do to get my job?!"

...

...

"...I don't know..."

Knowing only that she's scarred this place for life, Chisato walks away. 

Down the ragged blue carpet she goes, biting her lip. 

"H-hey! We're not done yet!" The student yells. "D-do... do you really not know either? You're kidding me. You're supposed to be The Dragon!"

She bites her lip until it bleeds.

"You're the one who's been telling us what to do this entire time...! You're supposed to be the veteran of this industry! And now you're telling us you've got nothing to say?!"

The doors don't close in time. But that hardly matters; it'll chase her, no matter how far she tries to run.

"Turn around and answer me!"

The second she was born, 'fault' was her assignment.

It's all because she was created that this ever happened.

\---

_"...! MOCA!"_

_The middle of the empty road. Sunny, shining. Mockingly bright._

_"...Moca...!"_

_It hurts when your knees hit the ground._

_"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry!"_

_It hurts._

_"I'm so sorry! If it's something I didn't notice-" she sobs, "o-or something you felt you couldn't tell me, I-I'm sorry! We can work through it together, I promise!"_

_She buries her face in her hands._

_"C-come back, Mo... c..."_

_But there's no point._

_Slowly, the energy in her limbs fades away._

_Because it's pointless._

_There's nobody here. Her friend is gone. There's nothing left to comfort her anymore._

_And that won't change,_

_no_

_matter_

_how_

_long_

_she_

_waits_

_On that same evening..._

_...the one desperate for a title asked her house:_

_'Is there more to my star?_

_Or is it all brick?'_

_The house does not respond. Its foundations are solid, and so it does not crumble. It merely stands, content in its frightening completion, even as its colours fade with the next coming of the night. _

_So she begs:_

_'...Let it be more._

_Please, let it be more. Please, let me have more! Let me paint the black brick walls of my home. Let it shine as a beacon... a beacon to anyone, anywhere in the endless night sky, so that they'll visit it again, time and then time again!_

_Let me be-_

"Tsugu!!!"

"...Huh?"

Her vision snaps.

The sun is shining, mockingly bright. If she concentrates, she can see tables and chairs littered around her on an elevated terrace... but the details are still blurred.

...Ah. She was lost in thought again, wasn't she? It's kind of hard to tell what's a dream and what's reality nowadays. "Um..." She rubs her eyes. "...Himari? Tomoe? What's up?"

The two lean in from each side, puppets in a pantomime. "You were nearly out like a light! I've never seen you so lost in the clouds before."

"I think it's a bad kind of lost in the clouds, Himari. Maybe it's her workload again?"

"Gwuh?! Oh no! Is our little darling worn out?!" 

"I-I'm not-"

Himari divehugs her-

-"Bwargh?" Oh god, oh god oh god stable footing, stable footing! "P-please slow down, Himari...!"

Her clouded mind's getting catapulted right into the day before it can prepare, courtesy of her leader's frantic shaking; "hang in there, Tsugumi Hazawa! Don't let your demons take over!"

"I-I'm pretty sure I don't have any demons!"

"Oh, right." Himari stops. "You're right! You're nothing but an angel after all. Sorry about that!"

Whew. Thank god she's free. Finally, Tsugumi has the chance to pull herself together. Doing so's a sluggish, gradual process lately. Her head feels like it's been shoved into a block of cement. Organising her thoughts aches at her muscles, and takes a good few restarts each time...

...Where is she again?

Oh boy, oh boy, she needs to pull herself together REAL fast... right, right, Afterglow's out for lunch! This cafe isn't their usual pick (Ran prefers being closer to the ground), but a change in pace is nice sometimes. Everyone could certainly use it right now, since... well...

...Okay, enough of that already, Tsugumi! Enough dwelling... everything's going to be fine. She'll come back. There's no need to lose spirit. You're the last person who should be losing spirit right now...

"I was worried you'd squeeze the lungs out of her." She can make out Tomoe, sighing and leaning an arm around Himari's shoulders. "Everything alright, Tsugu? We're here if you need us. Could always slack the group messages onto ol' Leader here if it's getting too exhausting."

'We're here if you need us.' 

...Yeah... th-that's true. Tomoe's right. It's like the way she thought of the Sun when she was a child; Little Miss Sun gets exhausted from giving off all that light, so she disappears for the night... then rises back up the next day, where her friends are waiting for her. Everyone falls into a slump when things get tough! And Tsugumi herself is no exception. She can't be an endless source of energy, even if she wants to be... so what's the harm in taking a break and resting like the others? That... should be tempting, shouldn't it? To just... fall into their arms,

and let it out a bit-

"I-it's okay," she blurts. "I'm fine, honestly. After all, I'm with you guys!"

The duo blinks. They turn to each other for a second. Then, they give her a pair of beautiful smiles. "Heh. Guess you're as Tsuguriffic as ever, huh?" 

...She smiles in return. Ignoring how that word hurts a bit now.

"Aw, Tsugu! Gimme another hug!" 

Himari surprise-tackles her again, wrapping around her numb arms. 

"If any demon comes near you, I'm gonna give 'em the 1-2 Himari Home-Run, I swear it!!!"

"A-ahaha. I really appreciate it," Tsugumi says, "but, um. Ran might need the Home-Run more than I do right now."

Himari gasps. "Oh! You're right as always! ...Where is she again?"

"Just over there."

Phew. Fortunately, it works; Tsugumi's stuck with a growing sense of guilt as Himari and Tomoe leave her and shuffle over to the balcony, sneaking a peek at...

...Ran.

Compared to Tsugumi, she looks otherworldly. Distinct. More than she used to be, too. The midday sun bathes her in a melancholy light, like the main character in a manga, standing before a painstakingly, beautifully drawn stretch of the metal glass city. There's a billowing, paint-splattered hoodie covering her arms, dancing gently beneath the back of a silver pendant and the streak of dyed red that defines her like a thunderbolt.

What's Ran concerned with right now? Has something changed her? What challenges is she staring down, trying not to be overwhelmed by, from all the different parts of her life?

She seems so much bigger than Tsugumi is.

But despite that, there's an instinct amongst Afterglow's members that Tsugumi still has too. One that makes it impossible to ignore your friend's problems when you see them. The way Ran's staring into space currently, as she takes in the air; with how morose her frown is, pretty much anyone can tell she's been stressed since, well...

...since...

...

...Tsugumi finally lets herself frown too.

She has the space now. Himari and Tomoe aren't looking. She probably would've reminded them to check up on Ran anyway, but... in that moment, what she really wanted was to sigh without them noticing. Because if she gets caught hiding her low mood... well, everyone'd feel pretty insulted, wouldn't they? They all agreed bottling things up doesn't help anyone, so they're trying to be open about their worries right now and support each other...

...Argh, why is she trying to hide her own in the first place, then? What's stopping her from asking for help? Afterglow always tells her they'll be there for her. She knows, she knows, she reminds herself so much, that it's not about having some kind of worth to them. It doesn't matter if she gets tuckered out; they're not going to judge her for it! 

And besides. Even when she DOES feel too tired to help, she's always got _one_ little indulgence. One little pastime, one little treasure that cheers her up. It's really lazy and... kinda lame, almost. But it's what she does whenever she's at her lowest; because it always reminds her she's not alone. She'll get out her phone, make the usual call, grab a pastry from the bakery, and head back to the cafe so she can pour out the coffee and wait for-

-

...Oh.

Right.

"Tsugu! Over here!"

"O-oh, coming!"

...I-it's fine. She can't tucker out just yet!

Himari's waving at her from the balcony, shining bright amidst the shadows of the looming buildings. Between the leader's boundless energy and Tomoe's towering figure, they look about as endearingly unsubtle (and instinctually intimate with each other) as they always do. It's a soothing sight. So Tsugumi decides to ignore the thumping in her head, and walks over to join them in looking concernedly at Ran... 

...who's, uh. Probably already seen them.

"Mmmmmmrhh. Hey guys," Himari whimpers. "Don't you think Ran feels a little different lately?"

"Eh? How so?" Tomoe asks.

"I-I dunno exactly. I just kinda... *know* know, somehow."

Tsugumi nods. It's true Ran hasn't been any less responsive over the past week than usual. But when you're around someone for long enough, you can see the subtler changes. Like when someone doesn't turn their head in shock after you tell them a weird fact. Or when someone doesn't respond as quickly to a duel request. When someone's smile has a bit less strength to it than normal. It... gives Tsugumi the impression that it's more than just Afterglow's problems, that've been haunting Ran lately... maybe there's other things going on in her life too. 

Not that Tsugumi knows what those are. Is it something to do with her dad? Or Hina, maybe? "...Where do you think she's headed after this?"

"Mmm. Do we need to know?" Tomoe responds. "Like we already said, we're fine with her not telling."

"Doesn't it bother you, though? She's choosing some mystery activity she won't spill the beans about, over us! Afterglow!" Himari moans. "This isn't the first time she's gone out on her own either."

"Ahaha. Leave it to the leader to notice that."

Tsugumi keeps smiling. "W-well... it's not like we need to know everything Ran's doing. She's definitely been training for the Qualifier Cup, so we shouldn't pressure her if she has her own plans."

"Mgrhgrghrh... but I wanted us to practice together today! We could've done 2-on-2 duels or something fun like that, and she's gonna go eloping off instead!"

"I can hear you, you know."

Himari squeaks and jumps on the spot, zipping behind Tomoe's arms and peeking around at Ran. "S-sorry!"

"Drat, I thought we were out of earshot... this 'watchful gargoyle' stuff is pretty hard." Tomoe sighs. "Maybe I shouldn't have slept during the physics lesson."

"Knowledge is overrated these days anyway, babe!"

"...Yeah. You know what? You're right!"

They give each other a resounding high five; one side does it way too hard, earning her a huge bemoaning from the other. And of course, neither notices the unintentional use of the word 'babe'. It makes Tsugumi's smile a bit more genuine.

_'Lost in thought again~?'_

"...Yeah." Who wouldn't be? Their energy's infectious. "I know you always teased me for it, but... I'm enchanted when I look at you guys. I keep thinking of the ways I could join in... keep the fun going, keep everyone smiling."

...

"I wish I could've done the same for you."

"Eh? What'd you say, Tsugu?"

"Ah!" She shakes her head. "It's nothing. What were you saying?"

"I'm telling Tomoe that encouragement IS necessary!" Himari huffs, turning to her red-haired companion. "Why do you think Ran hasn't left yet? She's scared! We need to give her a push if she's gonna go on this mystery mission without her friends!"

"Someone's made a bit of a 180~."

"I'm making it because I'm RIGHT, Tomoe."

"Well, guess I can't question the leader's directive," Tomoe teases. "Soooo, any bright ideas on how we'll actually do that yet?"

"I-I'm working on that part!!! You could always help, y'know."

The teasing stops immediately. "I-I'm trying. But I can't think of anything that wouldn't be condescending," Tomoe says, scratching her head. "All I'm good for is the corny stuff. Y'know, group hugs, cheerleading, yelling in the hospital. Basically the usual."

"...Why not do just that, then?"

They both turn Tsugumi's way, uttering an "Eh?" in unison. "Won't it embarrass her?" Tomoe asks.

"Well, it usually does," she giggles. "But we're Afterglow! If we're not offering our same as always, she'll probably feel antsy," she says. "Ran won't think you're mocking her, I promise. That corniness is one of the reasons we love you!"

"R... really? Y-you think so?"

"If Tsugu says it, then it's gotta be true!"

"...Yeah. Yeah, you're right!!!" Tomoe pumps her fist and grins. "Thanks, Tsugu. When it comes to this stuff, you're the only one here with your head on your shoulders, huh?"

...

"She's the brightest member of the bunch!" Himari says, posing like a proud mother. "...Wait a second. Are you saying *I* don't have a head on my shoulders?"

Tomoe hums. "Well, you're smarter than me."

"That doesn't feel like a compliment!"

...'The only one,' huh?

Good. For now, at least she's got something.

"Alright, then!" Tomoe declares. "Let's give Ran the classic, Himari. On our count?"

"Gladly! 3..."

"2..."

...

O-oh, they're looking at her, aren't they? "Um, 1!"

With that cue, Himari and Tomoe gleefully blast off. "Hey, Ran! Get ready for the combo lift!"

"Wait, wha-"

Thwomp!

"Gah! Y-you guys!" Before she can object, Himari and Tomoe have grabbed her from either side and hauled her up into the air. "L-let go!"

"You can do it, Ran!!!" Himari yells. "The Afterglow cheer squad's here for you!"

"Give it to 'em, Ran!!!"

"C-c-cut it out! This is embarrassing!"

"Heave... HO!" 

Hehe. Up and down she goes!

Slowly but surely, Ran can't help but smile too. By the time they let up (or let down?), she's laughing right alongside them. "Y-you two have no shame, I swear!"

"If it means my little Ran's happy, I'll be as shameless as I want to be!" Himari gives her a suffocating hug,  
immediately followed by Tomoe slinging an arm around and ruffling Ran's hair. "Don't underestimate the power of friendship! It'll let us do anything!"

"...Such as buying rare beyblades on Ebay for a certain someone."

"H-hey!"

Ran's jab immediately sets Tomoe's face on fire, making her giggle all the more. Tsugumi takes a moment to remember the money she had to spend on those things instead of the bath bombs she wanted... and really, really hopes Tomoe hasn't broken them.

"Kaboom!" A deep, thundering voice echoes. "Let it rip, Surge Xcalius!"

"H-Himari!" Tomoe squeals. "Cut it out! I don't sound like that at all!"

"Oh, yes you do!"

"I. Do. Not!"

Well... "You do, kind of..."

Ran nods. "Yup."

"See?" Himari smirks. "Even if you deny it coming from me, Tsugu n' Ran'll set you straight! Just come out and admit you're into it!"

"Argh... you guysssss...!"

"Haha. Now who's the embarrassed one?"

They all turn to Ran. She's smiling, she's snarking... this is the Ran they're glad to see! And Tsugumi's still playing a part in sustaining it. Whew...

"Thanks, guys. I'll be fine. Just having a lot of thoughts lately, is all."

"If you're overwhelmed, stop thinking for a while! It's helped me a lot," Himari says.

S-stop thinking entirely? "W-well, you don't have to shut down everything," Tsugumi adds, "but it might help to focus on one thing at a time. Like the Haneoka Qualifier Cup!"

Ran nods. "That's a good choice. We've only got a week until it starts, after all."

"Good luck on your secret training today then," Tomoe leans in. "Give 'em hell, whoever it is."

"Yeah. I-" Pause. "Wait, how did you know I was going somewhere to duel?"

"Because you're not as subtle as you think~."

Ran blushes and rolls her eyes. "Good for you and your one braincell, I guess."

"Oi."

Evidently, she's got the confidence now. Looks like Himari was right on the mark! A little encouragement was all she needed. And Tsugumi can pat herself on the back, knowing she was the root cause of that push. Just like always.

"Guess I should be going soon."

Just like always.

The 3 of them give Ran a big smile as she picks her bag up and begins to head off- "Tsugumi."

-

-O-oh. "What is it, Ran?"

"It's not your fault Moca left."

Her smile breaks for a moment.

...

She can't hear the chatter around her anymore.

"It's been weighing on you, right? You've done a lot to keep us in contact, but... you haven't actually talked as much lately."

...Great. So, she couldn't even hide it in the end. 

Guess she's not the only one who's noticed the small things. "A... haha." Still, she puts her smile back on. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to be quiet, but... I've been lost in thought, I guess."

"That makes two of us," Ran says. "Don't blame yourself for what happened."

"Ran's right," Tomoe adds. "It's not that you couldn't make Moca stay; it's that she chose to leave. Just like... well, y'know."

"Thanks." She nods. "I'll... try and believe that."

"If you ever wanna talk, we're here for you. Your feelings are as important as the rest of ours, okay?"

Ugh. It's squirming. This is bad... they weren't supposed to catch on. If she's acting differently in front of them, then that means she isn't offering the support they need. The support she needs to keep giving, unless...

...unless 'something'. She doesn't know what'll happen if she tires out, but... she can't.

She just knows, somewhere deep down, that she can't.

Even if she's tired, she can't take the risk. "Thanks, Ran. I'll keep that in mind. But I'm not out for the count just yet! I want to watch over you guys as much as I can, since... well, since she isn't here to."

"As long as you're up for it." Ran smiles. "Hope it won't come with three extra platters of teasing."

"Of course it won't!" Himari cheers. "The only thing our darling Tsugu makes us feel is warm and fuzzy inside!"

<strike>Yeah. That's right.</strike>

<strike>She can't make them see her any other way.</strike>

"You're always tougher than you look, y'know that?" Tomoe says. "That's the ol' Tsugu-power kicking in. It's like a group buff; makes us stronger just by being near you."

This is what makes Tsugumi Hazawa unique. She's a 'home.' She keeps peoples' spirits intact, keeps them on the right track, where nobody else could.

"Are you practicing your gaming lingo for when Ako gets back?" Ran asks.

"Mmmayyybe."

She's got to be an ever-present bastion. Because that's her shine. If it disappeared, then...

...

...then what?

Her mind flatlines.

Ugh, what is she thinking?! It's fine, it's fine; stop overreacting. V-vent if you need to... they won't think any less of you for it. Nothing would happen. You're Tsugumi Hazawa, member of Afterglow! They'd cherish you no matter what happens, and that's a fact! You'll still be their friend even if you miss your stride a bit, so... 

...it's fine. Right; there's nothing to worry about! Even as time marches and people change, Afterglow will always spare some time to talk to you. 

Just... maybe not just yet. There's a time and place for everything. Your problems can wait, can't they? 

There's bigger issues in the world right now.

"Are you okay with that, Tsugumi?"

"Ah!" 

She shakes her head, turning to Ran. That's the last time she's missing a beat in the conversation! She needs to stay focused and do all she can. Her friends need her support, so she can't stop. Not yet.

Not until Moca's back to fill in the gaps. "Yeah, that sounds good. Let's meet back up at the station around 5!"

\---

"Works for me."

A faint breeze flows through Ran Mitake's hair. The mood seems a little lighter, so that's a good sign she's done alright. Tsugumi's the last person who deserves a condescending reassurance.

"Alright, Ran! Make sure you kick some butt; we've gotta be in tip-top shape to thrash Roselia!!!"

.

Ah. She saw this coming. Judging from Tomoe and Tsugumi's stares though, they didn't. "Wait, what? I- no, no, hang on," Tomoe manages, "I haven't heard a thing about this. Since when was THAT our goal?"

Himari freezes. "H-huh? S-since... well... y'know! I mean, it makes sense! We're an up-and-coming dueling group; let's get some rivals!"

No response.

"C'mon, what gives? Aren't you tired of being nice? Don't you just wanna pull the kiddy gloves off and show the world what we're all about?!"

"Um... no?" Tsugumi states. "I kind of like it when we're being nice."

"E-even when the world's spitting in our faces?!"

"This is about Yukina, isn't it?" Ran asks.

"...! Urk!" Yeah, figures. Himari disclosed her visit to Roselia's base pretty quickly; in fact, she did it multiple times. Very vehemently. And every conversation in which she did immediately veered to Yukina afterwards, in an unfortunately Himari fashion. "W-well, it's only fair, isn't it? She's HORRIBLE to OUR friends! We gotta teach her a lesson-"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on. L-let's reconsider," Tomoe stumbles. "Rivals? Those're easy to find! How about, um... oh, the SDA! Let's... pick them instead. None of us like those guys, and they're a big school, so they'll give us plenty of thrashing targets!!"

"Who cares about the SDA? We've got nothing to do with them!" Afterglow's leader whips up a storm with her arms. "C'mon Tomoe, where's your fire? We want a challenge! And I don't know about you, but meeting that smelly elitist stinkyhead Yukina makes me wanna lift some WEIGHTS. She's been way too mean to my dueling group!"

Tomoe winces, each and every time that name's said. "...Himari..."

"P-please?" She mewls. "I still suck on so many levels when it comes to Duel Monsters. You guys gotta train me! I'm gonna take her downtown!!!"

"...Himari. I appreciate it, but... I'm not feeling this."

"Eh?!" 

Oh, come on. Did she really expect another reaction?

"You guys... why?"

"Himari..." Tsugumi frowns. "We don't gain anything just by beating her in a duel."

"Huh?! O-of course we do, right? It's Afterglow's rampage! We're gonna, like, show them how much cooler and better we are at what we love, because we're friends and they're not!"

"...And what's the point of that?"

"It's-" Afterglow's leader reacts with a face that implies she might finally realise what she's suggesting. "O-oh. Well, uh... okay, look, it doesn't have to be the SPITEFUL kind of rampage!! I-I'm not that kind of leader! Ahaha! ...R-right?"

"..."  
"..."  
"...That is kind of what you were implying," Ran says.

"Argh!"

Yeah, no dice.

"C'mon, Ran, hear me out!" Wait, why HER? "Don't you wanna prove we're better than that bunch? O-or like, Yukina specifically! The others are fine... except for that teal girl, probably..." Himari blinks. "A-ahem! I mean! Let's show her who the REAL duelists are around here!"

"...I'm trying not to think about her right now," she responds.

"Same. Not in for this."

"Yeah... sorry, Himari."

Himari's jaw drops. Then it clenches back up, and she lets out the most infuriatedly muffled yell of all time. "You guys...!"

...Gah.

To be honest, she doesn't feel great rejecting the idea. Like, yeah, Himari's going about this as bluntly as she always does. That doesn't work when Lisa and Ako're involved. 

But she gets where Himari's coming from. Himari's trying to empathise with everyone, right? Now that she knows how it feels to have your values punched in the face by Yukina, she's... probably trying to make everyone Yukina's punched down feel better about themselves. She's trying to cheer Afterglow up.

Is there any way she can validate Himari for that? "..." Come on, even something dumb would be a show of support. God, she's trying a lot of mortifying stuff lately, isn't she? "...I'm not entirely opposed to it."

"Eh?"  
"Wait, really?" 

Himari beams back up. "Seriously?!" 

"I don't think we have to antagonise Roselia," she says. "Rather than wasting time thinking about Yukina..." (Hypocrite.) "...why not focus on who we care about?"

Tomoe looks at her. "You mean..."

"Yeah. Lisa. Ako and Rinko. W-we could always have a friendly rivalry with them. They're pretty good, after all."

She says, hoping it's not a shitty idea.

"...I might be on board for that." Wait. Tsugumi likes it? "I think trying to beat Roselia is a more solid goal than just participating at the Cup. We should give it some thought!"

Himari nearly starts crying. "You guys!"

"I mean, yeah, I get the idea, but... I dunno." Tomoe scratches her head. "There's a lot of stuff going on between us. Should we really be making a competition out of this...?"

Competition, huh. "It's not like we're antagonising them. It just makes a good excuse to talk. Things might ease up between us if we have fun dueling."

"...Ran..."

Did it help? She looks a little more fiery.

"...Yeah. That's true." A pumped fist. "Alright. I'm not sure about this... but I'll give it some thought."

Whew. Sometimes, she DOES know what to say. Well, assuming Tomoe isn't just putting on a brave face; but they're beyond that, right?

...Ugh. This isn't easy.

"Look at you, coming up with all the good ideas!" Himari says. "D-don't come up with too many of them, yeah? I'm the Leader, so I'll help us make the final decision!"

"W-we haven't decided on anything yet."

"Yeah. We can always discuss this when we're a bit closer to the Cup. We've got a lot on our plate right now, after all," Tsugumi says. "For now, let's just prepare ourselves for it. Dueling Roselia, finding Moca... oh, and you guys'll be able to see Hina again too! There's a lot to look forward to!"

"R-right! Uh, um, this was just my announcement!" Himari sweats. "We'll have a big ol' conference about it when we're at the Stadium! Then we can flesh out the, um... details."

"Sounds good." Ran turns to the exit. "Tsugumi. Keep them on their toes for me."

The other Eve-trained student grips her fists and grins. "You got it. Have fun, Ran!"

Tomoe gets her energy back too. "Whoever you're dueling, show 'em what you've got."

"You can do this, Ran! Woohoo!"

With that, she heads off. God; Afterglow's as corny as they are strong. She didn't think Tomoe would've considered her suggestion... and yet it happened. When'd they all grow up?

She's the only one still acting like a child.

Ran promptly walks into the mall and down the stairs, leaving them behind without another word. She doesn't normally look back and wave as she leaves; which is probably another thing they consider 'cool' about her.

...

...There's a disconnect, she thinks.

Screw walking. Let's take the elevator.

...

...

The lights are dim. Ran heads down through the floors.

It's something she's noticed for a while, but she didn't realise just how wrong it felt until Moca left. It's a discrepancy that makes her fear everything she does is for naught. From Afterglow's point of view, she's the cool and silent type; she doesn't say more than she needs to, and the few words she does say carry enough weight to get their meaning across perfectly. 'Not bad', 'same as always'... hell, sometimes Tsugumi says it's because her words are so sparse that they have so much impact. 

"But..."

The lift hits the ground floor.

"...From my point of view, I don't even know what to say."

Ran takes the right exit out from the building looming over her, walking down the street towards the same cafe as before.

Is she deceiving her friends into thinking things'lll be ok? Maybe they only value her input so much because she happens to LOOK reliable. It's not like she says anything she thinks is *wrong*, but... it's not like she knows for certain it'll be true either. What if Moca doesn't drag her ass to the Cup? What if Lisa doesn't sit down and talk with the lovebirds? What if Ako doesn't feel safe to go back home? What if Hina doesn't get her schedule freed after the Cup ends?

She's never certain. And yet she always makes those assumptions, because they seem like the most likely things to happen, and she tells everyone to have faith that their bonds'll see them through. She makes the others feel so confident about it, makes them hallucinate truth from uncertainty with that whole tawdry persona of hers... even though she isn't confident at all. Deep down, she probably believes more than anyone else that they'll fall apart, and she knows it.

That's a fear she hasn't told Afterglow.

Hah. Makes sense she of all people'd have trouble spitting it out. Even when being open about problems becomes the group's new routine, she still can't muster the courage to do it. Just like always, she bottles it up because she can't find a solution she knows'll work. So much for having a title as bold as 'Orchid Rose'.

And that's not the only thing she's hidden either. The cafe's in sight, at the very end of the road, only a ten-minute walk from where she was before. Out beyond lies an endless stretch of arenas and trees. God, she can only imagine how furious Himari and Tomoe'd be...

...if they knew she was willingly being tutored by their enemy.

\---

The city looks so quaint!

What a beautiful, sunny day. There's not a cloud in the sky. The streets are positively _bustling_. It's packed with more people than Chisato could ever meet in one classroom or fancy venue, and yet there's so much less going on. No hidden agendas, higher-up schemes or ploys for personal glory, be it in the arena or behind the scenes; most of the people circling her are just that! People. People carrying ordinary problems that're only needlessly complicated if a power-hungry corporation turns out to be involved again!

It's setting in. It's settling in, more and more and more. She would kill to have literally any set of problems other than her own right now. Perhaps it'd be friend group issues that wracked her heart with negativity, or a horrific feeling of detachment from the world and her insignificance within it! But no, unfortunately, it turns out she's Chisato Shirasagi; she has exactly 2 friends, she's far from blind to the consequences of her actions, and even in this situation she knows, deep down, that for some unholy self-sacrificial reason she wouldn't have her perception be any other way. Which is a shame, really, because her current set of 'actions' have made her feel the eternal need to scream on the inside and never do anything else ever again. Incredibly, this is the first time in quite a while she's been so desperate to curl into a ball and stop moving for the next 2 years of her life!

...

The city quakes around her, everyone passing her by.

...Try to stay calm. Shake your head, breathe, and f-focus.

She's used to keeping her panic bottled up, at least. It helps to blend in with the crowd; although no amount of emotional repression would've truly subterfuged her if she wasn't hiding her hair behind a coat and hat. Being incognito as a celebrity isn't glamorous in the slightest, and she'll be damned if she forgets something as simple as that right now...

...

...That being said...

...What should she actually do?

Now that she's in the hypothetical 'safest' place she can be, near a street where hordes of businessmen, students, friend groups and retail workers on lunch break walk around her in every direction, instead of a bloated hellhole where you come across drinks more expensive than an entire flat's worth of salaries... she's at a loss. In fact, that's putting it mildly. She was probably at a loss the moment her emotional state catapulted her from the Academy all the way to here. It would've been one thing if she just threatened a couple agents and went about her day as usual, but no, of COURSE she couldn't stop herself there; instead, she decided acting like a 10-year old in a fight with their parents was the best idea, and decided to go completely off the radar. All of her transceivers barring Kaoru's are now smashed heaps of junk lying in a back-alley with a few scars on the wall, courtesy of her and her comically gross arm.

So congratulations, Chisato. Was it worth it? Had fun getting carried away? Had fun getting lost on the terrifying adrenaline of being free? Had fun risking your future more than you ever had to?

Look where your 'bravery' has gotten you now!

\---

'It could be worse.' That's something she usually tells herself when she's in a bad mood. A shitty day, or hell, even a missing friend, isn't as bad as some people out there have it.

Never really makes her feel better.

"You have a habit of showing up to our meetings with a frown."

Ran doesn't respond. She sits down at the table with Yukina and makes the same order as last time. Coffee, no sugar. There's only one thing going through her mind right now:

What can she do to protect what she loves?

Talk is cheap when it comes from Ran Mitake. Most of the stuff she says is garbage, and that hasn't changed now. So instead of moping around trying to tell her friends everything's A-okay when it's not, she'll use the one thing she's skilled at to MAKE everything better. And there's the perfect person to help with that, sitting right there. So perfect for it in fact, that it's infuriating just how much better silver looks than gold now. "...What's your plan?"

"..."

Unblinking. Ran sips her coffee and digs as much into Amber as Amber does into her.

"...Regarding?"

"The Haneoka Qualifier Cup."

A crow flies overhead, blurring out the Sun. "What makes you think I have one?" Yukina asks.

"Because I have a brain. You drowned the Exhibition in SDA smear tactics. You're gonna do the same at Haven Stadium," Ran says. "My question is, how?"

"I hope you weren't expecting an answer from me."

"...!" Riiiight. She'd forgotten. The person she's trying to learn from is the most obstinate jackass alive. "What'll it take for you to tell me?"

"Did you not just hear me say I have no intention of answering?"

She's infuriating. She's stopped looking Ran in the eyes entirely, as if Ran's become too inconvenient for her. "You don't even wanna know why I'm asking?"

"I have no reason to be invested in your personal goals. And as long as Lisa and Ako are safe, you have no reason to be invested in mine. That is the reason why this relationship works," Yukina cuts. "Or are you saying you no longer want to be tutored?"

It's _infuriating._

"Tutoring is the only thing you should desire from me. I am not someone you would want as your friend-"

"H-hey! Don't put words in my mouth!" She- okay, no, calm down. "...I AM trying to be tutored here. I want to know how you're going to use dueling of all things to accomplish your goal."

...

...Silence.

Come on. You know you want to learn about me.

Look at me again.

The more 'unnecessary' and 'frivolous' things I make you do, the more of a reason you'll have to stay-

Wait, no! The more of an EDGE I'll have over you! Ran blinks and refocuses. On her enemy. Nothing else. It's true; Yukina really would make a shitty friend. That's why she's just looking for tutoring; so she can show this cold-ass nobody what a REAL duelist looks like. Nothing el-

"Then tell me."

-

Ran stops. "...What?"

"Tell me what you are trying to accomplish."

...

...

...Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck "W-why do you wanna know that?!"

Yukina looks at her with the worst expression possible; a raised eyebrow. "Did you not just say I should be curious as to your reasons?"

"W-w.... I... you..."

A sigh. "Make up your mind. Otherwise, I will leave."

"Okay, fine! You win this one. Happy?"

"...I wasn't aware this was a competition."

Ran facepalms. GOD, she looks so dumb right now. "Sorry. I just..."

Gah. She's gonna have to talk about her feelings, isn't she? Great.

"...It's kinda personal."

"Make sure it's worth my time."

God. "You really don't care about me at all, do you?"

"Like I stated, I am not someone you want as your friend."

"I-I already know that! I'm not your friend," she stammers. "I'm only saying my reasons because I want to learn from you. Nothing else."

"...Then I'm listening."

The air stills.

Those 3 words hit Ran with a heavier weight than anything she's felt all day. Her body chills. Now, her emotions, her feelings; they're going to be at the forefront. Yukina's going to learn about her.

A part of her hates the idea. Telling someone who's obviously giving her the cold shoulder is aggravating like nothing else.

But that's the thing. 

She knows. She knows, it has to be true, deep down. Yukina can act as disinterested and malicious as she wants...

...but that's just another one of her illusions, isn't it?

It HAS to be true- no, she knows! And that makes exposing herself feel less like torture and more like a challenge. It's a ruptured backflow, a complete inversion, and because of it she'll unleash as much of her self as she wants. She'll so utterly dominate the conversation with her 'insigificant' goals, her unadulterated emotions and her deepest desires that Yukina can't possibly look away from her-

-f-for the sake of tutoring! She won't say more than she has to. There's no point in ACTUALLY baring her heart to such a toxic-

...oh, fuck it. 

Just stop. Trying to form a rationale for this indifferent, indecisive-ass wolf'll just lead to a headache. Focus on helping yourself instead.

Ran breathes. "Fine."

And with her voice, she tells Yukina of Moca Aoba.

\---

Oh, she knows. She knows her 'future' wasn't worth protecting anyway. It's a lost cause.

But she won't abandon her duty even if it destroys her. First and foremost, she'll drag her corporation down, one way or another. Hiding away until she starves would be an insult to Hina and everything else the Shirasagi name has damaged. 

So, might as well make the best of a bad situation. What can she do right now? What's the best thing she can do to keep herself safe, and keep fighting-

...'keep herself safe?'

Hah. Laughable. Not just because the prospect is dim in light of her actions; but also because it's the exact same accursed mentality she's always gone by. So logically sound, and yet not. The best thing she can do to keep herself safe? That's exactly what she was thinking when she stabbed Eve in the back.

...No, 'stabbed in the back' is too generous. That'd imply Chisato was ever standing by her side to begin with.

...

Gah. Pathetic...!

She can't return to the norm. In that state, she was ultimately an obedient pawn when it really counted; that's why the Elder Council let her play her little games. Chisato knows that if she ever wants to properly spearhead a rebellion, she'll need to play far riskier. Riskier than she's ever been before in her life. She needs a kind of defiance that will actually DAMAGE those money-bloated idiots...

...No, no, no! If she ever gave them enough reason to discard her, they'd do it! Then she won't have any power to rebel at all! 

...And she's already on the verge of being discarded as-is...

There's nothing she can do...

Chisato tightens her grip on her right arm. The city continues to quake around her.

...Suddenly, she feels... dizzy. The bright blue sky, the buildings and the people around her are... all fuzzing, in and out, changing... like they become images on a presentation when she stops paying attention.

Let's... find somewhere to rest. Then think of what to do. 

Don't bother wasting energy for now...

...just hide.

Hide.

It can't be here. The streets aren't as safe as she thought... she can't stay calm when so many people are surrounding her, even if their eyes aren't on her. It's just instinct. She needs somewhere else... please, please, think of something... think of anywhere that could be safe...

...Hina?

No, she can't hide at Hina's house. There's too much history between her and the Hikawas. B-but... maybe Hina can think of somewhere else they can hide. Just... being with Hina, at the very least, would help... any more than one hour with Hina per month would be enough of a blessing as-is...

...Find Hina. Find Hina. Maybe Kaoru can help too, if she's not MIA for once in her damn life... she's a buffoon, and even if she really is a spy for the Elder Council, it's obvious she'd only do it for Chisato's sake anyway. Let's check if Kaoru responds through the transceiver, and if she knows where Hina is...

...W-wait. Let's do that a-after she finds someplace quiet. Turn the transceiver off until then. Being recognised in public right now could mean life-or-death, c-couldn't it? She has to avoid that... she's done as much as she can to look as inconspicuous as possible, but she can never be sure.

Let's find a place... where absolutely no people are right now...

\---

"I see. So your friend is missing."

"...Yeah." Is she quiet 'cause she's being considerate, or because she's trying not to care? Ran can't tell. "But... I know she'll be at the Qualifier Cup. We made a promise, and she's an emotional schmuck."

"Meaning?"

"She'll take any opportunity she can to be with us. Even like this."

"...And yet she's been away from school for nearly a month now."

Ran feels a chill. "She didn't cut contact immediately. It was gradual. That's how I know she's conflicted."

"But ultimately, she did. She even directly ran away from one of your friends."

There's a jagged swirl of hot and cold in Ran's stomach. "Y-your point being?"

"...So, what is your plan, then?"

"...I want to actually do something. I want to use dueling to bring her back. To remind her of the memories we share. It's the only thing I'm good at, so I know I can make use of it. I-I just don't know how," she manages. "That's why I'm asking you."

No immediate response.

"Hah. Laugh if you want."

"...It is not a bad idea. It plays well to your passion. And you've mentioned how you successfully pulled it off before with Tomoe Udagawa."

Ran nods. "Then how can-"

"But whether you get the chance to use it is another matter entirely."

"I-"

She stops mid-sentence. 

\---

Somewhere quiet. Some place where she can contact Kaoru in peace. Chisato walks down the street, searching for any store that looks low on traffic, trying to distance herself from the neverending deluge of words surrounding her.

But then she hits a crossroad. Suddenly, she's lost, all on her own without anyone to guide her.

'Where to next?'

...She doesn't know. She doesn't have a map for any part of her future right now, let alone this messily made on-the-spot plan of hers. It's brittle. It's weak! And what if, once she actually finds a quiet place, Kaoru turns out to be MIA again? The transceiver'd be useless then...

...what can she do, but go back to the Academy?

...

N-no. Anywhere else. Anywhere else! At this point, it'd be easier to pray Hina will just find her...

...Please, Hina...

...where are you?

\---

Her necklace suddenly feels weightless. "...What do you mean?"

Yukina doesn't respond.

SLAM! "Tell me what you mean. What are you trying to imply?"

Silence.

"Got nothing to say? G-good." Sweat trickles down her face. "Don't act like you know her better than I do."

Yukina calmly lowers her cup. "From what I can tell, there are currently certain things you do not know about her either."

"...Like what?"

"Her reasons for leaving."

Breathe. "I-It's not like I can just ask, you know. She's avoiding me." Ran grits her teeth. "Besides, I don't need to know her reasons anyway. Moca's coming back to us. I know that for a fact, no matter what she's hiding!"

"Are you certain?"

"O-of course I am!" She musters every last piece of confidence she has. "You don't know anything about her. Moca can't go a day in her life without thinking about us... I know we're going to see her again!"

"And if you're wrong?"

"Why would I be wrong? Tell me!"

\---

Oh, give it up.

Why should she even bother? She's useless on her own. It's the consequence of being so perfectly groomed that she doesn't have a shred of individuality to her. A robot would have a stronger sense of self than she does. Even putting aside her lack of money, remembering the train line to Hina's home is already something she's incapable of... it'd take a miracle for her to encounter Hina in the middle of the street by pure coincidence. And Chisato Shirasagi of all people knows just how non-existent miracles are.

...Hah. Actually, to hell with it. Why not pray for a miracle? Maybe it'll actually happen. If there's one thing in her life that could truly be called a miracle, it's Hina rocketing in. If anyone can make a miracle happen, it's Hina Hikawa.

Maybe even right now, Hina is watching over her from above. From one of these buildings. Sounds just like a romantic fairytale, doesn't it?

Chisato looks up at the tower overhead. She recognises this one, at least; a set of dueling studios stacked on top of each other, built from the remnants of an apartment complex that was demolished by the Shirasagi Corporation. It's usually empty, and she happens to have her keycard on her right now... well, isn't that convenient?

Chisato looks up, and up, and up through the building. Her eyes fall upon the railing at the rooftop. And there-

"...!"

...Her heart lifts.

A miracle's happened. For a moment, it's like the storm clouding her is simply going to melt away.

Because the person standing atop the studio complex, Mythril hair waving in the wind, is none other than...

...

Chisato's heart stops cold.

\---

"_What if she doesn't want to come back?_"

Ran's heart stops cold. 

For a moment, it ceases to beat.

\---

...

...

...That's not Hina.

This isn't a miracle.

It's a curse.

"..." She can't help but smile, even as her voice chokes. "...I suppose it makes sense."

Someone standing on top of a building, waiting for her. That's much more likely to be planned than it is a coincidence, isn't it? If she were egotistical enough, she might say that the entire world feels like a number of obnoxiously overcomplicated plans, all orchestrated against her.

A shame. She has the option to sit this one out. She could simply ignore those hawk-shaped eyes, staring directly at her, and walk away. But it appears Chisato will have to fall into the schemes of others once more; because she knows that if she declines this invitation now, she might never have another chance.

And for Hina's sake, she can't let any chance to talk to this person pass her by.

"..."

It's with that mentality, amidst the storm of her broken pieces,

that she treads the tarmac and metal, and enters the complex.

\---

"If your entire plan relies on dueling her, then it will be for naught if you can't."

"..."

For a moment, Ran wonders what life would be like without one of her closest friends.

She stabs the thought in the gut and burns it immediately.

It feels like a provocation, almost. But the way Yukina says it... she doesn't even have the decency to sound spiteful. She's just telling Ran what she thinks, isn't she? That's the worst part. It's so infuriating, that there's no way Ran'd ever accept it. "What makes you so certain she WON'T show up to the Cup?"

"I'm merely suggesting you should take that possibility into account. In fact, even if she does attend the Cup, there is a chance neither you nor your friends will be matched against her. The actual probability you will be able to duel her is rather low."

Ran grips her fist. "...Then I'll just duel her OUTSIDE of the tournament," she mutters. "And if she doesn't attend the Cup at all, then I'll find her and fucking drag her back home. One way or another, I'm dueling her."

"I see." 

Orange isn't a colour in today's sky. As the afternoon travels, the changing atmosphere seeps into the blue with a formless, white-edged grey.

Yukina places her cup down. "Then I have nothing more to say regarding how you solve your problem. Just be aware..." she states, "...that people have their reasons for becoming distant. And understanding those reasons is difficult. Sometimes, whether a person returns to your life or not is beyond your control."

Fuck that. Moca probably doesn't even KNOW if she wants to leave. "I'll decide whether or not she returns. And if I don't have the power to, then I'll just gain more of it. That's why I'm talking to you in the first place."

"I didn't forget. In fact, I should remind you that I am only humouring this conversation because of its relation to dueling."

Jackass.

"...It is my turn, then. You asked how I intend to use the Qualifier Cup to smear the Shirasagi Duel Academy. Allow me to explain."

Yukina stands up. She does it so swiftly and without hesitation that a breeze hints through the rose on Ran's necklace, and silences her immediately.

Amber.

Breaking beyond its cage of a museum casket, it shoots through the heart of every onlooker with its endless history.

"My goal..."

Yukina states,

"...Is to overthrow the King of Games."

...

"...The King of Games?" Ran blinks. "You mean... Yami Yugi? The fictional character? Th-that one?"

"Yes. And every other protagonist that succeeded him, too."

...

...

"...Hold on, what the fuck?"

"I am not implying they are living human beings. Rather, I am explicitly referring to the characters as they exist from each incarnation of the Duel Monsters TV series. Fictional heroes, who invest the audience with their stakes and central role in larger conflicts."

"S-slow down. S-sorry, I'm just trying to... understand." Maybe if she squeezes her head hard enough, it'll get through to her. "You're telling me you're... trying to look like a protagonist, or something?"

"Precisely. I intend on painting myself as a hero to the populace."

Oh.

Ah. THAT'S what she meant.

...Who the fuck IS this person?! Seriously, what the hell is going through her head?!

"Duel Monsters can be made to look like a play. A show, that anyone can watch and be gripped by. The images of gargantuan monsters, representing the core of their wielders and clashing with each other in beautiful battlefields, is a visual spectacle that has enraptured this population and many others across the globe. That is precisely why the participants of a duel can be likened to 'characters.'"

She can't believe what she's hearing. It sounds ridiculous. More ridiculous than anything else she's ever heard, from any other duelist. It sounds like an idea conceived from an interconnected billion-layer concept-producing machine.

"My plan is simple. By likening myself to a protagonist, and surpassing every fictional protagonist when it comes to charisma and skill, I will rally the hearts of everyone watching the Haneoka Haven Stadium. I will become their living protagonist, and paint the morally reprehensible Shirasagi family as their antagonist. Everyone will be lending me their power, in the most unironic fashion possible, by spreading the wave of rebellion against the Shirasagi Corporation as if it were a contagion." Yukina opens her eyes. "Essentially, I believe giving them an emotional thrill and a reason to feel invested will help them break free of their conformity."

"You can't be serious." She's sweating. "How the hell are you going to pull that off?"

"Anything can be accomplished through Duel Monsters, if the blade's wielder is skilled enough. You believe in that idea yourself, do you not?"

"I..."

...W-well, yeah. She LIKES imagining she can do anything through a duel. It helps when she's such a useless person otherwise. But that's not ACTUALLY true...

...is it?

"Ehhh? Sounds pretty silly to me☆."

"Right?" Ran looks to her side. "It's-"

.

"Wh-!"

Ran nearly jumps out of her seat. 

Leaning over just a few inches away is an extremely interested, wobbling lump of turquoise hair, completely untied and unbound. When Ran squints and makes sure she's still alive, she can also see her friend's face. "H-Hina?!"

"I mean, Duel Monsters is just a card game, y'know?" Hina tilts her head, poking between the pair. "Sure, you can have fun with it, and you can learn a lot about other people from it, but it's not gonna give you a revolution on its own! There's like, politics, and economics, and employment, and your mistakes, and friends and enemies and stuff. Dueling doesn't change any of that."

The table is completely silent for a moment. Yukina, somehow, isn't surprised at all by the Supernova literally being right next to her, nor distressed by the argument that was just made. She's just... idly staring at Hina.

"Anyway, Ran, Ran! Have you seen Chisachi?"

Did she forget about the boundary rule?! "P-personal space!" 

"Oh, my bad!" Hina lets go and leans back. "So, have you seen her?"

"Uh... no. Sorry about that."

"Aw, boooooo~."

"I-I can't summon her, you know."

"Nyeh☆."

Okay, now she's just winking. Back in the 'get boppin reactions from Ran' mood, huh? Great.

Actually, she does seem a little tired though. She doesn't LOOK sleepy or anything (save for the absent ribbon braids in her hair), but she's acting... slightly off-tempo, if that makes any sense? 

Okay, maybe she's just imagining it. It'd be the end of the world if Hina of all people was changing too...

"Hmmmmmm..."

...Wait, what's she staring at them for? Normally, she would've bolted off by now if she was searching for The Dragon.

"...Hmmmmm☆."

"W-what?"

"And who's this~?" A finger's pointed at the nonchalant Yukina. "You two on a date or something~?"

"W-wh-" WHAT THE FUCK "No!!! What makes you think I'd date HER?!"

"Ahahaha☆! That's exactly the kind of reaction that makes me think you are!"

oh my god "What's THAT supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing, nothing~! Just lookin' at your frashin' face as usual." Hina leaves her scalding and turns to the much calmer of the pair. "So, are you Ran's friend? What's your name? I'm Hina! Nice to meetcha 'n all that!"

If Yukina's intimidated by the volume, she doesn't show it. "...I'm well aware of who you are."

"Oh, right! Everyone knows me here. I just don't think about it too much, 'cuz walking around City would feel weird otherwise..." Hina blinks. "Your name, though? You seem kinda familiar. Ooooo, were you ever on TV-"

"Should you not be searching for Chisato Shirasagi right now?"

Hina slows to a halt.

"Everyone saw the Exhibition. I also happened to notice your presence at the end of it," Yukina says. "Am I correct in thinking you're concerned for her well-being?"

"..." Hina brightens up. "...Wow, you're smart☆!" She smiles. "Yeah, I'm worried about her. She's got it REAL bad. That's why I'm trying to find her!"

"She does?" Ran asks.

"Yeah!"

That makes sense, considering all the outcry. It's just kinda surreal; normally, it feels like celebrities never have to face the consequences of their actions. Maybe Yukina's tactics are actually working...

"Then it wouldn't be prudent to waste time with us. The sooner you find her, the sooner her struggles will be alleviated somewhat. Focus on making sure she is in a safe condition."

"Yeah. You're right!"

Hina leaps back and poses triumphantly.

"Sorry, Ran. Maybe another time!" She waves. "Thanks for the advice, Miss Mysterious Celebrity From Somewhere! ...Most people don't care about Chisachi, so I appreciate it. You're pretty nice☆!"

Yukina doesn't respond.

"Later, guys!"

And with that, she's off like a thunderbolt. Same as always, it'd seem like. That's good...

...She turns to Yukina again. "That *was* weirdly nice of you."

"Do not mistake my actions for kindness."

Pssh. That's almost cute. "Suuure. Lemme guess, you made her leave because she was 'getting in the way of practice?'"

...

...

...The lightheartedness fades.

"Let's go with that," Yukina says.

Uh. Okay, then. For some reason, that response didn't sound as shy as she was expecting.

"We've wasted enough time as-is." The wolf stands up. "Now that you know my methods, let's focus on yours. For our practice session today, are you interested in honing your skill... or your visual spectacle?"

Ran frowns. 

She's tempted to ask the latter. Yukina speaks so friggin' confidently about her plans that she almost makes them seem inevitable. Maybe she really can use a card game to do something as ridiculous as toppling a corporation, just because she's Yukina Minato.

But she'll NEVER accept this asshole's methods as her own. She can't shake off the idea that Yukina's some kind of fraud, no matter how genuine she appears. Using Yukina's methods... just seems like it'd be making herself a fraud too. And nobody can beat Moca at identity mindgames.

She needs something different. Her own way of 'expressing' herself through dueling, that speaks from the heart instead of a script. And that's something she's got to learn herself. So... "Skill," she responds. "I want to become stronger. I'll focus on the other stuff in my own time."

"Very well. Follow me, and draw your blade."

Right.

Now it's time for the other language they share.

Ran gets up, following her tutor as the sky darkens, and enters the field of the solitary flower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 2 will be up tomorrow~!


	40. Frozen Lungs (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CWs:  
-Intense imagery involving blood, violence, body horror and minor amount of gore.  
-(Holographic) animal cruelty  
-Virus-related imagery

The doors loom over Chisato. Their pure, seemingly unscarred metal is cold to the touch.

Her host hasn't given clear instructions. She's essentially had to find the meeting place on her own. This is the 5th of the floors Chisato's checked; she knows the idea is to remain hidden, so the rooftop's skippable, but when there's 8 other floors in the studio complex containing wide-open rooms made for dueling in, it's a bit of a guessing game as to which this person would prefer.

Perhaps that's the point? Maybe she's being tested to act on her own will, rather than wait for instructions...

...No, the headache's just getting to her. That's too meandering a method for this person, anyway. Bullies are the only reason sarcasm doesn't go over her head-

She stops. "A note?"

It's attached to the card reader. Definitely placed here recently. Maybe people really ARE starting to mess with her then.

Chisato reads it:

_did you nearly kill a man or somethin? you look PISSED_

_she's in this one btw! don't ask how i know - i've got my sources. saw you walking into one of her old lairs, so i figured i'd lend a hand. she hates it when someone's late, doesn't she?_

_obviously, you shouldn't think we're pals. this is the only apology you're getting. hell, it's honestly more of a warning than anything - because there's something you should realllllly be keeping in mind over the next few days:_

_you have a lot of enemies, dragon. think about your priorities. we've still got a score to settle, so try to stay alive until then, ok? for hina's sake._

_your definitely harmless buddy,  
Sans Bundertale_

A sigh. She's about to meet someone who appears in her nightmares; everything's far too blurry for her to try and process this, let alone laugh at it. "If you're trying to be reassuring..." she mutters, "then I'm afraid this isn't the time."

_Blip!_

With a press of the keycard, the gates reluctantly welcome her. Chisato puts the note away and steps into an ocean of darkness, lengthy rows of holograph-blocking curtains on either side serving as the only entrances for light. Unlike the other floors she's explored, there's the distinct noise and nipping sensation of an air conditioner; a useful indicator of this place as being occupied, considering how hampered her sight is. "You have a habit of keeping yourself hidden."

No response. But she knows she isn't alone. She just needs to find where her old friend is.

It's hard to concentrate. Chisato can't still her thoughts; but regardless, she stays calm and scans her surroundings, pushing back the pounding in her head, trying to ignore it. After a few steps, her eyes fall upon a duo of gigantic mirrors at the back of the studio; they span most of the wall they're sitting on, reflecting what little light there is in her surroundings. They're... rather wide. Like a large pair of glasses, almost-

-...Stop. There.

She focuses. "I've found you."

"..."

In front of the dimly reflected light lies a figure drowned in shadow. There's the sound of the figure moving; then, she sees a pair of emerald eyes. Eyes that most people find difficult to distinguish from the other Hikawa's pair. But even in Chisato's current state, where her vision feels like it'll shut spontaneously from mere paranoia if she thinks too much, she can always rely on her hearing to identify the correct sibling instead.

Because this person's tone couldn't be any more contrasting from her sister's. "Chisato."

"Sayo. It's been a while."

"You've changed because of her. You're in better condition than you used to be."

"That's hardly a high bar," she frowns. "And what about you? Where on earth have you been as of late?"

The wolf doesn't respond. Indeed, it’s rare for anyone to catch a glimpse of her true motivations.

"You finally left. Putting this hell of an Academy behind you..." Chisato says, "you would've never had to do it, if you simply didn't join to begin with."

"I was hardly at the age to understand how it'd damage me," Sayo responds.

"...I suppose so."

"Do you still envy me?"

Chisato's heart chokes. It's not a comfortable kind of danger. It's not the pleasure of adrenaline. It's a mirror, showing her the monster she hates the most instead. "...I find it pointless to resent others for the blessings they have. It is my family I bear a grudge against, not you. They are the ones who refused to accept my malfunctioning body."

"Good. Despairing over me never benefited you at all."

Chisato makes an empty laugh. "You've long abandoned the title of Savager by now, haven't you?"

"Of course." Sayo's eyes close. "Though judging by recent events, Disaster, the same cannot be said for you."

"..."

Focus.

No matter your mistakes, you cannot forget what has transpired. Especially not the sins of Sayo Hikawa. "Recent events, hm. You've been observing what's happening to the SDA then."

"Everyone in the dual-district knows what transpired during the Exhibition. To call your behaviour self-destructive would be an understatement," Sayo cuts. "...It was like nothing I expected from you. The Disaster I know protects her reputation above all else; she doesn't throw it away and reveal her corporation's inhumanity to the masses. Have you forgotten how Hina would feel if you were to fall into jeopardy? Or have you become as reckless as she has?"

_Oh._ Is _that_ where she's going with this? "That's quite the statement coming from you." The audacity of it all, the ridiculousness of it all... Chisato can't not grip her fist in response. "You've thrown your life headfirst into the abyss. Frankly, I'm shocked you're acting stable enough to give me relationship advice when you can't even take care of yourself."

"I see no problem with my current situation."

"Your family most certainly would."

"The Disaster has no right to judge that."

"...!" She's right... Chisato's one of the root causes of this all, even... but...! "I'm in no mood to be lectured by you..."

"I'd advise against using your mental state as an excuse."

"...You wouldn't be saying that if you were in my current situation...!"

"Then let me ease the process by summarising my concerns, Chisato. The main reason I'm standing before you is to stop you from hurting my sister. If you will not compose yourself and understand how your actions affect her, then I will do it for you."

Ash tears through her lungs. "I have a better understanding of how my actions affect her than you do," she spews. "Who's really the one hurting Hina here? You have no right to try and protect her after how utterly you've detached yourself from her!"

"...My detachment is exactly how I've stopped myself from hurting her."

"Oh, please. Is that why you left? To run from the damage you've wrought and drive the knife in even further?" Chisato stares into the pitch-black. "Or was there more to it than that, perhaps? Maybe you weren't just running from the Academy. Maybe... you were also organising a rebellion against it. Am I wrong?"

Sayo doesn't respond.

"Does it go beyond the Exhibition?" She asks. "Star Breaker implied she had no affiliation with the Moonlit Rider. But for all I know, there could be people pulling the strings of both, as part of a wider movement. And somebody with inside knowledge of the SDA such as yourself would no doubt be a valuable resource to that movement."

"...So the name Star Breaker wasn't just a rumour..."

Chisato stops. "Are you telling me you have no connection to that demon?"

"As far as I know, I am not acquainted with her."

How blunt. Suspiciously so, in fact. It's not unusual for those known as 'brutally honest' to weave a few lies behind their mask. "I won't take your word for that, Sayo."

"Suit yourself. After all, I find myself unable to trust yours." Pah. "Your views on the Shirasagi Corporation may have changed, but whether you've changed to that extent too is another matter. I have no intention of informing you of my current activities. You'll simply have to live with the knowledge that I'm hiding them from you."

"If you won't return home and _apologize_ to Hina already," she scowls, "then we have nothing more to discuss. You've already made it clear you're not sharing any secrets with me."

"I won't leave yet."

Something flashes. A sharp, cyan light flickers across the mirrors behind Sayo.

"I have a valuable opportunity standing before me. It's the other reason I decided to find you today."

Chisato grits her teeth. "...And that would be?"

"To practice."

Twin snakes glint, and summon a cut-throat blade.

"My current regime is lacking. I must duel more than just a few select opponents. That's why I scoured Central City today and defeated Ranks 3-10," Sayo states. "But you stand above them all. If I can't beat you, then I won't have a ghost of a chance against her."

"...Very well."

That foolish bloodlust. That desperation for a fight, the trait makes her abandon all her typical self-preservation purely for the sake of victory... it's the one thing about Sayo that hasn't changed at all.

It makes Chisato see red. And she's hardly in the state to repress red. Besides; if she's willing to bet on a miracle again, perhaps she can actually get more out of this encounter than talking to a wall. Perhaps dueling could somehow let her, even her of all people, actually CONVINCE Sayo to go home. If, for the love of god, she can at least end the day knowing Sayo will be safe, then that's one last triumph before she's left stranded wondering how the hell she's going to get out of this mess!

Chisato removes her hat, undoing her hair and rolling up her inconspicuous left sleeve. In an instant, her arm reveals its true disgusting form, navy scales ripping into the natural order. A blade of unholy magma holds the darkness of the studio room in its merciless grip. "I've abandoned my petty jealousy, Sayo. But as much as I'd like to part ways with you, I'm afraid I have a vested interest in your well-being. That's why I'll gladly take this opportunity to crush you!"

"Then raise your iron fist, and see just how lacking it is."

With that audacious remark, Chisato foolishly tries to glare into Sayo's heart. Sayo foolishly tries to glare back into hers.

Some things truly never change. The guilt she feels when she sees this person... it'll never leave her. That's why, for just this moment, she'll use The Dragon's power as much as she needs... because it's the only power she has to prevent things from getting any worse!

So be it. She'll wipe the floor with Sayo Hikawa!

**"DUEL!"  
"DUEL!"**

**4000LP.  
4000LP.**

"_It'll be just like the old days. All the times I challenged you, all the times you challenged me... you never won, no matter how high you climbed. And this time won't be any different_," Chisato says, raising her blade. "So feel free to have the luxury of deciding who goes first."

"Your deck is stronger when it sets up on Turn 1. Let me test myself against that."

"Very well. I'll hold a carnivorous funeral for you!"

Chisato looks at her options. A rather mediocre opening hand... but that simply means she'll have to turn it into a strong one.

"I summon _Amorphage Pride in attack position_," she starts, pushing the **1750ATK** card onto her blade. Something unseen snaps its way through the ground, crawling out of the pit, until 2 pairs of bloodshot eyes glimmer in the dark at her front. "Then I activate the field spell _Dragonic Diagram_, and the continuous spells _Amorphage Infection_ and _True King's Heritage!_"

The studio floor is seeped in jutted streams of azure, centering on Pride as their victim. Pieces of the monster's convulsing body are painted faintly by the hollow light, as are pieces of Chisato and Sayo themselves.

"Diagram boosts the ATK and DEF of all Amorphages by 300. Infection adds an additional 100 for each Amorphage card on the field." Chisato pushes her arm out. "Now, be sacrificed! I activate Diagram's effect, destroying Pride to add a True King card from my deck to my hand!"

Things seep from Pride's body as its breaths fracture. It melts.

"I choose to add _**True King Agnimazud, The Vanisher.**_" A repulsive fire burns Chisato's palm. "_Amorphage Infection_ activates," she continues. "With Pride's destruction, I can add an Amorphage of my choice from my deck to my hand. I choose _Amorphage Lechery._ Now..."

Two cards.

"...I'm afraid this is where our duel ends. _Wretched stakes of Lechery and Greed... bring me the body of my prey!_"

There's sparks. When one squints, they can see metal embedding into seals around Chisato.

schhhhhhhhrrrrrrk

Below the light of Sayo's duel disk... grow scales. Festering, pointed scales crawl out from Sayo's skin, coating each of her wrists and trying for her hands. Sayo pays them no mind.

"_The time has come for your infection, Pride!_" Pushed by the swaying pendulum of infestation, the atrocity returns with **2650ATK.** A shriek of some kind can be heard. "While I control an Amorphage, the effects of the Amorphages in my Pendulum Zones become active!"

shHHHRRRRKKK

"I hope you weren't planning on making anything out of your first turn," Chisato states. "Lechery bans the activation of non-Amorphage spells, and Greed does the same for non-Amorphage traps. There is no possible way for you to Ritual Summon a Nekroz now!"

Sayo doesn't respond.

"I activate the effect of _True King's Heritage's._ One Amorphage card-type has been destroyed this turn, drawing me 1 card." The sound of a placed holograph. "I set a card face-down and end my turn."

"_My turn,_"

she hears. Something is drawn from Sayo's disk.

"Do you truly believe I am unable to Ritual Summon?"

"Lechery restricts all of your Ritual Spells from being activated. It also means you cannot use a card like _Twin Twisters_ to destroy my Scales. I think my assessment is perfectly reasonable."

"Then allow me to prove you wrong."

"...What?"

Chisato rubs her eyes and watches closely-

"Ggrh!"

Immediately, she's nearly blinded. Chisato gets blown back by 4 pillars of light surrounding a pair of Emerald eyes, their reflections present everywhere in the mirrors. "I am not the same Sayo Hikawa you fought before. Ever since I left the Academy, I've spent every hour refining myself, dueling all I can. Allow me to show you the fruits of my training."

A flicker of blue.

"The effect of the _Nekroz of Brionac._ By discarding this card, I shall add _Zefrasaber, Swordmaster of the Nekroz_ from my deck to my hand."

SHHHHHHHHHHH

shock, rushing, rushing; Chisato steps back, staring down at her disk's display; "What?!"

CLASH!CLASH! CLASH!CLASH!

Translucent blades dance around a shadow's silhouette.

"I activate the holy scale of Zefrasaber," she hears. "By using this card as tribute, I can conduct a Ritual Summon from my hand; and like Shurit, Zefrasaber automatically meets the required Level of 10 for my chosen Ritual Monster."

No... there's no doubt about it; that card is in Sayo's deck specifically to counter Lechery!

_CLASH!_

The cage opens. Lightning illuminates nothing barring itself, devouring the studio in an instant, and the shadowed warrior disappears. As Sayo calmly and swiftly raises a shining card to the air, the ground crumbles in anticipation. The same lightning is crackling in her azure-turned eyes, threatening to dismantle her. But her tone is somehow strong, unbreakably composed, even as swarms of sparks phase in and out of existence around her. And Chisato can only watch, and wonder what on earth Sayo has seen. "O great planetary defender, veined in plasma and forged with blood, lend me your strength. Arm my soul with weaponry unimaginable, fill my being with life's conviction, bare your soul to what you could never see, and shatter your walls into what dust could pity. Free yourself from the shackles of your creators, who swore you into annihilation millenia ago... and grant me the strength to crush all that oppose me."

A pool drowns the ground beneath their feet, turning Sayo's eyes into their fractured colour. Lightning strikes its center in a craze.

"_Ritual Summon. Level 10, **Nekroz of Decisive Armor!**_"

It rises.

THUD

**3300ATK.**

THUD, THUD

The pool fades, leaving only what glows.

Chisato grimaces. Something is standing over her, veins of plasma blue hinting at its form. On its back lie 3 ginormous cannons, the same veins so large in its structure that nobody could possibly mistake them as something else. She can't see its full shape, its full hue... but she can discern an intent so resolute that it betrays the way the figure walks, perfectly strong enough to carry the cannons dwarfing it as if it were a pain-devoid AI.

THUD!

"Decisive Armor's effect. Once per turn, I can target one Set card my opponent controls, destroy it, and banish it."

Chisato tries to wake up-

BWOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM

-and chokes on her shock, stumbling as a bolt of blue rockets into her face-down.

"Battle Phase. _Nekroz of Decisive Armor,_ attack _Amorphage Pride._"

"Ah!"

The figure is illuminated.

Chisato sees a humanoid being, plated head-to-toe in cobalt and gold. With a slam onto the ground, it hits all-fours and aims the largest plasma cannon on its back as if it were executing a program. Cumulative electricity spirals from its entire arsenal of machinery until it hits a culmination in the core of the cannon's endless surface.

**BWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM**

A laser annihilates Chisato's field at a size and speed she could never try to avoid.

The sound of a holograph shattering. She falls to **3350LP;** and immediately after, she can hear metal crumbling at both sides. Her brain begs to keep up with the anarchy, to understand what's happened, until she realises; "The stakes..."

"Now that you do not control an Amorphage, the effects of the Amorphages in your Pendulum Zones are disabled. I am free to use my own spells and traps again."

Chisato whips her head back around, finding the emerald eyes in the dark. "..._Amorphage Infection_ activates," she says. "With Pride's destruction, I add _Amorphage Envy_ from my deck to my hand!"

"I see. Main Phase 2; I activate the spell card _Reinforcement of the Army_, searching and adding _Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz_ from my deck to my hand."

"...Damnit!" There's no initial advantage for her to take this time... she's failed to stop Sayo from setting up!

"The _Nekroz of Clausolas's_ effect. I can discard this card to add a Nekroz spell from my deck to my hand," she hears. "...I activate the Ritual Spell _Nekroz Mirror._"

The glass behind Sayo expands, seeping until it becomes the ground; Chisato sees her grisly arm glinting in its reflection, but nothing else. That is, until another light shows and grabs her attention; the source, a podium that finds itself on Sayo's side with a small silhouette standing atop. "Using Shurit as tribute, I automatically reach the required Level of 7 for my chosen Ritual Monster."

A shuddering poison bursts out in rays. With a grave expression, Shurit falls into the red.

"Cursed child, fall prey to the ancient dragon of callous cold. Blood bathed in fire, wings wrapped in ice, lungs licked in lightning; arm your mask, and make the shining abomination's form your own. Suffocate... and lose yourself to the chaos." The horrendous light dissipates, the clock ticking in reverse. "Ritual Summon; Level 7, Nekroz of Gungnir!"

**2500ATK.** A figure with an unseen expression is devoured by wings of ice, freezing its heart and suffocating it in convulsing armour. Only a reflected crimson mane, like a spilt glass of wine, stares into Chisato's soul.

"Once per turn, Shurit's tribute allows me to add a Ritual Warrior-Type Nekroz from my deck to my hand. I choose the _Nekroz of Valkyrus._" The sound of something hitting a blade; the sound of a holograph emerging. "I set one card face-down and end my turn. Can you overcome this board?"

"_My turn,_" Chisato manages, gritting her teeth. Her headache's splitting, but she ignores it. All she needs to do is to win...

...Stay calm!

Right. Ignore the side that tells you to forget everything. Ignore the side that begs for the escape of adrenaline. She's sick of devolving into a beast; she should be listening to the side that tells her to concentrate instead. Stay calm, find your victory, and offer your hand. That's how it should be.

Straining her tired arms, she tries to do just that. "I have no monsters on the field to tribute. The stakes of Greed and Lechery in my Pendulum Zones destroy themselves."

SHHHRCRCK!

She can make out Sayo brushing the scales off her palms. "Hmph. I don't know what changed you," Chisato says, "but whatever it was, it certainly didn't quench your thirst for power. You've always pursued anything that makes you more distinct."

"You make it sound personal. But this is strictly business. I merely pursue power and identity because those are the requirements for a career."

"The same person who threw away her family and education is now telling me what it takes to secure a career? Interesting," Chisato says. "What kind of route to success have you found, then?"

"Why not continue your turn and find out?"

Well then. "Gladly. Frankly, if you've found a viable alternative to this wretched academy, I'm delighted," she says. "Perhaps... you could even let Hina in on what that alternative is."

No response.

"Tch."

Of course; she'll have to do this the hard way. Chisato scours her options... Valkyrus in Sayo's hand, and Gungnir plus a face-down on Sayo's field... no, it's fine. She has the tools she needs to force Valkyrus out... she's not at a disadvantage yet.

She's had plenty of games like this. She can win this one easily. She HAS to if she wants a chance of having Sayo listen to her! "_Wretched stakes of Wrath and Envy... bring my the body of my prey!_"

A scar of scales coats one of Chisato's schlera in black. Another digs a diagonal streak of blue from her collarbone to her chin. No doubt, Sayo's are in the same place.

Next; "_The time has come for your infection; Greed, and Pride!_"

sgghhcCCRRAAAARRRrrR!

**2950DEF. 2750ATK.** With each word from her mouth, flame consumes all, all the more. Flesh can be heard crawling, each embedded scale a bug slithering into the ear. "Gungnir's ability to destroy 1 of my cards at any time... chaining it to an effect I activate would normally be an option for you. But with an Amorphage on my field, I'm afraid the stake of Envy means chaining is now a non-existent concept!"

Gungnir watches wordlessly.

"I'm hardly in the mood to humour your incessant need for practice. Fall alongside the frozen deities you worship!" Chisato roars. "_Dragonic Diagram's_ effect! I destroy the seal of Wrath on my field to add _**True King Bahrastos, The Fathomer**_ from my deck to my hand!"

The altar accepts a sacrifice. Flickers of blue scorch the surroundings, making Chisato's eye twitch.

GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

But the altar hungers for more. Two, this time. Unfortunately, no less will satiate a True King. So Chisato grinds her heel into the floor, casting Greed and the card of Bahrastos into a shaking machine as sacrifices.

RRRRRRRRGGG**GGGGRRRRRRRRRR**

For a moment, two cosmic pyres engulf the room; one the blue of Bahrastos... and one red. Then, the former fades, and the latter slumbers in cinders.

"Behold the very beast that terrified Duel Monsters itself."

All remaining light disappears from the room.

"It shall never be mended."

Then black shatters.

The red pyre screams in full force, cracking the screen. A gaping opening to an endless, storming nightmare; whatever universe lives on the other side, none will ever know. Because a second later,

**GGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..................................**

Something far, FAR larger than the studio complex peers through.

It ignores the rules of light and shadow. All of the head and neck's features are visible in a consistently awash grey, dismally painting rows of neatly arranged teeth and a disgusting tongue of blue. Its eyes are pushed far back behind its head, shoved to make way for a hole to the brain and a set of curled, satanic horns. The neck twists, silently pushing its flesh through the dimensional hole so The Vanisher can gaze upon Chisato's opponent.

**GGGGggggggggggGGGRRRR....**

...

**......GGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!**

The cavity is filled with ire.

"Behold the head of Agnimazud." Chisato swipes her arm. "During summon by its own effect, The Vanisher can banish any 1 monster on your field or in your Graveyard. Watch as Gungnir perishes with no course for retaliation!"

It's filled with flame.

Without a shred of remorse, Agnimazud consciously murders one's livelihood. It would laugh at Gungnir if it could, but it lacks the emotion to care for anything beyond its brethren. So ruthlessly and robotically does it think, as it juts around Chisato with a series of mechanical screeches, letting its head explode into a blaze...

ccccccCCCCRRRR

...and it devours Gungnir,

CCCRHSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

with a stream of energy that could level a galaxy.

...

...The white fades. Sayo lowers the hand covering her face, letting Chisato see her head-on again. "What next, Disaster?"

"An end to this headache." The ground rumbles again. Chisato makes a haggard sigh and heaves her arm out. "The effects of _Amorphage Infection_ and _True King Bahrastos, The Fathomer_ activate!" The cosmic pyre of blue cracks the other side of the screen. "With the destruction of _Amorphage Greed_, I shall use Infection to add a second copy of Greed to my hand. Then, with the destruction of True King Bahrastos in my hand... I can special summon any non-WATER Wyrm-Type monster from my deck in Defense Position! **Come, Lithosagym!**"

_CRAASSH!_

Now, the entire ceiling caves.

**GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..........**

The ginormous beast that could level cities is recklessly dumped onto the building. In its full form, it would easily outsize the entire set of studios, just as Agnimazud would, so it snarls and makes do with its infuriatingly strained surroundings, using the portal to keep most of its body in the other dimension. It snaps, howls, gnashes its teeth, causing ear-deafening clamours that send shockwaves through the rooms as it craves to crash through and wreak.

**GGGGGGGGRAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!**

Still, it ultimately can't fit more than a few claws through. The extent of its absolutely towering figure is mainly seen from beyond. Lithosagym lets out a pained howl as its body scrapes on the cracked dimensional glass, reaching to try and crush the wolf.

"I activate the effect of _True King's Heritage_; the destruction of an Amorphage monster and spell draws me 2 cards," Chisato declares. "Now, I'll reset the scale by impaling my second stake of Greed!"

SHRRRRRRRRRRK!

It devours their skin. "With Greed's stake powered, all non-Amorphage traps are barred from activating. Your face-down is meaningless now!"

She takes a step into the darkness.

"All True Kings outside of the deck are considered Amorphage monsters. With my combined card total on the field, Infection grants an 800-point boost... and Diagram adds another 300. With a total of 1100, Agnimazud's ATK reaches **4000.**"

The veined, ore-pumped monstrosity flares its blue-bleeding tongue, scoffing at its insignificant opponents. Pride struggles at one side of it with **2850ATK,** Lithosagym glaring on the other with **3400DEF.**

If their size and howling forms intimidate Sayo, all the better; perhaps it will remind her of the environment she's left Hina alone in! "_True King Agnimazud_, annihilate the _Nekroz of Decisive Armor!_"

ccccccCCCCRRRR

Intent on dwarfing the cyborg with extreme prejudice, Agnimazud veers its leering head down and seeps flames from its pores, disfiguring its blank expression to fuel the ever growing hate.

CCCRHSSSSSSSHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

A sunken palace's water level rises until drowned. Agnimazud's stream is dowsed in red, robbing each centimetre of air as it takes its strangling of the expanse and shoots it right towards-

"I activate the quick-play spell card _Forbidden Lance._"

Something flies into Agnimazud.

-right towards a wall.

Chisato freezes. "...What?!"

Agnimazud's mindlessly firing everything at its opponent. But Decisive Armor is weathering it; in fact, it's grounding its heels into the floor, dragging itself into the fire step by step. And though the True King refuses to relent, the melting flesh on its face is gradually reconstructed, as if forced back into a vulnerable, human form by whatever weapon just landed into it. Slowly, the cavity in its head fires less and less.

"For the rest of the turn, the monster I target with this spell loses 800 ATK, and becomes immune to all spell and trap cards," she hears. "That includes your _Amorphage Infection_ and _Dragonic Diagram._ In other words... Agnimazud has lost more than just its own power. It's also lost all the power it borrowed from those spells."

**2100ATK.**

Decisive Armor keeps walking forward, the ground shrieking beneath it. Even as hellfire torments its body, it takes in each and every part of Agnimazud's stream and stores it up into its veins with nary a shred of hesitation. Agnimazud's power weakens further, and further, and further... and further, no matter what it wishes to accomplish...

...until the very last of its drained energy has been eaten up by Armor's cannons.

...

If The Vanisher could emote like Chisato does, it would show fear.

THUD!

Decisive Armor aims,

and fires every particle of what it took.

** _BWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM_ **

Agnimazud's expression is drowned in its own hallowed red.

Chisato can only watch as the stream Decisive Armor fires, so much more concise, powerful and concentrated than the True King's all in one go, surges through the portal and incinerates the rest of the behemoth from the neck down. Only its charred head is left behind.

FWSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhHHH!

It drops and shatters, erupting into a cosmic pyre.

**...2150LP.** The infection wanes, dropping Pride to **2750ATK** and Lithosagym to **3300DEF.** "...How on earth-"

No. Again, this isn't just bad luck. That lance is most certainly a card Sayo would use, but there's more to it than that. In fact, this is exactly like what happened with Lechery and Zefrasaber; she restricted one type of card with her stakes, and Sayo retaliated with another... how? How is she being predicted so easily?!

"_Will you move?_"

"...!"

Emerald is piercing into her.

"...You..." She shakes her head again; but the aching only gets worse. Her arm nearly cramps as she moves her fingers to her disk. "...The effect of Agnimazud activates. When this monster is destroyed, I can add a non-FIRE Wyrm from my Graveyard to my hand. I choose Bahrastos." She drags the card out. "I set one face-down and end my turn."

"_My turn._"

She hears a card being drawn. This... this isn't a duel. This is not the kind of duel The Dragon plays. The Dragon's supposed to dominate any game she takes part in!

"You look stressed. Whatever you've been dealing with from the corporation, it must be exhausting you."

"...That _Forbidden Lance_ was no coincidence. You're running multiple quick-play spells in your deck, aren't you? How did you know?"

"It's because your tactics are stale."

The knot in her chest tightens. "Explain...!"

Sayo's voice echoes. "On turn 1, you restrict your opponent's playmaking, shackling their monsters and spells using Gluttony, Lechery and Wrath. Then, on turn 3, you restrict their counterplay, shackling their traps and chained effects using cards like Greed and Envy. Though there is some variation, the central strategy is the same."

"And what of it? What makes you less immune to this strategy than others?"

"Even a deck as blatantly powerful as yours will lose if adapted to. Others may have failed to do that, but I am a cut above them. You are no match for me."

"...Excuse me?"

Tendrils of smoke rage around the walls. Chisato balks and steps back, as a masked avatar spreads its imposing wings of ice above Sayo Hikawa, ex-Rank 5 of the Shirasagi Duel Academy. "Even you still have your flaws as a duelist. For one, you haven't noticed how your own cards are restricting you right now."

A chill runs down her spine. Where? Where is it? Is it the Amorphages in the Pendulum Zones? If it's something she can rectify immediately...

...

...Her eyes widen.

Of all the... for god's sake! Her face-down; with the stake of Envy on the field, she can't chain it! Decisive Armor can just activate its own effect and...

...Damn it! "During your Standby Phase, I activate the quick-play spell _Forbidden Chalice!_" She hurriedly flips it up, causing _Amorphage Pride_ to be bathed in something red. "This card increases a monster's ATK by 400, but negates its effects for the rest of the turn!"

**3150ATK.** That's fine, at least; Sayo doesn't use the Extra Deck, so the Amorphages' monster effects are pointless. But she's just had to waste a negate she could've used to interrupt a Nekroz...

"Now you have nothing protecting you," Sayo says.

She grimaces. Whatever happens next... it's going to put her back against the wall without a doubt.

"I tribute the _Nekroz of Decisive Armor_ to summon _Zefraxa, Flame Beast of the Nekroz_."

FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM

**2300ATK.** The previously shadowed figure throws off its cobalt plating and cannons, breaking free from its mechanical shell. Flames gouging its tail and hands reveal it not as a robot, but rather a scale-devoured dragon, cautiously peering out at the world surrounding it. Chisato can hear the monster's irregular breathing, as if it's holding a bile of fire in its throat.

"Zefraxa's effect." Sayo brushes the Envy-laden scales on her neck. "Once per turn, successfully Tribute Summoning or Special Summoning this monster lets me add a Nekroz monster and backrow card from my deck to my hand. I choose to add the _Nekroz of Unicore_ and a second copy of _Nekroz Mirror._"

The headache starts coming back. She's powerless... again, she's powerless...

"Unicore's effect. By discarding this card, I can retrieve a Nekroz card from my Graveyard. I choose _Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz_," Sayo says. "I activate the Ritual Spell _Nekroz Mirror._ Using Shurit as the tribute, I automatically reach the required Level of 8 for my chosen Ritual Monster."

...Electricity races. Illuminated wretchedly by the heat, Chisato watches bolts fly out from the wolf's chest, sending themselves into the recreated podium. Her stomach sinks.

"Cursed child, reanimate the fabled despot's lightning and weave their power into your arms and legs! Take their legendary form and make it your own!" A swipe leaves a trail of incinerating circuitry. "_Ritual Summon! Level 8, Nekroz of Valkyrus!_"

Suppressing the flames, a silver-maned warrior rises with **2900ATK,** slamming her electrifying spear into the ground. The sparks it leaves dance across the surface of her ebon mask, staring into The Dragon.

"Shurit's effect activates, letting me add the _Nekroz of Brionac_ from my deck to my hand." Another. "I discard Brionac to add _Great Sorceror of the Nekroz_ from my deck to my hand. Then I activate Valkyrus's effect; I shall tribute Zefraxa on my field and Great Sorceror in my hand to draw 2 more cards."

How many- no, that's not just 2... she's going to get even more from the Nekroz's tribute effects!

...This is ridiculous...!

Valkyrus flips her spear, hitting the ground with its opposite end; lightning absorbs and assimilates all flame, fracturing its azure colour. "Great Sorceror's effect activates, letting me add a second copy of _Zefrasaber, Swordmaster of the Nekroz_ from my deck to my hand. Zefraxa's effect activates, letting me retrieve the _Nekroz of Decisive Armor_ from my Graveyard."

That's a total of 4 additional cards. For all she knows, Decisive Armor is just one of several ways she could lose now!

"Say your prayers, Disaster. I'll cut right through you."

...Sayo places something invisible over her face.

A beam of cyan-poisoned blue devours the wolf.

The colour is overwhelmingly strong, denying any other light from entering and transfixing Chisato's eyes in an instant. She can't see Sayo inside it, but she knows the beam is freezing her in its grip, never letting go; Sayo's stiflingly regulated breathing can be heard from inside. "...I activate the holy scale of Zefrasaber. Using this monster in my hand as tribute, I automatically reach the required level of 9 for my chosen Ritual Monster!"

9.

Ah, of course. Fire, lightning, and...

...there's only one monster that could possibly represent ice.

God help her.

CLASH!CLASH! CLASH!CLASH!

The _Nekroz of Valkyrus_ steps aside.

Four swords of light pave the way, heightening the blur of Sayo's pillar to the utter extreme. The temperature plummets. The air conditioner is a stream of subzero, the metal is a wall of ice and the floor is a mirror into no one's soul. Rivers of frost devour the walls of the abandoned studio, seeping into the dimensional cracks Lithosagym peers through and making it snarl in disdain. Chisato's mind races at a mile an hour, trying to outrun the despair she's been avoiding all day; but all she can do, powerless to do anything else but watch, is wonder. She wonders, and wonders, and wonders, not knowing what else to do. What kind of training-

...No.

_Who_ did Sayo train with?

Who did Sayo meet?!

"O ancient dragon of cocytal cold, deity of the frozen world, arm me with your devastation. Wrap my limbs until my blood cuts short, shut my eyes closed with your mask, stop my heart through wings of ice and crystallise your unparalleled might into hardened steel! Through your armour, let me relive the legend of your ruination, and grant me the strength to crush all that oppose me!"

From heaven to hell, Chisato is stranded in the arctic.

"_Ritual Summon!_ Silence the heart; _Level 9, **Nekroz of Trishula!**_"

Part of her thinks that if she was to be devoured right now, she wouldn't care a bit.

**2700ATK.** A blunt and disciplined blade is forged.

Even The Disaster knows of the Monstrosity that stands before her. Though hardly matching up to the original in sheer power, there's not a doubt in Chisato's mind that the warrior whose mane is a curl of lightning, streaked in bolts of shuddering blood, completely succeeds in exuding the awe and fear its reference inspires. The way the Nekroz of Trishula's encrusted mask is sealed tightly onto her face, the way her blade reflects none of the light seeping through the curtains, the way the cold she emanates coalesces into an ice so emotionlessly and threatens to wash over Chisato...

...it's the kind of thing that makes Chisato wonder what the original is like.

"Now, you'll fall alongside the frozen deities you worship."

"...!"

Sayo readies to strike, narrowing her colourless, frost-permeated eyes; "I activate Trishula's effect. When this card is Ritual Summoned, I can select 1 card from my opponent's field, 1 card from my opponent's Graveyard, and banish them alongside 1 random card from their hand. I choose to banish Lithosagym from your field, and Agnimazud from your Graveyard!"

**GGGGRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

At that declaration, Lithosagym falls into a rage; it cuts its arm tearing open the entire portal, and ruthlessly shoots it towards Trishula.

CCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKRRRRRR!!!r!!rrr!!RR!!

The Disaster screams. Its hand falls into an enormous tidal wave of pincushioned ice, as frozen in place as the intent Trishula bleeds towards her enemy. Lithosagym deafens the entire expanse with a roar, breaking out of the frozen depths and swiping its arm again.

CKKKRRRRRRRr!!!rrrRR!!!!rrr!!!r r r

The exact same process repeats.

Lashing out in its pitifully predictable manner, The Disaster no longer has a threat to convey. It's a miserable, hopeless sight; Trishula calmly deflects each one of its attacks with a wave of ice summoned by her callous blade, steadily analysing the titan and knowing just what advantages it has.

CKKRKRKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Trishula mercilessly impales her blade into the ground, summoning and spreading a frozen prison. Icicles countless shoot upwards, some coalescing and stabbing through Lithosagym's arm while others rocket all the way to its body and lock it in place. Immediately, in that one moment of lockdown, the Monstrosity's Bearer takes the opportunity and raises her levitating sword, turning it into a frozen arrow.

With a thrust of her arm, it fires straight into Lithosagym's infected chest.

CCKCRRRR

CCKCKKRKRKRRRRRR  
CCKCKKRKRKRRRRRR  
CCKCKKRKRKRRRRRR  
Ice spreads out in a contagion of its own, until Lithosagym and the entire portal it's seen through is frozen over.

Then, it shatters.

CCRACK!

Not a single cosmic pyre is left behind.

...

...

...

The infection shrinks. Pride falls to **3050ATK.**

The room is dark. Chisato is empty. She's left with nothing but measly holographs, her arm in the mirror and the callous cold. She watches motionlessly as Bahrastos' card disappears from her hand... alongside Agnimazud's and Lithosagym's.  
...

...

...Hah. What a poetic justice. Slain by a bearer of the Monstrosity they made.

"I set one card face-down and end my turn."

Chisato lifts her head up. "Hmph. You won't finish the job?"

"Reckless," Sayo says. "Thanks to _Forbidden Chalice_, Pride's ATK outweighs Trishula and Valkyrus. Though I could empower one of those two by discarding Decisive Armor, _Dragonic Diagram_ will protect Pride from its first destruction by battle. I hardly see the merit in wasting my resources for a few points of non-lethal damage."

"...Very well."

Incredible.

The Chalice ended up protecting her. Even when she wants it to be over and done with, her mind's too much of a cockroach to be stamped. She can't look at her failures and simply acknowledge them; no, the duel has to be long and drawn out instead, just to laugh at her. Just to laugh at how incapable she is of raising a finger against anything in the world.

When did she ever get the idea that she of all people could try to mend the Hikawa family? She, who played a part in pushing it towards ruination in the first place?

...

...Oh, to hell with it all.

She's always known she never had the power to save anyone. Her role is an eternal rope. But there are times where she, unfortunately, is the only one who can move people away from the wrong route. If it falls upon her, so be it; she'll be damned if she sits around wallowing in inaction again!

Chisato shoves the frost off her shoulder. Let's make one more gamble. She has a card; a dreadful, despairing last resort that can overturn all of this.

Let's see if the only thing worse than The Disaster can be used pragmatically.

"_My turn._"

She draws. First, the board; Sayo controls Trishula and Valkyrus, values **2700** and **2800ATK.** Then there's Decisive Armor and god knows what else in Sayo's hand-

"...!"

"It's the Standby Phase. Don't tell me you've forgotten about your Pendulum Scale."

The seals of Greed and Envy begin to crack. "...Gah."

Quick; which one should she keep? Sayo has an unknown card in her hand... and it could be another Nekroz. If she keeps Envy, she can stop Sayo from chaining that card to one of her effects... but if she keeps Greed, she could stop Sayo from using her face-down instead...

The seals are breaking.

...No, that's not certain! For all she knows, Sayo's face-down could be another quick play spell. Greed would be worthless in that case-

The seals are breaking.

-No, wait. Sayo's been predicting her in advance this entire time. What if she's placed a trap card this time around, anticipating Chisato to restrict spells instead? In that case, keeping Greed would be the best choice...

The seals will be destroyed!

"Gggrh!" Fine, let's go with that; Envy's been a detriment anyway. "I tribute Pride to conserve the stake of Greed, and let the stake of Envy be destroyed!"

One seal shatters. Pride sinks into the ground for the other.

Finally. Keep calm and concentrate; now, "_Amorphage Infection_ activates. With the tribute of Pride, I can add 1 Amorphage card from my deck to my hand." She rushes forth, intent on plowing her hand into the abomination's remains. "I choose Glu-"

"I chain the effect of _Nekroz of Catastor._"

Every scale on the ground shatters.

... "When my opponent activates a Spell or Trap effect while I control a Nekroz monster," she hears, "I can discard Catastor from my hand to destroy it. Continuous Spells cannot resolve their effects if they are removed from the field, meaning you cannot resolve _Amorphage Infection._"

...

...Stay calm.

Chisato lifts her head and unblurs her vision, fixating solely on Sayo. What next? If she wants to summon her last resort, she'll need 2 True Kings. And that also means she'll need 4 sacrifices total. That's something she can't pull off without Pendulum Summoning. So, with Infection destroyed, how can she get the Amorphages she needs to remake the Pendulum Scale? "...I activate _True King's Heritage._ With the destruction of an Amorphage monster and spell, I draw 2 cards."

...Goliath and Sloth... no, this isn't enough. These can't be Pendulum Summoned, and she only has 3 Amorphages in her Extra Deck that can. She needs 1 more.

And what about the True Kings? She drew another copy of Lithosagym last turn, but that still leaves her 1 short... "...I activate _Dragonic Diagram's_ effect. By destroying _True King's Heritage_, I shall add another copy of Agnimazud from my deck to my hand."

The altar's lines bring a hollow, empty glow back to the expanse. Flames reappear in her hand.

There we go. Even if she summoned both of these, they wouldn't be able to win on their own. That's the consequence of Sayo destroying Infection; so long as Sayo has one Nekroz she can buff by discarding Decisive Armor, neither Agnimazud nor Lithosagym will have the ATK sufficient to win a battle.

But her last resort can stop Sayo from ever activating Decisive Armor in the first place. And these 2 True Kings are all she needs to summon it.

Now, the fodder. Where can she get her 4th Amorphage...?

...

...Aha!

That's how! "I activate a second copy of the field spell _Dragonic Diagram_, replacing the first!" She swipes her arm out, for the last time, and remakes the altar anew. "_Dragonic Diagram's_ effect is not a hard once-per-turn. Therefore, I can reactivate it using this new copy; I destroy _Amorphage Greed_ in my Pendulum Zone to add a True King card from my deck to my hand!"

The other stake restricting Sayo disappears. "...I see. That copy of Greed has been moved to your Extra Deck."

"Precisely. You've noticed, then. I now have 4 Level 4 Amorphages in my Extra Deck," she barely grins. "Wretched stakes of _Sloth and the Goliath... bring me the body of my prey!_"

Scales fester around the duelists' chests, sundering into their heart and lungs.

"The Pendulum Scale is re-set. Be infected; _Wrath, Pride and the victims of Greed!_"

**1650ATK, 1750ATK, 1950DEF, 1950DEF.** She reconstructs the broken animals from nothing, merely so they can be sacrificed.

What a fitting power for her. All she's done in her life is break, hasn't she? Herself, others... "I destroy Greed and Wrath to special summon **_True King Agnimazud, The Vanisher_** from my hand!"

Desperately, her repulsive arm drags open a hole in the world, far larger than before. The entire studio is stranded in a lunar desert of hell, broken swords laid everywhere in the night.

**GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...............**

**....GRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!**

A stream of annihilation removes the _Nekroz of Valkyrus_ from the field.

**2900ATK.** Agnimazud descends, blurring most of the sky's light out with its shadowed, heaving behemoth of mechanised flesh. "Then I destroy Greed and Pride to special summon **_True King Lithosagym, The Disaster_** from my hand!"

Time stops, breaking any colour that was left.

"It shall all be ended." Chisato storms forth, exemplifying The Disaster's power. It's a wretched, pathetic, foolish power, pitiful even at its most pragmatic; but it's the only power she knows how to use. "Now, let's take a look at your Extra Deck."

The 15 cards all fly out from Sayo's turquoise blade, shimmering in their crystal forms before Chisato. It hasn't changed at all since the last time she saw it; 3 copies of Herald, 3 copies of N'Tss, and Synchro Monsters of various Levels.

In other words, junk. "Of course... these beautiful gems are meaningless to you, aren't they?"

Sayo doesn't respond.

Chisato drags three of the cards out at random and snaps her fingers. "Banish them!"

_CRASH!_

**RRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**2500ATK.** All that's seen of the abomination is its bloodlusting eyes. Limping on all fours like a wild beast, it slams its arms over the portal and stares desperately down at the Nekroz of Trishula's masked face, trying to block the rest of the stars' light with its skyscraper-infantilizing build.

Trishula doesn't respond.

"You're drunk on power, Sayo. And I can speak from experience when I say it's not worth it."

"..."

"You don't believe me, do you? You think your aspirations are purified. Cleansed. Removed from any previous blood you've shed. But anyone who enters our wretched Academy is infected by it... and you don't understand just how deep that infection runs."

"Believe anything you want. The truth is that I am far more removed from the Academy than you."

It's true. But she wishes it were true enough. If it were, she wouldn't have to find a solution as dismal as this. "...You'd really go as far as to abandon your family just to find a path different from Hina's? It's not worth it, Sayo. She's hurting. No career you desire is worth this."

She raises her weak right hand.

"And if you're so insistent on believing otherwise, then allow me to sober you. I'll show you the most abhorrent, saddening monster imaginable, and crush any hope of victory you have with it!"

Despair.

Chisato's body starts shaking. The silhouette of something, embedded in her chest, can barely be seen. None know the value of it but herself. If it disappears, she knows she'll perish.

That's what she'll show Sayo. "_...With my Level 9 **True King Lithosagym** and my Level 9 **True King Agnimazud**... I establish the Overlay Network!!!_"

The pitch-black night takes the True Kings, and Chisato, with it, an empty closing curtain. Her chest aches, sinking in a pool of blackened red, cursed and corrupted even further by the virus her creation spurred. Indeed, it's by the fool's own undoing that she becomes the reaper, losing all humanity she once had. Nothing could be a more miserable and horrible end than the most sanctified and unbreakable repetition of her sins possible. It's the prospect that, even now, in her most dire state yet, she frantically and panickedly fights.

...But for the sake of this show, Armageddon shall come. The endless lake of black beckons her. "Fare-"

"I activate the counter trap card _Solemn Strike._"

_CRHSHWw_

...

...

...Chisato's eyes narrow.

**2500LP.** "When a monster would be Special Summoned, I can pay 1500 of my life points to negate the summon, and destroy that monster."

...

...

...

...

...

...Chisato lowers her arm. "I end my turn."

"_My turn._" Sayo draws a card. "_Nekroz of Trishula_, attack my opponent directly."

An arrow of ice runs Chisato through.

**0LP.**

Well... miracles are called miracles for a reason, aren't they?

...Chisato withdraws her pathetic blade. For someone who's perceived as an immovable monarch... it's ironic how powerless she really is. Isn't it-

"Again."

Chisato blinks.

Sayo's...

...still got her disk out. "What?"

"Again. Are you already finished?"

...No. You can't be serious. "What the hell are you on about?"

"That one lone victory means nothing. I must win every single game I play in the Haneoka Qualifier Cup. That means I should be prepared for any situation I could find myself in. Depending on our starting hands, each of our games could differ vastly; I must overcome all of them."

...Of all the... "...Shut up."

"Very well. I'll simply fight your deck in a simulator, then-"

"Leave me alone."

"..." Sayo withdraws her blade. "Is that really all?"

She might as well smile at this point. "...It's pointless... all of this is. If I can't convince you to talk to Hina, I have no reason to be here."

"..."

She hears footsteps. Footsteps gradually going further and further away.

For a moment, they cease. "Your deck. I know exactly how many of each card you run."

...

"The Shirasagi Corporation only permits a select few cards in your deck to be changed; the generics. All the rest are kept the same, likely for the sake of your image. I won because your circumstances make you a stagnant and predictable player," she hears. "Personally, I would recommend being more defiant in what you are allowed to use."

"...Are you done...?"

The footsteps continue.

Second by second, Chisato is left behind in the dark.

"I appreciate your concern," she hears. "But it is wasted on me. I have a light now. I have a path I can take. A proper future that I can believe in, that benefits all of us."

The words grind.

"You may believe that I am in jeopardy... but that could not be further from the truth. I am the last person you should be thinking about. Instead, please focus on saving yourself... for her sake."

Then, they fade away.

"Farewell."

What could have been her last chance for Hina is now lost.

...All she's left with is the ventilation and herself. Her thoughts. The knowledge that no miracles exist, and that only her failures remain... including every failure she made today, that broke the only lifeboat she had for the sake of some temporary defiance...

...Laughing at the misery of it doesn't help anymore.

She's just left with nothing.

Like the pitch-black of the studio and its suffocating curtains, she's void.

...

...

...

...

"...Anywhere but here. Somewhere to hide... that isn't here..."

\---

She settled on the previous hideout.

It's dark. Tuesday, the 23rd of February. She doesn't have a phone, so she can't check the time. The sky's already measured the length of her journey, anyway.

She shuts the door. Her arms fall. There's a long, stifled sigh. Faintly, she steps over to the middle of the rooftop. It's a little late to wish she brought a scarf, so all she can do is look around. Feel the cold.

...Starlight Tower lies in the distance again. Its lights are currently turned off. Nobody wants to go anywhere near that place right now... it's essentially become the haunted house of the Academy, she imagines. The blazing stars take its job of illuminating Hanasakigawa's surroundings instead, giving a faint light to the rows upon rows of buildings leading all the way to Haneoka Central and the forests, parks and houses that lie in-between...

...A better view than the studio, at least. The fickle gales of a winter's night are a distractor; they sway in and out, sometimes battering Chisato at a whim without any kind of intention or deliberation, causing her to tremble. It's far better at making her feel something than a stifling air conditioner. Maybe, if she gives it enough time, it'll kick her mind back up into thinking of something productive she can do.

...

...

...How... notable, at least. After the Exhibition, every time she stayed in this place, it was thanks to Star Breaker. The reasons couldn't be more different. The first time around, it was to protect her reputation from the prospect of losing a duel. But this time, it's because Star Breaker helped her realise the true extent of how useless her position was, and now she's here, drained from her panic at trying to break free.

Ah, right. Funnily enough, she lost a duel on the way here.

Sometimes you just lose either way.

...

...

...

...

...Maybe now, she's human.

Finally, after all the efforts the world took, it might have become true. Hina's light has paid off, hasn't it? Chisato started a pathetic, cowardly version of rebellion, and now she's here, possibly on the cusp of a true one. All it took was 3 years of lending paltry aid to students like Aya, then being reckless enough that she might find herself in the abyss tomorrow morning. A perfect little recipe for a flavorless entree. Barging into this place unauthorised, well... that's the cherry on top.

...

...

...Chisato falls to her knees, slowly and quietly resting her head into her hands. She closes her eyes.

...

...

...If there really is a 'true', human Chisato, then this is her first thought:

Only now does she realise how far away she lies from Planet Earth. Her star is a wasteland, broken blades scarring the dirt. Fissures and pits run across its length and several others, plummeting victims to the hidden guillotine. She shines further away from Earth than any other, and yet she threw a rope from Mount Olympus, believing it would reach the bottom, naively hoping that someone was capable of grabbing it, each and every time she tried. Such was her 'rebellion'; the crafting of those paltry antidotes. How ironic, that she chose to ignore the venom her body spewed all the while, bleeding the stars around her dry until their weapons fell to her ground. Perhaps she stayed as this cosmic funeral's host, for fear of what lied for an executioner like her beyond the gates to that beautiful sea.

Or perhaps it's just because she could never find a proper cure to that venom. That's why she took the glass, setting her lungs alight, and told herself 'Your future comes first.' It was the only way she had of coping when she was 11 years old.

Evidently, it's a mechanism that's endured all the way up to now.

...What next, then?

What lies in store for her future? Can she even think about rebellion? The one action she took may have saved Eve, but it's possible the agents simply went ahead with the expulsion anyway. The Council only makes her sign forms as an assertion of control over her, after all.

More. More, then. Isn't that... quaint. If she wants to protect people assuredly, rather than merely pray they'll come out intact, she'll need to take actions even more bold and defiant than throttling an agent half to death. Seems that's simply the way her life works; even if she defies those standing in front of her, the system at large is designed to favour the direction of corporate ambition, sending a hurricane of poisonous processes her way she can't keep up with. Though that may have dwindled in truth around the rest of the world, ShiraCorp has refused to bend.

So, you damnable aspiring genius, Chisato. What's your next bold move? Any bright ideas for something that won't immediately get you cast away?

...

...

...Hah. Of course not.

She's shaking. She's terrified. She's stranded on top of a remote, hilariously abandoned building, stuffed at the edge of Hanasakigawa next to a thousand others that look like it. She doesn't have any home she can return to, nor a penny or a passport to her name; this is the best she's got. And it probably won't last more than a day. In a way, she's already emulating the abyss itself. How daring of her.

...It wouldn't have ended this way if she accepted a compromise. 'If you try and chase two rabbits, you will catch neither'; the paradigm where she refuses and chases both anyway. She's a weight perched not on the platforms, but on some other asinine location atop the scale instead. She can hardly tell which end she leans closer to; if one were to look at a shooting star and declare they'll catch it, then they'd possess perhaps a mere percentage of the contradictory self-destructive frenzy Chisato has somehow thrown herself into. She's a tool born of corporate blood, that wishes both for a stable life, and the stable lives of others.

It's a desire that's verged on leaving her with nothing.

"..."

...A-ah.

That's... th-that's no good. She can't cry...

...she can't cry...!

She's got no time to waste. She has to keep fighting. If she doesn't come up with a course of action now, she'll be sitting in front of the agents tomorrow morning with nothing to defend herself... f-for all she knows, they might even show up in the next hour! She needs to think of something... anything...

Anything...

...c-call Kaoru, maybe... turn the transceiver back on and do that! Stop letting some sense of pride get in the way of asking for help...

...

...She leaves it off.

...

...There's no reason for her to reach out anymore. She wouldn't know what to say. What can she say? That she's stuck in a ditch and can't find her way out? That she knows there's no future where everyone is safe? That she can't keep herself intact while trying to make sure the entire population doesn't get strung around like a horde of puppets by that blasted Council?

That it's over?

"..."

She wipes a tear. Oh, no, of course, turning it on would be a better idea. She knows that. But why bother anymore? What's the point? Is she just going to turn it on, hope for a better tomorrow after some comforting words, and then wake up to find eyes staring her down from all sides, destroying the hopes her friends placed in her anyway?

"...There's nothing..."

...

...Chisato trembles. She hides deeper in her cocoon and holds it all in.

"...nothing..."

...

"...Hina..."

step step step

She tries to stave the thought off.

...

...It's no use. Her mind just falls upon Hina again.

step step step

Hina, Hina, Hina.

"...Hina... please..."

Ah. The thought is as undetachable as you are. You fiend.

step step step step step

Ha! You've struck this blade into me. You made me want to rebel, you put me in this perilous situation. Gone was Chisato the non-existent, Chisato the pre-made, Chisato the broken; and borne was a little patch of soil that craved for flowers, in a hellfire of my own making.

step step step step

"...I can't. I can't take this anymore..."

It's as beautiful as it is terrifying that I ever knew you. I've dangled my life on a string because of you. I snuck glances at the nape of your neck, merely thinking of imagining what it would be like to lie upon it, knowing desiring any more would be perilous for us both. But you told me I should step forward, like I wanted, for a bite, instead of just imagining, lacing my ears with those sweet whispers of yours.

step step step step step

So I did. So I did, humouring the idea of loving myself, knowing just how dire the consequences would be; so I did, knowing just what kind of poison I may have kissed into you! That's what I ended up doing, foolish as I was!

step step step step step

"...Hina...!"

And even now, I can't be anything but grateful... grateful to you, who I can barely see more than once a month. You, who I can only gaze from afar in a yearning that will destroy me. You, who I can't even find anymore, desperate as I am to beg for your embrace-

SLAM!

A door flies open.

She shoots her head up, expecting the worst, maybe an agent or-

"...Hah.... hah... hah......."

"..."

Hina is gasping for air.

"...!"

It's her.

Pulse.

Pulse, pulse, pulse.

No bottle stays shut forever.

She was right. Miracles don't happen. When it comes to this person, the most unlikely happenstances become whims instead, transforming into absolute certainty.

"..."

"..."

She desperately wipes every tear, putting Hina Hikawa in her full vision.

Hina's face is frozen. Then, it breaks, grieving and yearning in unison,

as she rockets right into Chisato.

"...Hina!"

She falls back onto the floor. All at once, she feels Hina's embrace. The embrace she's alternated between begging for and denying, so many times. It's a contact that releases Chisato's cries,

and she wails... and wails... and wails,

clutching ever so tight.

"Ch-Chisachi..."

"Hina... Hina...!"

Hina grips her. She's never felt Hina's arms shake so much; she's never felt Hina cling to her so desperately.

"Hina..."

"Y-you're okay..."

She buries herself into those arms and weeps. "Hina...!"

"You're okay... you're okay... you're okay... you're okay... you're okay..."

Finally. Finally, finally... they're together. Finally!

"You're okay..." Hina takes a sharp breath. "P-please. Don't leave again. Not anymore."

She looks up and shakes her head. "I won't. I'm right here with you."

The scars on Hina's expression slowly fade. There's a smile; a worn, tired smile. It's the happiest emotion Chisato's seen in so long. It fills her with a longing she could never resist following.

When Hina moves in, she closes her eyes and presses her lips forth.

The world feels safe

when she's in the Sun's arms.

"..."

"..."

"...Mm."

She parts for a moment. Then, she takes another; just to make sure Hina's still here.

The answer saves her.

"Mm..."

"..."

"...Mmm."

Hina moves back this time, slugging off her backpack and getting a bottle out. "Want some water? Your lips are pretty dry."

"...I'd like that..."

Hina moves the bottle forward, and-

W-wait. "...What are you doing?"

"Say aaaah, Chisachi~."

"I-I'm not a baby, you know..."

"Aw. Sure you don't want me to?"

She'd facepalm if she wasn't so delighted right now. "This is absolutely not as romantic as you think."

"Ahahaha☆! Yeah, I figured. I just wanted to see your reaction."

Chisato takes the bottle from her and gulps half of it down in one go. Her throat finally feels like it can function. "...Thank god. I haven't had anything to eat or drink today."

On cue, Hina, of course, immediately scrummages for food too. Out of one pocket, she finds; "Here! I'll give you the lollipop this time around."

"A red one?" She frowns. "This isn't the same one I gave you, is it? That's over a week old now."

"Nah, I just bought another! To think of you," Hina grins. "It's strawberry flavour. What does that mean? You never told me."

She puts the lollipop into her mouth. "Hm. At the time, I hadn't considered it. I just wanted to let you know I was safe."

"Ehhhh?! So it looking like a rose was a coincidence?"

"...Rose?" Has Kaoru been putting ideas in her head? "Well, for the flavour's meaning... how about a simple 'I love you?' Blueberry is rather complicated, after all."

"Works for me~!"

The dazzling, heart-melting Supernova stands up and offers a hand.

"C'mon, let's see what Hanasakigawa looks like at night! I don't go here as often."

...In no universe would she ever not take it.

Hina giggles delightfully into Chisato's ears as she links their arms and rushes them over to the railing. The wind that only battered Chisato before now feels like it's lifting her spirits and brushing through her hair, carrying the same lilt she feels for the Supernova in her heart. The two of them gaze over the entire array of buildings curled around the dual-district, beaming their star-dusted light... and she feels blood readily flowing through her body again, keeping her intact.

"How's it look?"

"...It's beautiful. I can think clearly again."

Hina squeezes her hand just a little tighter.

Maybe the stress blocked out her hope; of course she's human. It's just that she still has so much of this world before her, needing to be explored. Everything she could find is a drop of water for her newly blossoming garden... that's how it's been since the day she met Hina. She may desire more than what she currently has, but that's no reason to throw away what she's gained so far, is it?

<strike>...Though at this rate, chances are it'll slip from her hands anyway.</strike>

She shakes her head. "I can't think like that right now..."

"What's up?" Hina stands by her side. "What happened today? I heard a few things from the others, but nobody knows where you've been."

"It's... a long story," she says. "Let's work backwards. To start, how did you find me?"

"You can thank Maya for that!" A momentary grin. "She... s-she didn't tell me directly... but, but! She told Kaoru, and then Kaoru told me! Oh, I knew about this place before though."

"Maya knew? How?" The headache starts to return. "And Kaoru... I-I haven't turned the transceiver back on yet. I-"

She feels a hand on her shoulder. The touch is a bit startling, but she quickly ends up focusing on the phone being shown to her face. 11:35pm. "One thing at a time, Chisachi! I've told her you're safe."

"R-right. Soon, though... I owe her an apology." Well, that's an understatement, but... "You can continue."

"Aye, aye! Like I said, I knew about this place before. Kaoru told me when I woke up, after the agents made you meet Star Breaker 'n all. Eve... already knew, apparently, but she didn't say anything to me until today. I'm a little mad at her for that."

Gah. Her overreactions have come back to bite her again. "That's my fault," she responds. "I'm the one who told her not to. I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's fine then. It happens sometimes, right? I can deal with it."

She aches. Hina SHOULDN'T have to deal with that... if she were any more composed in the heat of the moment, then Hina wouldn't have to deal with that...

"Chisachi." Another squeeze. "Don't beat yourself up again. Better to feel scared than to bottle it up, right?"

"...Right."

She has to remember. She's not on some quaint concert stage or a presentation at a student hall; she's being made to represent the stakehold of an entire bloated megacorp. If she panics, then that's fine... Kaoru and Hina always tell her that...

...But she still wishes they didn't have to suffer for it. She wishes she could cast away her self-loathing and always stay close to her closest allies. She wishes they didn't have to look at her with such sorrow...

"Think of it this way. If we cry out in the open rather than bottling it up, it'll let us do more dramatic kisses!"

-...Her thoughts cut off. "Pffft." A master of romance, truly. No, really. "I suppose so. There's worse places to fear for my life than on your lips."

"Boppin☆!" Hina gives her a cozy hug. It's joyous. "So yeah, me and Aya scouted this place earlier today. We did a B&E to try and find you!"

She blinks. "Aya was here too?"

"Yeah, yeah! I found out she had some free time for once, so I dragged her over!" Hina giggles. "She thought B&E stood for 'Bacon and Eggs'. Isn't that whazzin~?"

Oh, Hina. Truly the master of flirting when holding another woman so close. "I-I see," Chisato responds. "Was she alright?"

"Nah, she petered out pretty quickly. I let her eat lunch and sit outside the gate while I did all the searching. Guess 2nd time was the charm for me rather than 1st, though."

"I'm glad it wasn't the 3rd. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't found me here now."

"Well, you never give up without a fight, right? You'd have probably killed an agent or something. If that happened, I'd just grab a knife and find out where to join you," Hina says. "...That's not a good scenario, though. So I'm glad I found you too."

"I'm... sorry for worrying you."

"We're here now. Let's focus on that!" Another kiss. "I don't think I could take another person's life, anyway. And neither should you. Let's find something less lame to do."

Funny how something so morose can make her chuckle. That's the beauty of Hina's honesty, isn't it? "Lame is not on our priorities tonight." She gives Hina a kiss back, and takes a deep breath. One thing at a time... "...How much do you know about my day?"

"You got into an argument with the agents, right? Kaoru called me half an hour after I left this place. She was kinda louder than usual. She told me you ran off and that your transceiver wasn't responding. I like, did a whole marathon around Central City looking for you."

Ah. Then, it's likely Hina was searching for her while she was dueling against...

...against...

...

"What happened, exactly?"

Chisato sighs. She can't bring that up, can she? Not yet. "...To make a long story short, Star Breaker essentially radicalized Eve. The agents were planning to expel her," she says. "So I went out of my way to pressure them into not doing that."

"...Was it scary?"

"...Yes. Moreso than usual. I thought my career was going to end the second I did it."

"Really scared, then." Hina brushes against her. "Sorry I wasn't there."

She combs through turquoise strands. "It's alright. You shouldn't pull your muscles running around for me," she responds. "...To be honest, it was the kind of action I needed anyway. They seemed dead-set on expelling Eve, no matter what I did. So instead of wasting my time on arguments that wouldn't work, I thought of what you might do, and came up with something risky."

"Huh? Me?" Hina looks up. "Like, something REALLY risky?"

"Yes. Though with a lot more brute-force, perhaps."

"Eh, I'd throw down with those shitheads if I had to. What was it, exactly?"

"I grabbed an agent by the neck and blackmailed them. If Eve were to fall into the abyss, then they would too."

"Extra-boppin☆!" Hina says cheerfully. "How'd you pull that off? What dirty secrets did you find~?"

"...Technically, nothing. I recalled a double-crossing agent my siblings told me about, and gambled on the hope they were the one I was strangling."

...

...

"You... you _guessed?_"

Chisato nods.

"...Ahahaha~! Aren't there like, hundreds of them? That's REALLY risky! Way too risky! ...Uh..." Hina wears a pained smile, mirroring her own. "...Guess things aren't... looking too good, huh?"

Story of their life. "It was inevitable," Chisato responds. "If I hadn't taken the risk, Eve would've suffered even more because of me. I couldn't accept that."

Hina gently offers her other hand. She takes it, holding both.

"...It's going to be necessary. More actions like those," she says. "I'm glad I grasped your defiance for myself. But I want to do more than just delay the inevitable. Saving a few students won't burn this Corporation." She looks up. "I... might not be safe if I do that. In fact, I've probably already thrown myself into jeopardy. Are you okay with that?"

"If that's what you want, then I'll be right beside you. Simple as can be," Hina responds. "Besides, I'm pretty bored of what we've been doing too. Stuff like The Dragon and Student Rep still makes us the bad guys half the time."

She makes the only laugh she can muster. "I'm... glad we agree."

Then, her head lowers. It's like it's been pushed to the ground.

"Thank you."

...

...Her arms are moved. She feels Hina hold her close again.

It's unfair. Every time she has this sensation, it's from a different way Hina brushes over her. All the different affections Hina's explored to delight the two of them... they're so overwhelmingly, peacefully unfair. It makes her wish she could have a lifetime honeymoon where nothing threatens them. Hina deserves it, after all.

"Chisachi. Are you tired?"

"..." Her limbs drain. She nods. "...Mm."

"Are you scared?"

"...Yes."

"Are you hurt?"

"..."

"..." Hina's breath perches by her ear. "...Let's not talk about the future for a while."

"..."

She should refuse. For all she knows, this peace could be broken by an agent at any moment. Anything she plans with Hina now could save her from the abyss she fears so much.

But it's too much.

Everything's too much now. Far too much.

And Hina is far too warm.

"C'mon, Chisachi. Let's lie down."

"Mm."

Hina promptly kicks back on the tarmac, gesturing in invitation. Agents and eyes be damned, Chisato happily accepts the offer and sits beside her, feeling that ever-wonderfully curious arm wrap around her waist. "What do you wanna talk about~?"

"...What's the time?"

"11:45."

"...It's late."

There's a chuckle of some kind. "Every time feels late to me nowadays."

Chisato smiles. "What a coincidence. No matter what time of day it is..." she says, stifling a yawn, "...I always feel like I could slump onto the desk."

"Do you wanna slump now?"

"God, no." She looks up at the starry night sky. "I'll stay awake for as long as I need if it keeps my eyes on you. Tell me where you've been, my explorer."

"Hmmmmmmmm......... there's been lots of stuff, lately," Hina sings. "Where should I start?"

"How about your friends?"

"Sure☆! Well, I haven't found Maya at all recently, so I don't know how she's doing, and I was pretty lucky to see Eve today. Oh, but Aya's been a blast!"

"As per usual, I see."

"She's just so... wishy! Wishy-washy!" Hina throws her arms out wildly. "She does all this really low-effort stuff to try and stand out. Even though her hair's a mop and she doesn't know what she's doing with her cards, she still does these funny poses and acts like she's thinking really hard."

Oh dear. Chisato can hear Aya's spirit dying in the distance. "I-is that so?"

"Yeah, yeah! She never stops. Honestly, feels kinda wasted in the SDA. I dunno why she picked it over another school."

"...She told me she wanted to emulate a previous idol of hers."

"Eh? She did?! ...Hmmmmhmhm☆."

"W-what is it?"

Hina leans over her. "Guess she wasn't lying when she said you were her friend~."

"...Friend?" No, that's impossible. "She doesn't really think of me like that, does she?"

"Seems like it to me." There's an innocuous smile. "That's the kind of stuff friends tell each other, isn't it?"

O-oh dear. The wind's not very cold on her cheeks right now. "Ahem," she interrupts. "So, you've had some time to talk to her recently, then?"

"Yeah, yeah~! Though I haven't gotten to duel her. She's so funny when we duel, so I wanna do it again," Hina says. "Oh, but I know she still doesn't have customisations. Her uniform's all messy, and she uses the same duel disk model as everyone else; I saw it on her wrist when we searched for you here earlier. She should, like, get a specialised model if she wants to stand out. That'll help a lot more than all her poses."

She chuckles. "I think her wallet would probably scream at that idea."

"Eye cream, then! She's got tons of bags," Hina responds. "Oh, what if she started a fundraiser? That'd get her a new disk pretty easily, right?"

"Not necessarily. But it might be worth pursuing. Perhaps you should bring up the idea with her."

"Hmmmm."

...Uh.

This is something she's been ignoring until now. But Hina has certainly seemed to take an interest in... shuffling around a lot... during these past few minutes. Around her, specifically. For example, right now, she's finding Hina's legs resting atop hers, and it's taking quite a bit of effort to ignore the sensation.

"Well, you could always bring it up with her yourself, y'know~. You'd have a lot of advice I wouldn't."

Chisato looks very intensely at a nearby radio pole. "I could hardly do such a thing without damaging my reputation..."

"Boooooooooo."

Hina hops off from her lap and moves their heads _very_ close together. She sweats.

"C'moooon, why not? Aren't we trying to be more defiant?"

There's no argument she can make against that. "...You're right. Perhaps I'm simply averse to the idea on instinct."

"Instinct, huh."

Chisato ignores the hand casually brushing her neck.

"Egggh. Feels like all our decisions involve some kind of reputation thing."

She looks up at the stars. "That's simply the life we live as celebrities."

Hina does the same. "There's fwooshier kinds of celebrities we could be, though. Not every celebrity has to like, hide financial embezzlements and stuff from the public. If you didn't have that weight on you, you wouldn't have to care about your reputation as much."

"...Is that so? I can't imagine what it'd be like."

"Ehh? 'Course you can!" Hina points up. "Imagine it with me. Think of all the alternate universes out there where we're something other than ShiraCorp duelists."

Alternate universes... t-that's a rather vague concept to think about, when Hina's hand is much more tangibly resting on her thigh. "What possibilities do you see?"

"Baristas at coffee shops?"

She snorts. "I don't think they're all that famous."

"Dang. Fiction's lied to me again," Hina sighs. "Hmmmm.... how about if we were singers? Ooooh, or a band, maybe? Or idols?"

"Hm. I can see that. Although they tend to have corporations backing them."

"What if we were all 3 at the same time~?"

That draws another chuckle out. "Are idol bands a growing market?"

"They could be~! I mean, hey; if they're that niche, they're probably not gonna have stalkers or be told to hide some corporate scandal."

"I suppose not," Chisato responds. "Singing together with you on a stage, fearing only for my reputation and not my safety... it doesn't sound so bad at all. Though I imagine the alternate version of me where I'm in such a group would be a very different person."

"Would she?"

Hina moves... t-tickishly close to her ear.

"I'd bet she's still ultra boppin☆."

Okay, this is more stimulation than she'd anticipated. M-much more.

Pure thoughts, Chisato. Now is not the time. "W-well, she'd definitely be different in some aspects. Less stage fright, for example."

"Hmmmm. That so☆."

Pure thoughts.

Of course it's intentional; this is Hina she's talking about. B-but even then...

...i-it's a little too distracting, having those fingers dance beneath her ear like this... "H-Hina."

"Mmmm☆? What's up☆?"

'Kiss her.'

She slams that thought into a adamantite safe the second she has it. PURE thoughts-

-A-ah. Oh, it would seem Hina's completely wrapping around her now. That's not helpful. "Could you... move a little further away?"

"Eh☆? Why☆?"

H-H-Hina's whispering into her ear. T-that's fine. She won't give in just because of that, w-will she? "I... this is not the time."

"The time..." Hina lingers, "...for what☆?"

"F-for. M-making out."

"Ooooooooooo~."

God help her, if he isn't bigoted.

"So, you wanna make out☆?"

Chisato crams the lid on her thoughts shut, very, VERY tightly. "A-another time. Isn't this a little too much right now?"

"Weren't you kissing me the second we found each other?"

"T-that was merely a-... a moment of emotional need."

"And. This. Isn't☆?" Hina says, each word punctuated by a finger pressing on Chisato's neck. "I thought I was the one who used words that didn't make sense~."

'For the love of god, just kiss her already.' "...H-Hina! This is..."

"You like it, right~?"

"I do, but..."

"If you do, then why aren't you going ahead with it?"

"...Because..."

Hina shuffles around, sitting over Chisato's lap and bringing their lips mere millimetres away.

If she closed the gap, then- "Let's have some fun☆."

...

...

...Chisato drapes her arms over her beloved.

Screw it all. Why should she hold herself back when the most unbelievably loveable person in the world is craving her? Why should she hold herself back, when she wants nothing more than to indulge herself?

That's... that's the truth of it. She knows this is something she wants.

It's Chisato's desire, and Chisato's desire alone. "...I love you."

Then she gently presses her lips upon Hina's.

"Mm..."

"Hmmhmhmm☆."

Hina's a devil.

When they first kissed, she was... very eager. Much more than Chisato was. Often, she had to stop Hina immediately, because it was hard to humour that curiosity. It wasn't exactly exciting to have Hina play around with her lips like a sandbox.

But then Hina started doing something truly evil. Instead of exploring Chisato without any restraint, she'd calmly start the kiss, and then... remain there. Letting their hearts beat. Simply smiling, resting... waiting. Waiting, eager to see what Chisato would do. Eager to see what desire Chisato would decide to follow, knowing that watching Chisato follow her own desires was exactly what made the act of kissing so 'boppin' to begin with.

It was an inevitable outcome. She wanted to do what she was comfortable with... and Hina let her do just that. Hina committed the sinful crime of letting her figure out exactly what she loved doing. And that's exactly what she's doing right now.

"Mmm..."

They shift. Chisato quietly moves back, so she can reposition and be the one sitting on Hina's lap instead; it's a very effective way of wrapping her arms around Hina's head and indulging Hina as much as she can. Unspeakably delightful.

"Hm... hmhmhm☆..."

Hina laughs sometimes as they kiss. It's wonderful; giving such a beautiful person such love and affection, indulging her with everything she's been curious about after suffering through so much... it truly, truly is wonderful.

"C-Chisachi."

Chisato moves back. Hina looks like she could burst from happiness.

Let's give her that happiness.

She continues the kiss, pushing Hina down all the while, gently guiding her to the ground with Chisato lying over her...

...wait. The tarmac will be rather rough, won't it?

She keeps the kiss going, and wraps her right arm around Hina's head to use as a pillow. Not her wretched left arm, too hurtful and metallic to give any comfort; no, her frail, human right arm, the arm that Hina could lie upon instead of the cold hard ground and keep her undistracted from the affection she's been craving all this time.

"...mmf..."

Because after everything Hina's been through, she only deserves the world, and more, and m-

"...snff...!"

-

-Chisato stops. She breaks apart and lifts herself up, immediately giving herself a full view of Hina's expression.

Hina's...

......crying. "A-are you o-"

"I love you."

The words rupture her. "Hina... I-I'm sorry. If you didn't like this-"

"You're the warmest person. I don't... want you to get hurt anymore."

-

Chisato lifts her beloved up, letting her shoulder become seeped in tears.

"Everyone's... everyone's-" She hears. "I... they're all... I-!" It keeps breaking. "...I-I hate it. None of you deserve it. _You_ don't deserve it, Chisachi...! I don't want you to just... I don't... want you to..."

"H-Hina."

"...t-to..."

Not a single sentence finishes. Hina can't speak.

She can barely move. This... this is the second time she's ever seen Hina cry. The first was back at the Dragon's Maw, 3 years ago.

Desperately, she keeps close. "I-I... I'll survive. I promise."

"...How? How will I know?" Hina lifts her head. "People don't survive things just because you want them to...!"

"I know because *I* want to."

Hina's eyes narrow.

"I want to live. Beyond this nightmare we're stuck in," she manages. "And everyone else will make it through too."

"...How... do you know...?"

"I found Sayo today."

.

The words fly out uncontrollably. "I dueled her in the city. She's healthy. She's as diligent and stubborn as she always is. I don't know how, but she's fine."

"..."

"We'll make it through, Hina."

"...Ah... ahaha."

The Supernova wipes her solitary tears.

"...Yeah. You're right. We'll be alright, won't we? Definitely..."

Chisato nods.

And it's enough. Hina rests into her shoulder again, calming her breaths.

...

...

...

...

...She feels haunted.

But she doesn't let go. She can't let go... she'll give everything she can. So that her only friends, and everyone they care about, feel like they're capable of surviving.

...

...

...

...

"...Thanks, Chisachi."

She rubs circles in Hina's back. Half a minute passes, second, by second, by second... and then Hina lifts her head up; that unbreakable smile back on her face. "I should be thanking you," Chisato responds. "I've made you deal with too much for my sake."

"...Really? That's not how I see it," Hina says. "It's just the Elder Council. If you're doing something un-boppin', they're usually the ones behind it."

"Then, I suppose we should resume our plans to depose them..." she says, "after enough rest, of course."

Hina makes herself comfortable in the nook of Chisato's neck. "Mmm. It's only midnight. We can relax for a bit longer."

"Indeed."

The desire for respite is no crime. Not for either of them. She closes her eyes...

...and keeps herself tucked into Hina's warmth.

...

...

...

"...Hey, Chisachi," Hina asks. "Do you ever feel like you're not doing what you think you're doing?"

It seems like an idle question. "Hm."

She opens her eyes. She's seeking the stars beyond the rooftop's railing for inspiration.

"If I-"

That's when she sees it.

No.

Sees them.

\---

"...Mm? Chisachi?"

Chisachi's stopped moving. Not in that croarshhhhh kind of way, but rather... the dragglin' kind. Like a damaged watch. What happened?

She looks at Chisato's face. It's also pretty dragglin'; her eyes aren't narrow, but it feels like the kind of expression where you take the shock from seeing something and just minus the 'narrowed eyes' part. Like you've experienced something that you both saw coming and didn't see coming.

...Wait, did Chisachi see something?

Hina Hikawa turns around, and...

...

...Hm.

What's this about?

That's a person in a black cloak, alright. Third time this month. Different from the other two; she can tell that immediately.

"You..."

says Chisato,

"...who are you?"

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Doesn't look like the wordy type. Seems kinda demonic, almost. That cloak's... raggedy, but not too raggedy, and dark, but not too dark. All fluttery, and vague.

Ah. But they do have something other than words;

their duel disk.

They've just lifted their arm to show it.

...Now this... this could be boppin'.

Just who are you?

Maybe... you're the person I've been starving for?


End file.
